Vikings, Wildcats Fall In Tippecanoe Valley Sectional
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AKRON -Ê"I hope the seniors look back at this game and think it was a heck of a way to go out," said Tippecanoe Valley baseball coach Scott Backus. "This is the best baseball game I have seen at the high school level. And it's probably the most fun short of winning I have had."
It took nine innings, but the Norwell Knights outlasted the Vikings to pick up a 10-9 win and advance to Friday night's sectional final.
"It's frustrating to lose," said Backus. "But there were not a lot of mistakes. You had a 20-7 team playing a 20-8 team. Both teams were on a five-game win streak. And it took nine innings to decide it."
Brandon Cody started the game off on the right foot for the Vikings, pounding a double in his first at-bat. Then Britton Burkhart reached base on an error, putting runners on first and third.
A single by Derek Adamson sent Cody home, and Burkhart scored on a walk by Brandon Newcomer. Adamson crossed the plate on a single off the bat of Stuart Jackson, putting Valley up 3-0.
The Vikings held the Knights scoreless until the fourth frame when Norwell produced two runs on three hits.
Norwell's offense kicked into gear again in the sixth frame. Down 3-2, the Knights used well-timed hits to score three runs and take their first lead of the game, 5-3.
But that lead was short-lived as Valley stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Brandon Cody hit his second double of the evening to get the ball rolling for the Vikings. Burkhart followed Cody's lead with an RBI single, and then the Knights intentionally walked Adamson to put runners on first and second.
Enter David Beyers. The senior hurler stepped to the plate and pounded a double, sending Burkhart and Adamson home to restore Valley's lead, 6-5.
Norwell went back to work in the seventh frame, scoring two runs to go up 7-6.
Again the Vikings battled back.
With one out, junior Kyle Howard stepped to the plate to pinch-hit. With a 2-2 count, Howard saw his pitch and went for it, sending the ball over the left-field fence to knot that game at 7-all and force extra innings.
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Knights scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 10-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth frame.
The pressure mounted for the Vikings as Howard stepped to the plate again. He reached first on an error, and Jackson stepped into the batter's box.
The senior thirdbaseman got ahold of the first pitch and sent it sailing over the right-centerfield fence for a two-run homer that sliced Norwell's lead to one, 10-9.
However, the Vikings were unable to produce another run and finished the season with a 10-9 loss.
When asked if he felt this game was the sectional championship game, Backus replied, "I'm hoping this was the state championship game. It stinks to lose, but this was a great game."
Several Vikings finished the game with multiple hits. Cody finished his high school career with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two runs scored. All three of his hits were doubles.
Jackson also finished his high school career with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate. He scored one run and drove in three with a single, a double and a home run.
Burkhart was 2 for 6 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored, while David Beyers was 2 for 5 with two RBIs.
Howard, Adamson and Brandon Newcomer each added one hit for Valley.
FW WAYNE 6, WHITKO 5
The Whitko Wildcats ended their season with a 6-5 sectional loss to Fort Wayne Wayne in the Tippecanoe Valley Sectional Tuesday evening.
The Generals jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs on one hit in the first inning.
After one scoreless inning, Whitko's bats came to life in the second frame. Bryan Boggs reached first on a walk, and moved to second when Brandon Reiff moved to first on an error.
Jarad Eberly hit a single to load the bases, and two runs scored when Travis Christman reached first on an error.
The score remained knotted at 2-all until the fourth inning when Wayne broke the tie by scoring one run.
The Generals then scored two more runs in the top of the sixth frame to make the score 6-2 in their favor.
But the Wildcats clawed their way back into the game.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Shannon Sleighter walked to first and Noah Shepherd hit a single, putting runners on first and second. Then Christman stepped to the plate and slammed a three-run home run over the left-field fence to put Whitko within one, 6-5.
After holding the Generals scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Wildcats had one last opportunity at the plate.
Tristan Brubaker hit a single to get the Whitko squad started, but the Wildcats were unable to produce a run, falling 6-5 and ending their season.
Brubaker, Eberly, Shepherd and Christman each had hit for Whitko.
Shepherd went the distance for the Wildcats, pitching seven innings with six runs, three earned runs and seven hits. He allowed four walks an struck out 11 batters.
Wayne moves on to the sectional championship game. The Generals will face Norwell at 7 p.m. Friday evening.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY SECTIONAL
NORWELL 10, TIPPECANOE
VALLEY 9, 9 innings
Norwell 000 203 203 - 10 14 2
Valley 300 003 102 - 9 12 1
Valley AB R H RBI
Cody 5 2 3 0
Burkhart 6 2 2 1
Adamson 4 2 1 0
Brown 3 0 0 0
Herrera 0 0 0 0
Beyers 5 0 2 2
Newcomer 4 0 1 0
Sausaman 2 0 0 1
Howard 2 2 1 1
Jackson 5 1 3 3
Kindig 5 0 0 0
Totals 41 9 13 8
Norwell AB R H RBI
Lewis 3 0 1 1
Minniear 2 0 0 0
D. Dafforn 6 0 2 1
Schortgen 3 1 2 1
Harnish 5 0 0 0
Baatz 5 2 2 0
Putt 2 2 1 0
Wolf 2 2 1 0
C. Dafforn 3 1 2 3
McKee 0 1 0 0
Dunnwiddie 5 2 2 3
Jauert 4 1 2 0
Totals 38 10 14 9
LOB - Norwell 10, Valley 11. 2B - Schortgen, C. Dafforn, Dunnwiddie, Cody (3), Adamson, Beyers (2), Jackson. HR -ÊDunnwiddie, Howard, Jackson.
IP R ER H BB K
Norwell
Putt 6 6 4 9 4 7
Baatz, W 2 3 2 3 1 3
C. Dafforn 1 0 0 0 0 0
Valley
Beyers 5 5 5 8 1 4
Kindig, L 2 5 5 6 2 0
HB -ÊBaatz 1, Beyers 3, Kindig 1.
FORT WAYNE WAYNE 6, WHITKO 5
Wayne 200 112 0 - 6 7 5
Whitko 020 003 0 - 5 4 3
Wayne AB R H RBI
Parker 3 1 1 0
Smith 4 1 2 1
Ju. Parker 2 1 0 0
Alles 4 0 1 0
Lee 3 0 0 0
Light 3 0 1 0
Taylor 3 1 1 0
Hiatt 2 1 1 0
Richards 2 0 0 0
Randolph 1 0 0 0
Totals 27 5 7 1
Whitko AB R H RBI
Schlicht 3 0 0 0
Brubaker 3 0 1 0
Boggs 0 0 0 0
Hart 4 0 0 0
B. Boggs 3 1 0 0
Reiff 4 1 0 0
Eberly 3 0 1 0
Sleighter 2 1 0 0
Shepherd 2 1 1 0
Christman 3 1 1 3
Totals 27 5 4 3
LOB - Wayne 5, Whitko 6. 3B -ÊSmith. HR -ÊChristman.
IP R ER H BB K
Wayne
Springer, W 6 6 3 3 5 9
Alles, S 1 0 0 1 0 1
Whitko
Shepherd, L 7 6 3 7 4 11
HB -ÊShepherd. [[In-content Ad]]
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AKRON -Ê"I hope the seniors look back at this game and think it was a heck of a way to go out," said Tippecanoe Valley baseball coach Scott Backus. "This is the best baseball game I have seen at the high school level. And it's probably the most fun short of winning I have had."
It took nine innings, but the Norwell Knights outlasted the Vikings to pick up a 10-9 win and advance to Friday night's sectional final.
"It's frustrating to lose," said Backus. "But there were not a lot of mistakes. You had a 20-7 team playing a 20-8 team. Both teams were on a five-game win streak. And it took nine innings to decide it."
Brandon Cody started the game off on the right foot for the Vikings, pounding a double in his first at-bat. Then Britton Burkhart reached base on an error, putting runners on first and third.
A single by Derek Adamson sent Cody home, and Burkhart scored on a walk by Brandon Newcomer. Adamson crossed the plate on a single off the bat of Stuart Jackson, putting Valley up 3-0.
The Vikings held the Knights scoreless until the fourth frame when Norwell produced two runs on three hits.
Norwell's offense kicked into gear again in the sixth frame. Down 3-2, the Knights used well-timed hits to score three runs and take their first lead of the game, 5-3.
But that lead was short-lived as Valley stepped to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Brandon Cody hit his second double of the evening to get the ball rolling for the Vikings. Burkhart followed Cody's lead with an RBI single, and then the Knights intentionally walked Adamson to put runners on first and second.
Enter David Beyers. The senior hurler stepped to the plate and pounded a double, sending Burkhart and Adamson home to restore Valley's lead, 6-5.
Norwell went back to work in the seventh frame, scoring two runs to go up 7-6.
Again the Vikings battled back.
With one out, junior Kyle Howard stepped to the plate to pinch-hit. With a 2-2 count, Howard saw his pitch and went for it, sending the ball over the left-field fence to knot that game at 7-all and force extra innings.
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Knights scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 10-7 lead into the bottom of the ninth frame.
The pressure mounted for the Vikings as Howard stepped to the plate again. He reached first on an error, and Jackson stepped into the batter's box.
The senior thirdbaseman got ahold of the first pitch and sent it sailing over the right-centerfield fence for a two-run homer that sliced Norwell's lead to one, 10-9.
However, the Vikings were unable to produce another run and finished the season with a 10-9 loss.
When asked if he felt this game was the sectional championship game, Backus replied, "I'm hoping this was the state championship game. It stinks to lose, but this was a great game."
Several Vikings finished the game with multiple hits. Cody finished his high school career with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two runs scored. All three of his hits were doubles.
Jackson also finished his high school career with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate. He scored one run and drove in three with a single, a double and a home run.
Burkhart was 2 for 6 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored, while David Beyers was 2 for 5 with two RBIs.
Howard, Adamson and Brandon Newcomer each added one hit for Valley.
FW WAYNE 6, WHITKO 5
The Whitko Wildcats ended their season with a 6-5 sectional loss to Fort Wayne Wayne in the Tippecanoe Valley Sectional Tuesday evening.
The Generals jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs on one hit in the first inning.
After one scoreless inning, Whitko's bats came to life in the second frame. Bryan Boggs reached first on a walk, and moved to second when Brandon Reiff moved to first on an error.
Jarad Eberly hit a single to load the bases, and two runs scored when Travis Christman reached first on an error.
The score remained knotted at 2-all until the fourth inning when Wayne broke the tie by scoring one run.
The Generals then scored two more runs in the top of the sixth frame to make the score 6-2 in their favor.
But the Wildcats clawed their way back into the game.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Shannon Sleighter walked to first and Noah Shepherd hit a single, putting runners on first and second. Then Christman stepped to the plate and slammed a three-run home run over the left-field fence to put Whitko within one, 6-5.
After holding the Generals scoreless in the top of the seventh, the Wildcats had one last opportunity at the plate.
Tristan Brubaker hit a single to get the Whitko squad started, but the Wildcats were unable to produce a run, falling 6-5 and ending their season.
Brubaker, Eberly, Shepherd and Christman each had hit for Whitko.
Shepherd went the distance for the Wildcats, pitching seven innings with six runs, three earned runs and seven hits. He allowed four walks an struck out 11 batters.
Wayne moves on to the sectional championship game. The Generals will face Norwell at 7 p.m. Friday evening.
TIPPECANOE VALLEY SECTIONAL
NORWELL 10, TIPPECANOE
VALLEY 9, 9 innings
Norwell 000 203 203 - 10 14 2
Valley 300 003 102 - 9 12 1
Valley AB R H RBI
Cody 5 2 3 0
Burkhart 6 2 2 1
Adamson 4 2 1 0
Brown 3 0 0 0
Herrera 0 0 0 0
Beyers 5 0 2 2
Newcomer 4 0 1 0
Sausaman 2 0 0 1
Howard 2 2 1 1
Jackson 5 1 3 3
Kindig 5 0 0 0
Totals 41 9 13 8
Norwell AB R H RBI
Lewis 3 0 1 1
Minniear 2 0 0 0
D. Dafforn 6 0 2 1
Schortgen 3 1 2 1
Harnish 5 0 0 0
Baatz 5 2 2 0
Putt 2 2 1 0
Wolf 2 2 1 0
C. Dafforn 3 1 2 3
McKee 0 1 0 0
Dunnwiddie 5 2 2 3
Jauert 4 1 2 0
Totals 38 10 14 9
LOB - Norwell 10, Valley 11. 2B - Schortgen, C. Dafforn, Dunnwiddie, Cody (3), Adamson, Beyers (2), Jackson. HR -ÊDunnwiddie, Howard, Jackson.
IP R ER H BB K
Norwell
Putt 6 6 4 9 4 7
Baatz, W 2 3 2 3 1 3
C. Dafforn 1 0 0 0 0 0
Valley
Beyers 5 5 5 8 1 4
Kindig, L 2 5 5 6 2 0
HB -ÊBaatz 1, Beyers 3, Kindig 1.
FORT WAYNE WAYNE 6, WHITKO 5
Wayne 200 112 0 - 6 7 5
Whitko 020 003 0 - 5 4 3
Wayne AB R H RBI
Parker 3 1 1 0
Smith 4 1 2 1
Ju. Parker 2 1 0 0
Alles 4 0 1 0
Lee 3 0 0 0
Light 3 0 1 0
Taylor 3 1 1 0
Hiatt 2 1 1 0
Richards 2 0 0 0
Randolph 1 0 0 0
Totals 27 5 7 1
Whitko AB R H RBI
Schlicht 3 0 0 0
Brubaker 3 0 1 0
Boggs 0 0 0 0
Hart 4 0 0 0
B. Boggs 3 1 0 0
Reiff 4 1 0 0
Eberly 3 0 1 0
Sleighter 2 1 0 0
Shepherd 2 1 1 0
Christman 3 1 1 3
Totals 27 5 4 3
LOB - Wayne 5, Whitko 6. 3B -ÊSmith. HR -ÊChristman.
IP R ER H BB K
Wayne
Springer, W 6 6 3 3 5 9
Alles, S 1 0 0 1 0 1
Whitko
Shepherd, L 7 6 3 7 4 11
HB -ÊShepherd. [[In-content Ad]]