Brackets have been set for the 2022 American Legion Baseball Great Lakes Regional at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. Indiana champion Muncie Post 19 is scheduled to play its first game against Gladwin City (Mich.) Post 171 in Game 3 at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Muncie will play again in the double-elimination event on Thursday, Aug. 4 at either 4 p.m. (Wednesday win) or 9:30 a.m. (Wednesday loss). The regional continues through Sunday, Aug. 7. The American Legion World Series is slated for Aug. 11-16 in Shelby, N.C. Muncie (19-11) earned the right to compete at regional by beating Terre Haute Post 346 by a 4-0 score Saturday, July 30 in Kokomo for the Indiana American Legion Senior Baseball State Championship. Jacob Pruitt tossed a no-hitter as the Kevn Zvokel-managed Chiefs won their first state title since 2008. Muncie went 4-1 in the tournament began in Rockport and concluded in Muncie.
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL GREAT LAKES REGIONAL (At Midland, Mich.) Wednesday, Aug. 3 Game 1: Moline (Ill.) Post 256 vs. Eau Claire (Wis.), 9:30 a.m. Game 2: Aviston (Ill.) 1239 vs. Manitowoc (Wis.) Post 88, 12:30 p.m. Game 3: Muncie (Ind.) Post 19 vs. Gladwin City (Mich.) Post 171, 4 p.m. Game 4: Cincinnati (Ohio) Post 199 vs. Midland (Mich.) Post 165, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4 Game 5: Game 1 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 9:30 a.m. Game 6: Game 2 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 12:30 p.m. Game 7: Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 4 p.m. Game 8: Game 2 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5 Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 11 a.m. Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 4 p.m. Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6 Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 4 p.m. Game 13: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7 Game 14: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 1 p.m. (Championship). Game 15: If necessary, 4 p.m.
Right-hander Jacob Pruitt pitched a no-hitter Saturday, July 30 to help Muncie Post 19 defeat Terre Haute Post 346 by a 4-0 score in the championship of the 2022 Indiana American Legion Senior Baseball State Finals. Pruitt threw 100 pitches with 11 strikeouts and two walks to helped the Post 19 Chiefs win the program’s first senior baseball state crown since 2008. “My catcher Luke Willmann called a great game today,” said Pruitt. “He knew exactly what he wanted to me to throw and I was able to execute.” Pruitt, a 2022 Yorktown High School graduate and Indiana State University recruit as well as an Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series participant, mixed his four- and two-seam fastball and his breaking pitches to best Terre Haute for the second time during the State Finals. The first time was not at Kokomo’s CFD Stadium at Highland Park. The tournament began in Rockport Friday, July 22 and was moved to Kokomo because of excessive rain on what would have been the final day Tuesday, July 25. This also allowed all pitchers to be eligible under American Legion pitch count rest rules. Muncie Post 19, Terre Haute Post 346 and Kokomo Post 6 came into Saturday’s action with 3-1 tourney records. “I learned what their hitters are capable of doing,” said Pruitt of the July 22 game against Terre Haute. “They’re a very good team, obviously. But I was able to find some weaknesses in the off-speed where I could exploit. “It the curveball the last time. It was the slider today. I was able to mix it up.” Post 346 manager David Will explained why he thought Pruitt was so effective. “He throws a 92 mph fastball and he’s got a slider that’s only five or six miles an hour slower,” said Will. “It looks like a fastball coming to the kids so they’re right out front and it makes them look silly. “He’s a good pitcher.” Post 19 Chiefs manager Ken Zvokel had Jerad Michael (who had two saves earlier in the State Finals) ready to go if Pruitt faltered. But that did not happen. “(Pruitt) was on fire,” said Kvokel. He got it in his head that he was going to win this game and wasn’t going to give the ball up.” With the championship, Muncie (19-11) advances to the Great Lakes Regional (Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin) Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 3-7 in Midland, Mich. The American Legion World Series is slated for Aug. 11-16 in Shelby, N.C. “We were fired up,” said Zvokel of his team. “We’ve had a good roll here the last couple of weeks. We play good ball all the way — top to bottom. Every guy on the bench is ready to go.” Terre Haute (25-8-1) was seeking its 15th overall state title and first since 2019. Post 346 topped Kokomo Post 6 by a 5-1 count in Saturday’s first game. Muncie went up 4-0 with two runs in the fourth. Hayden Carrow smacked a lead-off single and Isaac Jackson followed with a double. Carrow scored on an error and Jackson later came home Cooper Roach’s sacrifice fly. Post 19 tallied a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the third for a 2-0 lead. Quinn Faulkner led off with a walk and Michael reached on a sacrifice and an error. A double by Willmann drove in Faulkner and Michael. Right-hander Derek Lebron, a Rend Lake College recruit, pitched a complete game for Terre Haute. He allowed six hits while striking out five and walking two
Semifinal Terre Haute Post 346 5, Kokomo Post 6 1 Right-hander Cade Moore threw 100 pitches and went the distance as the winner for Post 346. The right-hander who graduated from Terre Haute North Vigo High School in 2021 and was at Kentucky Wesleyan College in the spring scattered six hits, struck out five and walked none. “Cade pitched really well,” said Will. “He was pounding the zone. He gave them some fits. On top of that we made some great plays in the infield that really helped him.” Terre Haute took its lead up to 5-1 with one run in the top of the sixth inning. Logan Nicoson singled and later crossed the plate on an infield hit by Tyler Will. Kokomo right fielder Jacob Ward caught a fly and threw out a runner at the plate for the first two outs. Post 6 cut the gap to 4-1 with one run in the bottom of the fourth. Will McKinzie produced a lead-off single and later scored on Conner Boone’s sacrifice fly. McKinzie moved to second base on an error and third base on Levi Mavrick’s single. Post 346 pushed its advantage to 4-0 with a solo home run by Pierson Barnes in the top of the fourth. With one out, Barnes belted the first pitch he saw over the tall fence in right field. Terre Haute took a 3-0 lead with two runs in the top of the third. Ty Stultz drew a walk against Kokomo right-handed starter Owen Taylor. With one out, Moore doubled off Post 6 righty reliever Mavrick, who tossed the last five innings and gave up 10 hits with one strikeout and two walks. An error on the play allowed Stultz and score. A single by Bryson Carpenter plated Moore from second base. Post 346 scored one run in the top of the first. Lead-off man Caden Mason walked and later scored on a wild pitch. He was advanced to second base by Moore’s sacrifice bunt and third base Carpenter’s fly-out. Kokomo, which was seeking its first state crown since 1982, finished 2022 season at 23-10-2. Because of a positive COVID-19 test, Post 6 was without 2022 Logansport High School graduate and Indiana University Kokomo commit Gavin Smith. He was selected as the A.D. Phillips Sportsmanship Award winner. The five other participants in the 2022 State Finals were Newburgh Post 44, Jasper Post 147, South Bend Post 151, South Haven Post 502 and Rockport Post 254.
INDIANA AMERICAN LEGION SENIOR STATE FINALS (2022) At Rockport Friday, July 22 Newburgh 7, Jasper 3 Muncie 2, Terre Haute 1 Kokomo 4, South Bend 1 Rockport 5, South Haven 4 Saturday, July 23 Jasper 10, South Bend 7 Terre Haute 7, South Haven 0 (forfeit) Kokomo 10, Newburgh 4 Muncie 4, Rockport 3 Sunday, July 24 Terre Haute 4, Newburgh 3 Rockport 11, Jasper 0 (5 inn.) Muncie 10, Kokomo 0 (5 inn.) Monday, July 25 Kokomo 3, Rockport 2 Terre Haute 15, Muncie 3 At Kokomo Saturday, July 30 Terre Haute 5, Kokomo 1 (semifinal) Muncie 4, Terre Haute 0 (championship)
The Muncie Post 19 Chiefs, 2022 Indiana American Legion Senior Baseball champions. (Steve Krah Photo)
The South took an early 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 win Sunday, June 26 in Game 3 of the 2022 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches AssociationNorth/South All-Star Series. By going 2-1 during the weekend at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, the South cut the North’s all-time series lead to 69-68. Eastside’s Owen Willard was selected as 2022 BSN Sports Don Jennings MVP Award. The Purdue Fort Wayne recruit struck out all six batters he faced in Game 1 Saturday and went 4-of-7 with two runs batted in and two runs scored across three games. “I definitely had the curveball working. I threw that a lot,” said right-hander Willard of his mound outing. “The hitters struggled with (the curve) and I tried to sneak a fastball on the outer corner. “I got a lot of swing-and-misses with my curveball. I worked ahead (in the count). That’s how I got those outs.” Willard described his offensive philosophy — with a metal or wood bat. “I try to see ball, hit ball almost,” said righty-swinging Willard. “I just wait on a fastball and get one I can hit. That’s my mentality. “Before this weekend I was leaning toward going to (college) is a (pitcher-only). After this weekend I feel like I can with some of the big dogs and give it a shot.” Willard said he would remember his performance, but that’s not all. “Meeting all these people that I can call my friends now,” said Willard. “I hadn’t met most of these people. I can have a conversation with them anytime now.” Owen got to share the all-star experience closely with his father. Aaron Willard retired as Eastside head coach after the 2022 season and was selected as part of the North coaching staff. “This was the last high school baseball game he’ll ever coach,” said Owen. “This is pretty cool.” Two runs in the seventh pulled the North to within 4-3. Willard lashed a lead-off triple and scored on a wild pitch. Indiana State University-bound Jacob Pruitt (Yorktown) singled and trotted home on a two-out double by Earlham College recruit Nick Turner (Seeger). The North cut the gap to 4-1 with one run in the fifth. Joey Spin (Caston) singled and scored on a double by Huntington University-bound Jordan Malott (Fort Wayne Carroll). University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recruit Luke Smock (Delphi) followed with a single. South right fielder and Rockhurst University-bound Landon Carr (Northview) threw to catcher and Lincoln Trail College recruit Oscar Pegg (Shakamak) to cut down Malott out at the plate. A two-run third gave the South a 4-0 advantage. The first two hitters — Pegg and Quincy University-bound Joe Huffman (Avon) walked. Both scored on the same play — a sacrifice fly by Anderson University recruit Jake Winzenread (Lawrence North) and a North throwing error. The South tallied two runs in the top of the first inning for a 2-0 lead. Bellarmine University-bound Charlie Rife (Shelbyville) smacked a lead-off double and Pegg was hit by a pitch. Both scored on a one-out single by Winzenread. The South used three pitchers for three innings each — left-hander Ethan Lyke (Evansville Central) and right-handers Drew Howard (Forest Park) Tate Warner (Fishers). Lyke is headed to Murray State University, Howard to the University of Evansville and Warner to Indiana Wesleyan. North’s pitching was shared by six players — Indiana University recruit Brayden Risedorph (East Noble) for 1 1/3 innings, Ball State University-bound Cole Wise (Northwestern) for 1 2/3, Indiana Wesleyan recruit Will Eldridge (Carroll of Flora) for two, Belmont University-bound Dalton Wasson (Heritage) for two, Ohio State University recruit Keaton Mahan (Westfield) for one and University of Saint Francis-bound Luke Siren (Fort Wayne Northrop) for one. Mahan is a lefty. The rest are right-handers. The game featured five double plays — three for the South (second, fourth and sixth) and two for the North (seventh and ninth). According to IHSBCA Executive Director Brian Abbott, the 2023 North/South All-Star Series and Futures Game is to be held in Lafayette the week following the IHSAA State Finals.
Eastside’s Owen Willard (left) accepts the 2022 BSN Sports Don Jennings MVP Award from Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association council member Jeff McKeon Sunday, June 26 at the conclusion of the IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series at Indiana Wesleyan University. (Steve Krah Photo)
Runs and hits kept coming Saturday, June 25 in the 2022 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series. The North topped the South 10-6 and the South beat the North 16-8 at Indiana Wesleyan University. The two sides combined for 17 hits in Game 1 and 25 in Game 2. There were 14 extra-base hits. Heading into Game 3 (wood bat) at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 26 the North leads 69-67 in the all-time series.
North 10, South 6 Keaton Mahan (Westfield) took a 2-0 pitch from Connor Foley (Jasper) and socked a two-out game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. Jordan Malott (Fort Wayne Carroll) and Jacob Pruitt (Yorktown) drew one-out walks. Indiana University recruit Foley coaxed a groundout and walked Joey Spin (Caston) setting the stage for Ohio State recruit Mahan’s left-handed blast. The North forged a 6-6 tie with one run in the seventh. Luke Siren (Fort Wayne Northrop) walked with one out and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Indiana State University-bound Pruitt. The South went up 6-5 with two runs in the sixth. Landon Carr (Northview) and Kannon Stull (Jeffersonville) singled. Carr later scored on a single by Purdue Fort Wayne-bound Charlie Hawk (Lawrence Central) and Stull trotted home on a wild pitch. It was 5-4 North with two runs in the fourth. With one out, Zach Hoskins (Penn) was hit by a pitch and Luke Smock (Delphi) singled. Hoskins scored on a single by Earlham College recruit Nick Turner (Seeger) and Smock trotted home on a throwing error. The South led 4-3 with one run in the second. Stull singled and was plated by a single from Bellarmine University-bound Charlie Rife (Shelbyville). The North pulled even at 3-all with three runs in the first. Turner reached on an infield single. Connor Misch (Lake Central) drew a one-out walk. Olivet Nazarene University recruit Nolan Johnson (Valparaiso) singled in Turner. Misch scored on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by Purdue Fort Wayne-bound Owen Willard (Eastside) drove in Johnson. The three-run South first opened with Rife walking and scoring on a double by Olney Central College recruit Keifer Wilson (Greencastle). University of Louisville-bound Tucker Biven (New Albany) followed with a triple to knock in Wilson. A sacrifice fly by Colorado Mesa recruit Dominic Decker (Silver Creek) plated Biven. The North used five pitchers — right-hander Drew VanOeveren (Hamilton Heights) for two innings, right-hander Gage Stanifer (Westfield) for one, left-hander Ethan McCormick (Lafayette Harrison) for two scoreless, right-hander Pruitt for two and right-hander Willard for two. Willard stuck out all six hitters he faced. South’s hurlers were right-hander Aydan Decker-Petty (New Castle) for three innings, left-hander Sam Reed (Brebeuf Jesuit) for three, right-hander Mason Grant (Brownsburg) two-plus and right-hander Foley for 1/3 on an inning.
South 16, North 8 The South led 16-1 after six innings then saw the North tally seven runs in its last three at-bats. Taylor University-bound Sam Gladd (Columbia City) pulled the game’s second pitch over the right field wall for a home run for a 1-0 North lead. The first six batters reached base for the South in the bottom for the first and all scored. Wilson smacked a lead-off double. Oscar Pegg (Shakamak) walked. Joe Huffman (Avon) singled. Jake Winzenread (Lawrence North) reached on an error. Tyler Cerny (Center Grove) doubled. Foley doubled. Courtesy runner Stull (running for Wilson) scored on a wild pitch, Pegg on an error, Huffman on Cerny’s double, Winzenread and Cerney on bases-loaded walks and Foley on a groundout by Wilson (batting for the second time in the inning). The South tallied two runs in the third, three in the fourth and four in the fifth. Brody Chrisman (Zionsville) and Nick Wiley (Mooresville) both singled in the South third. Chrisman scored on a wild pitch and Wiley trotted home on Wilson’s groundout. In the South fourth, Huffman walked and scored on Winzenread’s triple. A double by Cerny drove in Winzenread. Chrisman’s single plated Cerny. Pegg powered a first-pitch home run to left to ignite the South’s four-run fifth. Winzenread walked and Cerny singled. Both scored on Chrisman’s double. A single by Grant drove in Chrisman. The South scored one run in the sixth. Reed walked and later scored on a wild pitch. Dalton Wasson (Heritage) walked to lead off a two-run seventh for the North. Pinch-runner Spin scored on Siren’s infield out. Pruitt walked and scored on Stanifer’s single. In the North eighth, Willard walked and crossed the plate on a wild pitch. The North’s four-run seventh opened with four straight doubles (Misch, Wapahani’s Luke Willmann, Western’s Parker Dean and Gladd). RBI two-baggers were smacked by Willmann, Dean and Gladd. Willard singled in Gladd. Pitching for the South were right-handers Jacob Vogel (Jennings County), Andrew Lanning (Lawrenceburg) and Logan Drook (Centerville) for three innings each. Taking the bump for the North were right-hander Dean for one inning, left-hander Camrin Worthington (LaPorte) for three, right-hander Zackary Todd (Wes-Del) for two and right-hander Aidyn Coffey (Monroe Central) for two.
Indiana Wesleyan University will be at center stage when the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series is held Friday through Sunday, June 24-26. Practice is slated for Friday, June 24. The North works out from 1:30-3 p.m. and the South 3-4:30. The All-Star banquet is slated for 7 p.m. Friday, June 24 at Roseburg Event Center with former big league pitcher and 2008 Indiana Wesleyan alum Brandon Beachy as keynote speaker. A doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday, June 25. The three-game series concludes with a wood bat contest Sunday, June 26. The North leads 68-66 in the all-time series. Indiana all-stars are seniors nominated by IHSBCA members and selected by a committee. In addition, the IHSBCA Futures Game (non-seniors) is to be staged at IWU Wednesday, June 22. A doubleheader featuring four teams is scheduled to begin at noon.
2021 IHSBCA ALL-STATE TEAM Class 4A Pitchers: Grant Stratton (Jasper), Nate Dohm (Zionsville). C: Hunter Dobbins (Mount Vernon of Fortville). 1B: Kaleb Kolpien (Homestead). 2B: Joel Walton (Mount Vernon of Fortville). 3B: Connor Foley (Jasper). SS: Tucker Biven (New Albany). OF: Carter Mathison (Homestead), Max Clark (Franklin), Tommy O’Connor (Mooresville). Honorable Mention: Evan Waggoner (Bedford North Lawrence); Austin Bode (Columbus North); Jaden Deel (Hobart); Andrew Wallace (Jasper); Jackson Micheels (Carmel); Breenen Weigert (Homestead); Jack Braun (Fishers); Tyler Walkup (Lawrence North); Quentin Markle (Westfield); Joe Huffman (Avon); Nick Mitchell (Carmel); Brad White (Andrean); Blake Herrmann (Castle); Camden Jordan (Cathedral); Sam Gladd (Columbia City); Eli Hopf (Jasper); Brody Chrisman (Zionsville); J.D. Rogers (Carmel); Keaton Mahan (Westfield); Gage Standifer (Westfield); Kyler McIntosh (Columbus North); Chris Gallagher (Cathedral); Carter Doorn (Lake Central); Grant Comstock (Valparaiso); Tate Warner (Fishers); Carter Gilbert (Northridge).
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