Golden Eagles power to state championship

Ratcliff ties RBI record, Troxell strikes out 12 in Class 3A title matchup

By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com

INDIANAPOLIS – Preparation scored a victory over nerves for the Guerin Catholic baseball team on Friday, June 19.

The Golden Eagles went into their first-ever appearance in the IHSAA state finals poised, prepared and ready to hit against Andrean in the Class 3A state championship game at Victory Field. It all paid off as Guerin Catholic powered to a 9-3 win over the 59ers to win the school’s first-ever baseball state title.

The best example of the Golden Eagles’ preparation was how they dealt with Andrean’s talented left-handed pitchers. Coach Dave Schrage said the team “worked hard all week on left-handed pitching.” The team set up a ball machine to deliver left-handed throws, and brought in coaches and even a team dad to throw left-handed.

The result: Guerin Catholic jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.

“They were really poised and we were ready to go,” said Schrage. “We weren’t intimidated by the moment, we weren’t too anxious.”

Guerin Catholic scored three runs in the top of the first inning. The Golden Eagles loaded the bases, then got their first run when Nolan Ratcliff went home on Karson Smith’s RBI fielder’s choice.

Ben Canada ran home after a wild pitch for the second run. Grant Beard came up next and smacked a triple to send in Smith.

The Golden Eagles went on to score runs in each of the first four innings. That included two runs in the second inning: Ratcliff got home on another wild pitch and Canada scored after Ian Taylor hit a sacrifice fly. Canada had gotten on base with a double.

Jack Stoner made the score 6-0 after he was brought home in the third inning when Ratcliff was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

The 59ers got on the board in the bottom of the third when Chase Nelson singled in Paxton Lukac. But Guerin Catholic slammed the door in the top of the fourth: The Golden Eagles loaded the bases once more, after which Ratcliff cracked a three-RBI double into left field.

Smith, Tate Troxell and Liam Zorger all scored, giving GC a 9-1 lead. With that, Ratcliff totaled four RBIs during the game, tying the record for most runs batted in during a 3A championship game. Ratcliff and Canada both had two hits.

While Guerin Catholic’s offense was delivering, Troxell was doing the same on the mound. He pitched six innings, striking out 12 and allowing only four hits. Troxell finished his season with a perfect 9-0 record.

Luke Gremelspacher and Harrison Haq both pitched one strikeout in the seventh inning. The 59ers made things tense by scoring two runs in the ninth, but Haq’s strikeout was the one that finished the game and sent the Golden Eagles into celebration mode.

Gremelspacher also provided a highlight when he made an unassisted double play at first base in the third inning. He would go on to win the Mental Attitude Award at the conclusion of the game.

“It means a lot, man,” said Gremelspacher. “These are my brothers and I just love and support them.”

The Golden Eagles finished their season 28-3-1.