Baseball: Golden Eagles fall in semi-state championship

The REPORTER

The Guerin Catholic baseball team’s historic post-season run came to an end last Saturday in the Class 3A Jasper semi-state championship game.

The Golden Eagles began the day with a tough victory in the semifinals at Ruxer Field. Guerin Catholic beat New Palestine 2-1, continuing their deepest run ever in the state tournament.

Playing as the visiting team, the Golden Eagles scored one run in both of the first two innings. Karson Smith got the first run, heading home after a balk call on the Dragons’ pitcher. Luke Gremelspacher batted in the second-inning run, with his right field double scoring Liam Zorger.

New Palestine scored in the fourth inning, also with an RBI double. But that would be the Dragons’ only run. Tate Troxell pitched a dominant game, going six innings while striking out 11 and allowing only two hits. Finn Holden got the save, getting three straight outs (sacrifice bunt and two groundouts) after a leadoff hit by pitch.

Guerin Catholic played the host Jasper Wildcats in the championship and lost 5-0. Jasper did not allow the Golden Eagles any hits, while scoring two runs in the third and fourth innings and one run in the fifth.

Guerin Catholic only gave up two hits in the game, with Gremelspacher allowing one hit in four innings while striking out four.

The Golden Eagles finished their season 19-13, winning their first ever sectional and regional titles.

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Westfield dropped its semifinal game to Goshen 5-2 last Saturday in the Class 4A north semi-state at Lafayette’s Loeb Stadium.

The Shamrocks scored a run in the first inning; Drew Law got home on Beck Jordan’s RBI groundout. Ethan Colling led off the second inning with a double, then Andrew Noble came in to run for him. Nick Fero batted next and sent a base hit into right field to score Noble and give Westfield a 2-0 lead.

But the RedHawks, who upset No. 1-ranked Penn to win the regional, took control in the third inning by scoring four runs. Goshen added its fifth run in the fourth inning and held the lead from there.

Lincoln Hoffman also hit a double for the Rocks, who totaled six hits.

Westfield finished its season 22-10, but not before defending its Sectional 8 and regional championships.

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University fell to Providence 13-5 in a Class 2A south semi-state semifinal game at the University of Evansville.

The Pioneers put up eight runs in the top of the second inning. The Trailblazers scored one run in the bottom of the second; Ryan Castetter singled in Philip Jacobs.

Providence scored one run in both the third and fourth innings to take a 10-1 lead. University rallied in the bottom of the fourth by scoring four runs. Castetter batted in Oliver Kingery, then Ethan Cutsinger scored when Cooper Cammack was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.