‘Enjoy the experience:’ Golden Eagles baseball plays in state finals today

By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com

It’s not every day that a high school team gets to make history, even at a relatively young school.

Guerin Catholic’s baseball team is in the midst of making history, as the Golden Eagles have been preparing this week to play in the IHSAA state championship game for the first time ever. Guerin Catholic will play Andrean in the Class 3A state finals at 4:30 p.m. this afternoon at Victory Field.

Dave Schrage, who spent 38 years coaching college baseball before coming to the Golden Eagles program in 2025, said he wanted his players to enjoy the experience.

“They’re creating so many great memories,” said Schrage. “When they come back for their high school reunions, and 20 years from now when they’re talking to their kids, they’ll be like, ‘I was in the state championship game. I got that opportunity to play in Victory Field.’

“In fact, I got a few of my players that I coached in college that had played in Victory Field that texted me today and said, ‘Coach, I got some advice for you,’ so they even remember. That was 10, 12 years ago. It’s just a great year to create memories for them.”

Guerin Catholic was founded in 2004 and became IHSAA tournament eligible in the 2006-07 school year. The baseball team finally broke through with its first sectional and regional championships in 2025, then repeated at both levels this season.

The Golden Eagles’ season ended last year at the Jasper semi-state, but GC returned to Ruxer Field this spring and took care of business, beating Providence 3-0 in the semifinals and Gibson Southern 4-2 in the championship.

Guerin Catholic entered the postseason ranked No. 2 in the Indiana Baseball Coaches Association’s Class 3A poll. The only team ahead of the Golden Eagles is Andrean, making this afternoon’s game a 1 vs. 2 matchup.

Despite his long college coaching career, Schrage at age 65 will be the young coach in this game. The 59ers are coached by Dave Pishkur, who at 73 will be finishing his 45^th year as Andrean’s mentor.

The 59ers have won nine state championships, which ties them with Lafayette Central Catholic for the most in IHSAA history. Andrean has also won 12 semi-state titles, 18 regionals and 33 sectionals.

Schrage said Pishkur is a “legend – I mean, he’s won a million games.” Pishkur’s win-loss record is 1182-310.

“They have a great tradition,” said Schrage. “They’ve won it so many times and we’re the new kid on the block.”

Schrage said that “the first three innings of this game are going to be really important.” He noted that Andrean tries to get out to an early lead to send the message, “Hey, you got to catch us. We’re the team, we’re the champions.”

“We’re going to try to get out in front of them,” said Schrage. “We’re visitors, we get to hit first, so hopefully we can jump out in front.”

The 59ers have two players batting over .400. Senior outfielder Luke Goben holds a .418 average and leads in runs scored with 35. Junior Aiden Gnatt, a first baseman/outfielder, bats .404 and leads in RBIs with 37 and base hits with 40, including 14 doubles.

Senior pitcher Kaden Maxwell is unbeaten at 6-0 with a 2.00 earned-run average. Andrean has another undefeated pitcher, sophomore Ian Funk, who is 7-0 with a 1.52 ERA. He leads in strikeouts with 52, followed by Maxwell with 47.