MORRISTOWN – A loaded regional with three of the top seven 1A teams, saw No. 1 University ride a great pitching performance on their way to a Regional Championship.

 

Championship

No. 1 University 3 No. 3 Hauser 0 

Cade Carlson had a special outing in the biggest game of the year thus far to the first ranked University Trailblazers. Facing off in a top 3 matchup with third ranked Hauser Jets, Carlson took a no hitter into the sixth inning. Carlson struck out the side in five of the seven innings he three, finishing the day with 18 total strikeouts. 

Aaron Mee was impressive on the mound as well for Hauser throwing six innings, allowing six hits, two runs, and struck out five. Mee escaped several jams throughout the first five innings to keep his team in the game. 

Hauser had chance’s in the fifth and sixth to break through. In the fifth Jacob Luken walked with one out and stole second, but Carlson struck out the next two batters to end the frame. 

In the bottom of the sixth with the scored still tied at zero, Sean Miller lead off with a double off the fence. After a strikeout and an intentional walk to Trey Johnson the Jets had two runners on for their 4-5 hitters. Miller and Johnson had a double steal to move both into scoring position. However the Jets couldn’t do any damage as Carlson struck out two more to end the threat. 

University rode that momentum into the top of the seventh. Ben Westerkamm drew a walk to lead off the inning. Ryan Williams had a bunt single to give University first and second with no outs. That ended the day for Mee and game 1 winner Sam Meek came in for relief. Meek struck out the first batter he faced, but Garrett Hill then stepped up and tripled into the left center gap bringing both runs in. A balk then brought Hill in to give University a 3-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh. 

As he had been the whole game, Carlson was dominant again in the seventh. Carlson struck out all three batters he faced to close out the game and send University to Semi State.

 

Semi-Final 1

No 1. University 9 Indianapolis Lutheran 4

1A No. 1 University opened up Regional 15 with a matchup against Indianapolis Lutheran.   

Both teams threatened early in the game. Lutheran had chance to take a early lead loading the bases in the top of the first with two outs, but University’s starter Brock Moore got a pop out to first to end the threat. University had their own chance in the bottom of the inning, when Garrett Hill had a one out double. After a flyout and a intentional walk, Hill tried to steal third, but Noah Wood had a perfect throw to end the frame. 

University was the first to break through with a three run third inning. Ryan Williams singled and stole second to get the inning started. Dawson Estep then single to left bringing in Williams. Hill was intentionally walked and Brock Moore moved the runners to second and third with a bunt. Tyler Galyean then smacked high fastball into left bringing in both runs. 

Lutheran wouldn’t go down quietly responding with four runs in the top of the fourth. Carson Thomas walked to start the inning and Matthew Holm brought him in with a RBI triple. With two outs Lutheran got three straight hits. Jonas Akers had singled in Holm, Trevor Russell then doubled in Akers, and Matthew Alter singled in Russell. Alter tried to advance to second on the throw home, but was thrown out to end the inning. 

University tied things right back up in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Williams reached on a one out error and Dawson Estep hit a double into right center to bring in all the way around for a 4-4 tie. 

University took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth with a big five run inning. Ben Ewer tripled to start the frame and scored on an error. After a bunt single from Asher Thompson, Williams singled in a run. A passed ball would bring in the third run. With two outs and two runners on Brock Moore doubled to bring both runs in, stretching the lead to 9-4. 

A five run lead was more than enough for Garrett Hill. Hill replaced starter Moore in the fifth. He shut down any hopes Lutheran had for a comeback, striking out nine in his three innings of work. He allowed two hits and two walks in his three innings. Lutheran had a mini rally with two outs after a double and a walk, but a strikeout ended the threat and sent University to the title game.

 

Semi-Final 2

No. 3 Hauser 2 No. 7 Shakamak 1

One play turned the game completely around and sent Hauser to the championship game. Pitching was the story of the game with Shakamak’s Lane Gilbert and Hauser’s Sam Meek working quickly through the opposing lineup. The game was flying through the first four innings, neither team with a big threat to score. 

Meek had allowed just two singles in the first four innings, but Shakamak finally got on the board in the fifth. Trevor Miller led off the top of the fifth with a double into the left center gap. After Meek struck out the next batter Freshman Peyton Yeryar had a double of his own to bring in the first run of the game. 

One run seemed like it would be enough for Gilbert. Gilbert worked quick throughout the game and threw a lot of strikes, with less than 10 balls for the whole game. In the first five innings Gilbert allowed just three hits. 

In the bottom of the fifth Hauser had a chance, getting runners on the corners with two outs. Kobe Meahl had a one out double and a bunt single by Jacob Luken gave Hauser a chance. A missed suicide squeeze left Meahl struck between third and home before being tagger for the second out. Gilbert got a strikeout to end the inning. 

The bottom of the sixth is when the game changed. Gilbert set down the first two batters, before hitting Jon Hatton. Trey Johnson then singled on a ball that went about 50 feet perfectly down the third base line. With two strikes on Hauser cleanup hitter Parker Eickbush, Gilbert looked like he was going to escape the threat. Gilbert though noticed Hatton a little to far off second and tried to pick him off, but the throw went into center allowing Hatton to come all the way around and scored. On the throw to the plate Johnson tried to advance to third and the throw to get him sailed into left, allowing Johnson to scored. Shakamak just one strike away from ending the sixth, now trailed 2-1 going into their last at bat. 

Sam Meek came back out to finish off his complete game, but Shakamak wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Draven Cox singled to start the inning, before being replaced by a pinch runner. Meek struck out the next batter. With one out Meek got a short fly to left that was dropped, however the pinch runner was too close to first and was thrown out from left for the second inning. Meek picked up his seventh strikeout of the game to send Hauser to the title game.