Prep Baseball Report

Sectional 11: Ben Davis Outlasts Decatur Central; Roncalli Pounds Pike


Pete Cava
PBR Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – Ben Davis and Roncalli advanced to Monday’s Class 4A Sectional 11 championship game with semifinal victories on Saturday at Ben Davis High School.      

In the first contest, the host Giants held on to get past Decatur Central.    

The second game featured Marion County's only two 20-win teams.  Roncalli, the county champions, came in riding a 14-game winning streak while the Red Devils were just four years removed from a winless season. 

The doubleheader began under overcast skies with warm, humid weather, and a slight breeze blowing from right to left. 

BEN DAVIS 10, DECATUR CENTRAL 7:  Three Giants pitchers combined on a five-hitter, catcher Zyon Avery had a perfect day at the plate, and Ben Davis survived a seventh-inning grand slam to clinch a berth in the title tilt.    

The Giants led 10-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh.  “I thought the boys were gonna give me a heart attack here,” exclaimed Ben Davis coach Dave Bear.  “I told them 'When we go out here, let's just throw strikes.  We got a seven-run lead, we're up 10-3.  No breaking balls or anything like that.  Just throw fastballs so we can get out of here and get home.'” 

Beard had to summon his relief specialist, Ian Schilling, to seal the deal. 

Ben Davis (8-16), designated as the visiting team on its home turf, sent ten batters to the plate in the top of the first.  Bryce Woodruff started for Decatur Central and Jacob Flinchem drove the freshman right-hander's first pitch to center for a two-base hit.  Flinchem went to third on a balk and scored on Avery's line single to center.  Brian Larkin, a courtesy runner for Avery, made it to third on a wild pickoff attempt and scored on Garison Poteet's double to right-center. 

When Poteet went to third on Kameron Kelly's single, Hawks coach Jason Combs replaced Woodruff with Devin Gross, who opened the game in right field for Decatur Central.  The senior left-hander fanned the first batter he faced, but gave up a single to Dalton Duncan that scored Poteet and sent Kelly to third.  Gross drilled the next batter, Delbert Mimms, and when Dominic Johnson followed with a single down the right field line, the Giants had a 5-0 lead.  

Avery led off the top of the second with a towering homer over the left field fence that extended the Giants’ lead to 6-0.  “It was a slider,” said the Ohio University recruit.  “I thought I got under it a little bit, but it ended up carrying.” 

The Hawks (12-12) got a run back in the bottom of the second. Derek  Profitt led off with a single and took second on a balk by Jose Guzman, the sophomore righty who started for Ben Davis.  Austin Mitchell walked and with two out, Jared Thompson lifted a fly ball into short center field.  Jaylen Nolen attempted a shoestring catch, but came up short as Profitt came home to make it 6-1. 

Decatur Central picked up another run in the third. Harrington was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Alex Mitchell drew a walk, and when Gross grounded to short, Mitchell was out at second.  But the throw to first was off the mark and Harrington scored, cutting the Ben Davis lead to 6-2. 

The Giants struck again in the top of the fourth, when Nolen started the inning with a walk.  Gross appeared to have Nolen picked off first base, but in the ensuing rundown, a wild throw to second allowed the speedy sophomore to reach third base.  Avery drew an intentional walk, and Larkin ran for him.  After Larkin was caught stealing, Poteet was hit by a pitch. When Kelly and Guzman belted consecutive doubles, the Giants were up 9-2. 

Guzman gave up another run in the bottom of the fifth on consecutive two-base hits by Alex Mitchell and Gross. The sophomore right-hander departed after five innings, charged with three runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks.  He also nicked three batters. 

“Jose is a very talented sophomore,” said Coach Bear.  “He normally hits anywhere from 84 to 85 (mph) on the mound.  He's got a good breaking ball.  If he can just learn control a little bit better and stay in the strike zone more, instead of trying to strike everybody out, he's there.” 

Guzman employed a four-seam fastball, a two-seamer, a knuckle-curve and a changeup to earn this win.  “He mixed 'em up pretty well,” said Bear.  “I started calling pitches from the third inning on, because we started falling into a pattern with him out there.  And I'm like, 'No, we're not gonna do this!'  So I started calling them, and we were just mixing 'em up from there.” 

Senior righty Ben Montgomery relieved Guzman in the bottom of the sixth.  Ben Davis scored its final run in the top of the seventh off Jared Thompson, the third Decatur Central pitcher.  Montgomery and Duncan opened the frame with walks.  When Montgomery stole third, Thompson's throw to the base was wild and Montgomery flew home to make it 10-3. 

The bottom of the seventh saw Decatur Central fill the bases with one out.  Alex Mitchell walked and Montgomery drilled both Gross and pinch-hitter Casey Martin.  That brought up Bradley Brehmer, the winning pitcher when the Hawks beat Perry Meridian in Wednesday's first-round tilt.  When Brehmer slammed a homer over the left-field fence, Beard went to his pen. 

Schilling, who won in relief when Ben Davis defeated Perry Meridian in the tourney opener on Wednesday, fanned the next two men to earn a save.  “Ian's found that niche there in relief,” Bear said.  “We'll just keep him there and see what he can do.” 

Avery, Ben Davis’s solidly built backstop, paced the Giants offense, going 3-for-3 with a walk.  “Zyon's been unbelievably hot here for us the last couple of weeks of the season,” said Bear.  “He's had multiple games with home runs and doubles and has been a team leader for us.  He's carried us a long way.” 

RONCALLI 13, PIKE 3 (6 INNINGS):  The second game saw a pitching matchup between two future NCAA Division I pitchers and featured a likely first-round pick in next month's first-year player draft. 

Pike coach Todd Webster went with left-hander Damon Cox, a Northern Kentucky commit, while Roncalli's Aaron Kroll countered with Colten Panaranto, a right-hander who'll head to Michigan State this fall. 

At least one major league scout was in the stands keeping tabs on Nick Schnell, Roncalli’s center fielder.  A University of Louisville commit, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound left-handed hitter is reportedly sought by the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and several other major league teams.  In a recent mock draft, Baseball America had him going to the Tampa Bay Rays in the first round.    

Schnell has been on a tear since Coach Kroll moved him to the top of the Rebels’ batting order.  “I’m really comfortable there,” said Schnell.  “That first at-bat, I’m looking to be super-aggressive, just because I know they have to pitch to me, unless they’re gonna walk me to start the game.  A lot of teams won’t do that, so I’m just looking to take advantage of that first at bat and do what I can.”    

Cox, who stands 6-3 and weight 195 pounds, traded blanks with the 6-1, 205-pound Panaranto through the first two-and-a-half frames.  

In the bottom of the third, Roncalli's Brian Keeney led off with a single and stole second. That brought up Schnell, who slammed Cox's 3-2 delivery over the fence in left to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. 

Roncalli (24-5) broke open the contest in the bottom of the fourth.  After issuing walks to Dylan Williams and Tommy Hansen, Cox switched positions with left fielder Jordan Garrett, a senior right-hander. 

Alex Stroud bunted for a base hit to fill the sacks, and a double by Keeney scored two runs.  Garrett intentionally walked Schnell, and when Mark Cobb drew a base on balls, Stroud trotted home to make it 5-0. 

Harrison Koppenhofer followed with a two-base hit to right that brought in two more tallies.  One out later, Koppenhofer crossed the plate on a double by Dominic Brown.  After walks to Dylan Williams and Tommy Hansen, Stroud’s grounder to short went for an error and Brown came in with Roncalli’s eighth run of the inning. 

Meanwhile, Panaranto settled into a groove after allowing a pair of first-inning singles.  He didn't allow the Red Devils another safety until the fifth, when Pike managed to prolong the contest with a three-run outburst. 

Following two-out walks to Garrett and Chase Hug, James Quarles laced a run-scoring hit to center.  After Malachi Hamblin was hit by a pitch, Anthony Caldwell's single up the middle brought in two more to make it 10-3. 

In the bottom of the fifth, senior left-hander Chase Hug moved from first base to the mound for Pike.  The Olney Central College signee walked Keeney, and Schnell followed with a scorching infield hit.  Cobb’s sacrifice advanced the runners.  Hug fanned the next batter, but walked Panaranto to load the bases.  Brown followed with a double that brought in Kenney and Schnell.  When Dylan Williams singled to plate courtesy runner Matt Minor, the game ended on the 10-run rule.    

Panaranto got the win, striking out four while allowing four hits and five walks.  He appeared to be completely recovered from a fractured orbital bone, an injury which Coach Kroll said took place when Panaranto was struck in the eye by a ball he lost in the sun while he was on first base.  “Colt was out with an injury for a solid three weeks, and we were able to get him back toward the end of the season,” Kroll said.  “We got him a couple of starts and gave him a little bit of work, and he’s ready to go now.  He pitched pretty well today.  Pretty dominant.” 

Kroll praised Pike’s Webster, who served as his assistant when the Roncalli skipper was Ben Davis’s head coach.  “I’ve told him multiple times throughout the year what a great job he’s done,” said Kroll.  “For him to win 20 games with that group, and win the MIC (Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference) this year, they’ve just had a tremendous season.  He’s done an absolutely outstanding job and I’m really happy for him.” 

CAUGHT ON THE FLY:  The Ben Davis-Decatur Central game took two hours and 19 minutes, while the Pike-Roncalli contest lasted an hour and 48 minutes.    

The Sectional 11 championship game is set for 11:00 a.m. Monday (May 28) at Ben Davis.  Giants coach Dave Bear named Tyler Duncan, a senior right-hander, as his likely starter in the championship game. Duncan started against Southport in the Giants’ first sectional tourney game against Southport. 

Roncalli skipper Aaron Kroll is expected to counter with lefty Max Lundy.  Lundy, a junior, started and got the win when the Rebels beat Perry Meridian for the Marion County title on May 14 at Victory Field.     

The Rebels have thus far gone undefeated in the month of May.  Their last loss came on April 30, when visiting Brebeuf Jesuit beat them 7-2.   “We’re peaking at just the right time,” said Nick Schnell.  “We’re hoping to keep it going, and maybe make a little run at a state championship here.” 

Like Pike’s Todd Webster, Dave Bear of the Giants served as an assistant to Aaron Kroll when the Roncalli skipper was the head coach at Ben Davis.  “It’s just a little bit different,” said Kroll.  “Part of me wants to think it’s cool, but part of it stresses me out, coaching against two guys that used to coach with me here.  Those two guys are good friends of mine, and we’ll always be good friends.  So it’s tough playing them, truthfully.”  

Phil Webster, Todd's dad, coached at Decatur Central for 27 years and won a state title in 2008.  The elder Webster, a member of the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame, currently serves as an assistant coach for the Red Devils. 

Pete Cava is the author of “Tales From the Cubs Dugout” and “Indiana-Born Major League Baseball Players:  A Biographical Dictionary, 1871-2014.”

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