CLUTCH RELIEF, McLOCHLIN'S KEY HIT GIVES MILLERS 4A CROWN

By Pete Cava
PBR Indiana Correspondent

 

Noblesville 2, Terre Haute North 1: Dax McLochlin's three-base hit broke a 1-1 deadlock while left-handers Cory Conway and Trevor Salmon turned in solid relief efforts in the Class 4A championship game Friday night to lead the fifth-ranked Millers past the No. 14 Patriots at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

 

“That's why these guys are state champs,” said ten-year coaching veteran Justin Keever, who guided Noblesville (28-8) to its first IHSAA baseball title.  “There's a different hero every night, and they're always picking each other up.  It's a great team to coach.  I'm humbled to be a part of these guys.”

 

Terre Haute North (25-8) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With one out, Zach Milam singled off Noblesville starter Garrett Christman. Milam moved up when TJ Collett was nicked by a pitch, and came home with the game's first run when cleanup hitter Nathan Will blooped a base hit down the left field line.

 

Noblesville (28-8) made it 1-1 in the bottom of the third with an unearned run.  Bret Rundle, batting ninth for the Millers, reached first on an infield error.  Austin Shirley pinch-ran for Rundle and went to third when Andrew Wilson lined a single to center.  Brian McLean followed with a fly to deep right field that scored Shirley.

 

Terre Haute North starter Austin Hicks worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Connor Christman, Garrett's brother, opened the frame for Noblesville with a single off Hicks's glove and advanced on Rundle's bunt sacrifice.  Hicks plunked Wilson with a pitch, and the runners advanced on McLean's grounder to second.  Garrett Christman followed with a walk to fill the sacks, but Hicks got Vinny Essig on a fly ball to right to end the threat.

 

It was the Patriots' turn to strand three runners in the bottom of the frame.  Jonathan Eilbracht stroked a one-out double, and that ended Garrett Christman's night. Sophomore Cory Conway came in from the pen and issued a walk to Milam, bringing Collett to the plate. When the runners moved up on a wild pitch, Conway intentionally walked Collett, a .524 hitter.  Conway fanned the next two batters to thwart the Patriots.

 

McLochlin's heroics came in the top of the sixth.  After a leadoff walk to Zach St. Pierre, McLochlin drilled on 0-1 delivery to straightaway center. “I hit a curve ball,” the junior first baseman said.  “(Hicks) threw me a first-pitch fastball.  I knew he was coming back with a curve, because that's what he threw me in my first at-bat.  I just knew I had to stand back and drive the ball, and that's what I did.”

 

As the ball carried toward deep center, Terre Haute North's Lane Dransfield turned and stumbled as the ball landed well beyond his reach.  “I saw him fall down, and I just started running,” said McLochlin, who went to third as St. Pierre flew home with the lead run.

 

Conway departed with two out in the bottom of the sixth after walking the bases loaded.  Senior Trevor Salmon, another southpaw, entered the game and struck out Milam to preserve Noblesville's lead.

 

Collett led off the bottom of the seventh for Terre Haute North with a line single to left that put the tying run on base.  But Salmon picked off pinch-runner Lucas Davis, and then retired the next two batters to launch an exuberant Noblesville celebration.

 

After the awards ceremony and a bear hug from his wife Nikki, Coach Keever praised his bullpen.  “Trevor was our sectional championship winning pitcher,” he said.  “He's been a really good pitcher for us all year long.”

 

“I just came in and threw strikes,” said Salmon.  “I did my job and got out of it.  I got some ground balls and a big strikeout the inning before.  I know my fielders are going to get to (anything hit to them).  We've been solid all year.  We're a hell of a team.”

 

The L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award went to Nathan Will, Terre Haute North's senior first baseman.