By Pete Cava

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lafayette Central Catholic Knights rallied to claim their seventh – and fifth consecutive – IHSAA Class A title Saturday with a come-from-behind, 4-3 win over the Vincennes Rivet Patriots in a nail-biting nine-inning contest. 

It was a classic David-versus-Goliath matchup as LCC (31-5) came to Victory Field riding a 15-game winning streak, including the last seven by shutouts. LCC had won each state single-A championship since 2009, clobbering Vincennes Rivet 14-1 that year to start its current streak. 

Vincennes Rivet (19-13) had won just nine of its first 19 games this season, but the Patriots had been on a seven-game tear since their last loss on May 18.  Vincennes Rivet was making its second appearance in the state championship game.

LCC coach Tim Bordenet praised Vincennes Rivet skipper Bill Beard and his players.  "You have to give them a lot of credit," Bordenet said.  "They played a whale of a ballgame.  They kept us off balance.  Hats off to him and his team for keeping us at bay for six innings." 

Bordenet, LCC's coach for the past 16 seasons, said his teams have never won a state championship quite like this one.  "Our kids are very resilient," he said.  "We won several ballgames down to our last out this year.  With our backs against the wall, they found a way to win.  Thankfully, they came through today." 

It was LCC's own version of the Biblical David – left fielder Adam Lovell, a 5-foot-8, 132-pound freshman – who supplied the game-winning hit.  Lovell also made an eye-popping catch to choke off a seventh-inning Patriots rally. 

Chase Allen took the mound for Vincennes Rivet while Andrew Hubertz started for Lafayette Central Catholic.  Both senior right-handers threw blanks through two innings. 

Vincennes Rivet pulled ahead in the top of the third.  Jackson Niehaus opened the inning with a base hit and took second on a wild pitch.  One out later, Niehaus tried to advance on Colin Vieke's grounder to LCC shortstop Jake Churchill, whose throw to third was in time for the second out. 

The Patriots went up 1-0 when the next hitter, Gavin Benock, lined a double to the left-center field gap that scored Vieke.  The run was the first given up by LCC in nearly a month. 

Vincennes Rivet made it 2-0 in the fourth.  Zach Templin led off with a single up the middle and Collin Wirth bunted him to second.  Templin went to third on an infield out, and when Tanner Thomas grounded to third, it looked like LCC was out of the inning.  But Luke Fusiek bobbled the ball for an error, and Thomas beat the throw to first as Templin chugged home. 

Allen helped his own cause in the fifth.  After Vieke singled and stole second, the burly blond slammed a triple to center that extended Vincennes Rivet’s lead to 3-0. 

LCC fought back with a run in the sixth.  Fusiek opened with a double to center and scored one out later on Lovell's line single to left.  Allen prevented further damage, retiring Evan Kennedy and Hubertz on fly balls to left. 

LCC tied the score in the bottom of the seventh.  Ryan DeBoy reached base on an error, and Nigel Hensley pinch-ran for him.  After Allen plunked Jackson Anthrop with a pitch, Cowan Olinger's sac bunt put runners at second and third.  When Pete Metzinger followed with a sacrifice fly to shallow center, Hensley flew home to make it 3-2. 

Fusiek followed with a single up the middle, scoring Anthrop to knot the score at 3-all. After an intentional walk to Jake Churchill, Lovell worked Allen for a base on balls to fill the sacks. Kennedy flied out to end the threat and the contest went into overtime. 

Vincennes Rivet threatened in the eighth when Peyton Cummins drilled a sinking liner to left field with runners on first and second.  But Lovell made a diving catch to end the frame. 

Allen was still on the mound in the bottom of the ninth, his pitch count in triple figures. Metzinger opened the frame with a walk and gave way to pinch-runner Ben Page.  Fusiek laid down a bunt, and beat the throw to first to put runners at first and second for the Knights.

Allen fanned Churchill for the first out, but when Lovell lined a base hit to left, Page raced home with the deciding run.  "It was a fastball, outside," said Lovell.  "I was watching the ball all the way through, and when I got to first, the coach gave me a hug.  It doesn't get any better than that." 

Five of LCC's starters from Saturday's two-hour contest will be back next year, including Lovell, Fusiek and second baseman Jackson Anthrop – all freshmen – as well as catcher Evan Kennedy and right fielder Pete Metzinger, both juniors. 

"I thought our freshmen came up big today," said Bordenet.  "Obviously Adam, with his hits and his diving catch.  Luke Fusiek played outstanding, had a great hit for us.  He bounced back after a tough error and made two outstanding defensive plays.  Jackson was solid all day long." 

Fusiek’s 3-for-4 performance led the Knights.  Lovell went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.   

Hubertz pitched a complete game for LCC, striking out eight.  The 6-foot-3 Indiana Wesleyan recruit finished the year with a 7-0 slate. 

Zach Templin and Gavin Benock had two hits apiece for Vincennes Rivet 

Notes:  The L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award for the Class A contest went to Vincennes Rivet left fielder Colin Vieke. 

LCC senior pitcher-first baseman Ryan DeBoy will decide next week between Marian, Manchester and Ave Maria (Naples, Fla.).