By Ben Grossberg
Lead Scout, PBR Indiana

Joe Heath Classic 

Game 1: Lafayette Jefferson 10 Chesterton 0 

Lafayette, IN – Lafayette Jefferson jumped on the board early and that was enough for Senior starter Peter Ripke. Junior Austin Albrecht and sophomore Bailey Perdue got the offense going with back to back singles to start the bottom of the first. Senior Keaton Hamilton would bring in the first run with an RBI ground out. After a single by Ripke Senior Reid Pittard (DePauw) brought in another run with a sac fly and Senior Griff Clark doubled in the third run of the inning. 

Three runs would be all Ripke needed to get the win. Ripke, a Vincennes commit, gave up two hits in the first inning, but surrendered just one hit the rest game. Ripke’s fastball sat 82-83 most of the game topping out at 84. He worked his curveball in nicely and showed he could throw it consistently for a strike. His final line was five inning pitched, three hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. 

Jefferson opened the 3-0 game up in the fourth with a six run inning. They got there first two runs off an error by the third baseman, then Peter Ripke drove in another run with a RBI single to left. After another error led to a run, Clark singled in a run and Junior Ethan Smith singled in a run to put Jeff up 9-0. 

Lafayette Jefferson would only need one more inning to secure the win. With the bases loaded Ripke drew a walk to bring in the 10^th run of the game and make it a 10-0 Jefferson win. 

Game 2: Chesterton 13 Gary West Side 9 

Game 3: Huntington North 19 Gary West Side 1 

Game 4: Lafayette Jefferson 4 Huntington North 0 

Lafayette – Lafayette Jefferson would get another dominating performance from a senior pitcher. This time around it was unsigned senior Griff Clark. The righty was dominant from the beginning not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. Clark sat mostly 82-84, but in the first touched 85 several times. He worked his curveball (70-71) in well too, placing it all over the strike zone. 

Much like their first game of the day Lafayette Jefferson got off to an early start putting up three runs in the first. Junior Austin Albrecht got the game started drawing a leadoff walk, after an out Senior Keaton Hamilton singled to left and Senior Peter Ripke doubled to left bringing both runners in. After an out Clark came through with a two out RBI double giving Jeff a 3-0 advantage. 

Jefferson added another run in the bottom of the sixth with a RBI single from sophomore Bailey Perdue. Clark would close the door on another win in the top of the seventh finishing the game with allowing just two hits, one walk, and striking out five.  Clark never saw more than four batters in an inning.