By Pete Cava
PBR Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS – Josh VanMeter's pitching and Jonah Patten's clutch hitting lifted Norwell past Jasper 2-1 Friday night at Victory Field as the Knights won their third IHSAA 3A title before a crowd of 3,522. 

One week ago, the San Diego Padres selected VanMeter in the fifth round of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.   “Everything that's happened in the last week, it's just been unbelievable,” said the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Fort Wayne native.  “To share this moment with my teammates and my best friends – it's amazing.” 

VanMeter, the Knights leadoff hitter, drew a pair of walks and scored both runs for Norwell.  

“I'm gonna miss him,” said Norwell’s Andy McClain, who was coaching a team in the state 3A title game for a second consecutive year.  “Josh and I became very close very quickly.  He's a baseball kid and I'm a baseball guy.  I think the world of him, because of his heart and his competitiveness.” 

A year ago, McClain took Indianapolis Brebeuf Jesuit to the 3A championship contest, where they lost to Western 8-1.  McClain accepted the Norwell post after the 2012 campaign. 

“From Day One, as soon as I met them, these kids bought into everything I said, did everything I asked,” said McCLain. “And the main thing was, they worked hard. They're a very talented group. 

“The biggest stride that we made, that we're most proud of, is that we became a team.  I know it sounds cliché, but it's very true.  We became close-knit, and had each other's back, and were good teammates.  And I think that was a big difference for us as the year went along.” 

The Knights (33-3) ended the season with a 20-game winning streak.  Friday’s victory gave Norwell its third state title.  The Ossian, Ind., school won previously in 2003 and 2007.  

Jasper (32-4) went up 1-0 in the top of the second.  Austin Alles, the Wildcats’ four-hole hitter, opened the frame with a single to left.  Scott Stallwood followed with a sacrifice bunt that VanMeter fielded and threw to second for the force.  

All hands were safe, however, when VanMeter’s throw was in the dirt for an error.  The runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Alles came home with the game's first tally when Cal Krueger grounded out to short. 

Norwell tied the score in the home half of the third.  VanMeter worked Jasper right-hander Nick Gobert for a base on balls to start the inning, and took second on Nathan Shelton's sacrifice bunt.  He moved to third on an infield out and raced home to make it 1-all on a bloop hit to center by Patten, the Knights cleanup hitter. 

Norwell scored the decisive run in the bottom of the fifth.  VanMeter led off with a walk and took second on Shelton's second sac bunt of the game.  Gobert whiffed Tailur Szarenski for the second out, but Patten slammed a double to right-center that scored VanMeter as Norwell went up for keeps.   

“I just went up there and let it loose,” Patten said.  “I happened to hit a hole and score the run. I knew I had the gap.” 

Patten was out at third trying for a three-bagger.  “I didn't think it was that far, but I wanted to get the triple,” said the junior shortstop, who committed to the University of Arkansas earlier this season.  “Unfortunately, I didn't get it, but I was thinking triple the whole way.” 

In the top of the seventh, VanMeter fanned the first two Jasper hitters.  Devon Traylor's single revived Wildcat hopes, but VanMeter got Ben Moore on a pop-up to second baseman Austin Dantzer that ended the one-hour, 40-minute contest. 

“I was throwing mainly my fastball and my curve tonight,” said VanMeter, who notched eight strikeouts.  “I was able to get ahead, keep their guys off-balance, work down into the zone so they were beating balls into the ground.  My defense happened to play pretty well tonight. Without them, I don't know where I would have been.” 

VanMeter closed out his senior season with a 14-1 mark. The Padres drafted him as a shortstop after he batted .450 with nine homers.  Illinois State University had offered him a baseball scholarship, but VanMeter plans to sign with San Diego.  

“I'm going to go play professionally,” he said.  “I fly out on Monday.  It's a pretty quick turnaround.  But I'm so happy that this occurred, and I could spend this moment with my teammates.” 

The loss snapped an eight-game Jasper win skein.  The Wildcats came in looking for a sixth state title.  Jasper was the state runner-up in 2010.  The school’s last championship came in 2006. 

Notes: Nick Gobert, Jasper's starting pitcher, was the 3A L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award recipient.  Gobert came into Friday's contest with a 9-0, 0.81 slate.  Nick's dad, Terry Gobert, concluded his 26^th year at the Wildcats’ helm. 

Norwell’s McClain had some unexpected supporters in the stands Friday – several of his Brebeuf Jesuit players from a year ago.  “A lot of them were here tonight, God love 'em,” said Andy.    “They were a great group.” 

Norwell senior third baseman Luke Hunter is one of five Knights expected to play collegiate baseball next year.  Hunter has signed with Taylor University, while Tailur Szarenski (1B) and Austin Dantzer (2B) are Manchester recruits.  Spencer Newell (LF) and Reece Dafforn (INF) will head to Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville, Michigan.   

Jasper’s Mark Giesler (3B) will enter the University of Dayton this fall while Craig Schneider (INF) has signed with Anderson U.