INDIANAPOLIS -- Minutes after winning their second state championship in three years, Central Catholic's senior leaders shared a unanimous vision for the program's future.
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"Nothing less," senior shortstop Dru Anthrop said. "If they have the will, they have the way. They can do it, and all they have to do is set their mind to it and they'll be fine."
The Knights must replace senior starters Anthrop, Tyler Child and Matt Combs and reserves Michael Lippai and Ben Wiley. But Central Catholic returns enough talent to make another run to Victory Field next season.
Every significant arm on the Knights pitching staff returns, as does the bulk of a lineup that scored 60 runs in six tournament games.
"Those guys are going to be tough to replace," CC coach Tim Bordenet said of his outgoing seniors. "At the same time, we do have a lot of guys back with experience, and this tournament run will definitely help them as well."
Junior pitcher Taylor Glaze finished off a 9-0 season with five one-hit innings in a 14-1 state championship victory over Vincennes Rivet. He compiled a 1.19 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings as the Knights' ace.
Central Catholic also returns juniors Brett Haan (6-1, 2.42 ERA) and Chas Bobillo (4-1, 2.74 ERA) and promising freshmen Austin Munn and Nick Stone. The top five pitchers return from a staff that finished with a 2.26 ERA.
"It's going to be great next year; I'm going to come and watch," said Child, a three-year starter at catcher. "I'd like to see another championship next year."
Cleanup hitter and second baseman Reed Drysdale (.439, 51 RBIs) will be a four-year starter next season. Junior center fielder Scott Windler (.454, 3 home runs, 50 runs) enjoyed a breakout season, and juniors Bobillo, Cole Hruskovich and Jason Aldridge took on bigger roles.
After losing six starters from the 2008 team to graduation, the Knights relied on the emergence of several first-time starters. As those players improved, Central Catholic won 15 of its last 16 regular season games.
"Every game, everyone got better, and it carried on into this game" Glaze said.
Strong freshman seasons from Munn and Stone set the foundation for the program's next three seasons.
Munn capped his rookie season with a 3-for-4 performance as the designated hitter in the title game. He also went 3-0 and struck out 28 batters in 21 innings.
Stone also went 3-0 while posting a 1.77 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.
Expectations will be high again next season, but that's nothing new to the Knights.
"Same thing -- nothing less," Glaze said. "We can do this again, we really can. We've just got to work at it.
"I'm not saying we will, but we can. We definitely can."
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Colt world series!
The Colt World Series!!!
My son Nick has just made The Colt World Series Team for Lafayette, IN. Now that his high school team won The State Championship focus has turned to this Colt tournament that features some of the best 15-16 year olds around the world, an unbelievable opportunity & experience.He will be playing in tournaments leading up to The Colt World Series which is played at this ball park across the street from our house.
Loeb Stadium-Home of the Colt World Series!
My son's baseball team are state champs!
STATE CHAMPS ARE THE CENTRAL CATHOLIC KNIGHTS IN LAFAYETTE, IN!!!!!! A 14-1 thumping of Rivet. BUT!!! Before I go on, kudos to this team (Rivet) to have made it this far. Most have read the article on JCOnline. They had trouble getting enough players to field the team. They begged a female to play & she did & she did it right. She started in left field & had a designated hitter for her. She made some routine plays in left field, did have an error on a routine fly ball as she dropped it. I think as the storm was blowing in the wind played some tricks on a couple fly balls. She did have a nice sliding catch. And came to bat once before the game ended. The girl drilled one into right field & right to our right fielder. Nice contact, the girl has game.
Kudos to our fans and our parents. She got a standing ovation from our fans when she drilled that line drive into right field.
JCOnline news:
INDIANAPOLIS — Behind an offensive onslaught and Taylor Glaze’s masterful pitching, Central Catholic defeated Vincennes Rivet 14-1 Friday night in the Class A state championship game at Victory Field.
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The Knights (28-4) won their third state title in six years. Central Catholic set a record for most runs scored in a Class A championship game.
Dru Anthrop and Reed Drysdale drove in three runs apiece for the Knights, and Scott Windler and Austin Munn each scored three. CC scored at least three runs in each of the first four innings.
Glaze (9-0) allowed one unearned run on one hit while striking out nine over five innings. Brett Haan relieved and closed out the victory.
After the game, Anthrop was presented with the IHSAA’s mental attitude award.
Semi-state champs!
KOKOMO -- Making the trip to Victory Field never gets old for Central Catholic's baseball program.
"We've been working all year for this," senior outfielder Matt Combs said following Saturday's resounding 16-1, five-inning victory over Fort Wayne Canterbury to claim the Class A Kokomo Semistate.
The second-ranked Knights are making their fifth appearance at the state finals since 2002 and seek the program's third state championship. Central Catholic won state titles in 2004 and 2007.
"It's really special and I'm glad we get to go one more time," shortstop Dru Anthrop said.
Although the Cavaliers took a brief 1-0 lead on a solo home run from Cameron Squires, there was never any doubt the Knights would be making another journey to the state finals.
Cole Hruskovich's two-run single broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the second. Anthrop's towering two-run homer pushed the lead to 5-1 and chased starting pitcher Daniel McMahon from the game.
Anthrop's home run easily cleared the posted distance of 330 feet down the left field line.
"He was struggling with his control the whole time, and I was waiting for him to miss a spot and pitch one inside," Anthrop said.
CC, though, was just getting started.
Taking advantage of four errors, a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch in the fourth, the Knights sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 11 times on six hits. Catcher Tyler Child and designated hitter Austin Munn each produced two-run singles in the inning.
Overall, the Cavaliers (14-10) were charged with seven errors after committing none in winning the program's first sectional and regional titles.
"They took every error and they took it to us," Canterbury coach Pat McMahon said. "Momentum went in their dugout and never left. Hitting is contagious and so are errors."
The Knights, winners of nine straight and 19 of their last 20, capitalized on each mistake.
"When you give any team more than three outs in an inning, it's going to hurt," said Anthrop, who scored four times and drove in three runs. "They made a few errors and it really helped us get those big innings going. They helped us out a little bit, but we still had to go through and play."
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Eight of CC's starters had at least one hit and scored one run, including first baseman Jason Aldridge. The junior made his first start in the lineup after just eight official at-bats before Saturday.
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Coach Tim Bordenet inserted Aldridge into the lineup while cleanup batter and second baseman Reed Drysdale served a one-game suspension following last week's ejection at the regional.
Aldridge finished with two hits, including an RBI single in the fourth.
"I was nervous," Aldridge said. "(Coach) told me at the beginning of the week that I didn't have to replace Reed. Just go up there and get a few hits in the eight hole."
CC starter Taylor Glaze wasn't sharp, hitting the leadoff batter on the first pitch of the game. He allowed the home run to Squires, but settled down and scattered four hits and didn't issue a walk.
"I couldn't be any happier for the seniors, who have been great from the first day of practice," Bordenet said. "They've shown great leadership and more importantly, they've been unselfish and put the team ahead of themselves. That's a big reason why we're playing for a state championship."
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