Written by
JEFF WASHBURN
Seniors Nick Stone and Austin Munn of Class A No. 1 Central Catholic will never forget their final baseball game at Gordon Leming Field.
Stone and Munn, who never have lost a postseason game, combined to go 6-for-9, including three home runs, a double and eight RBIs, in the Knights’ 18-3 mauling of Daleville in Saturday night’s regional championship game.
Gunning for a fourth consecutive state championship, Central Catholic (29-4) advances to semistate play on June 9 against Fort Wayne Blackhawk at a site to be determined. Shakamak and South Central (Elizabeth) are in the South semistate.
Now 24-0 in their IHSAA state tournament careers, Stone and Munn helped the Knights post innings of three, two, two, five and six runs against losing pitcher Drew Nuce, who allowed 16 hits in 61/3 innings.
“It definitely felt good, but it’s kind of a bittersweet thing,” said Stone, who was 3-for-4 with five RBIs, including a pair of home runs. “We want to keep going, but playing on this field has been such a great experience.
“Once it started getting dark, I actually had a little trouble seeing the ball. It’s hard not to get pumped up for the regional. It was neat to walk out of here with this victory. It’s something we’re kind of used to, but we definitely don’t overlook any games.”
Munn homered on the game’s first pitch and was 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Winning pitcher Andrew Hubertz was 2-for-5 with four RBIs.
“A regional win, at home and this big, especially playing some of our best baseball was all there tonight,” Munn said. “It has been a fun ride. It was the best way we could have ended our home season. Nick played really well and pitched really well. Everything was rolling for us tonight.”
CC led 7-0 before Daleville (17-13) chased starting pitcher Stone with a three-run fourth. The Knights then scored the game’s final 11 runs.
“We had good swings,” CC coach Tim Bordenet said. “Our guys were aggressive, laid off bad pitches and looked for a pitch they could handle. We hit the ball up and down the lineup about as well as we could have tonight.
“We talked before the game about this being their last home game, and those two seniors especially have played a huge role in our success the last four years. For them to go out like they did tonight in their last game at Leming Field was special to watch.”
In the Saturday morning game, Munn and sophomore right-hander Hayes Cronk combined on a five-inning no-hitter in Central Catholic’s 10-0 victory against Turkey Run (10-18).
Third baseman Hubertz was 3-for-3, including a two-run home run, and right fielder Stone was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Pinch hitter Nathan Lippai’s home run with one out in the bottom of the fifth ended the game by the 10-run lead rule.
CC second baseman Dalton Skees added a pair of singles and scored a run. The Knight scored three in the first and extended their lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the second against losing pitcher Schuyler Jeffers.
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