Lafayette CC eliminates Daleville baseball in regional final

Star Press

Written by
SAM WILSON
LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Lafayette Central Catholic's Austin Munn drove the game's first pitch over the wall for a home run. The Knights' offense didn't slow down much the rest of the game on Saturday night as Central Catholic claimed an 18-3 victory over Daleville in the championship game of its own Class A baseball regional.

Munn, who later hit a double, hit one of four Knight homers, as pitcher/right fielder Nick Stone hit two and Andrew Hubertz hit the other.

Lafayette Central Catholic (29-4, No. 1 Class A) scored multiple runs in five of the game's seven innings.

Daleville did threaten in the fourth inning despite the lopsided final score. Taylor Clark and Caleb Maddox each had doubles, and the Broncos scored three runs and trailed the Knights 7-3 at the end of the inning.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the Knights' offense picked up again, scoring five runs in the sixth inning and six in the seventh in what turned into a blowout win.

"I'm proud of our guys," Daleville coach Daniel Hanson said. "We opened up a little slow there and their lineup, you just never get a break in their lineup."

Lafayette Central Catholic picked up a total of 17 hits in the game, including 10 in the last two innings when its run total more than doubled. Seven of the nine batters in the LCC starting lineup had at least two hits. Munn and Stone each had three hits. Six of the Knights' hits went for extra bases.

Brent Blackwell was the only Daleville player to log two hits, one a double. Drew Nuce and Maddox also each reached base twice. Both players had one hit apiece. Nuce also got hit and Maddox reached on a fielder's choice. The Broncos had six total hits.

Nuce (9-4) started for the Broncos and pitched 6 2/3 innings, taking the loss. Clark pitched the last two outs in relief and allowed a run.

Daleville finished its season 17-13 and won its first sectional championship in five years when it claimed the Cowan Sectional Title on Monday.

The Broncos beat Union City earlier Saturday to advance to the title game. The Broncos scored two runs each in the first, third and sixth innings in the victory. Cody Duke and Clark each had two hits and an RBI to pace the Bronco offense, while Blackwell had a two-RBI single to drive in both third-inning runs.

"We were focused from the get-go," Hanson said. "I felt all week long they were focused in practice and they came out ready to go and we jumped on them early a little bit."

Clark pitched a complete game for the Broncos, allowing five hits and striking out nine batters. He walked one.

"He threw a heck of a game earlier today for us," Hanson said. "I've been saying it all week long, we felt comfortable with Taylor or Drew (Nuce) on the mound. We had confidence in both of them."

Gary Williams pitched a complete game for Union City (8-18). Richie Foster had two singles to lead the Indians offensively. The Indians won the Randolph Southern Sectional Monday to claim their school's first-ever sectional title.