Crawfordsville Athenians | Archive | June, 2008

UPDATED WITH VIDEO!! Athenians’ Hobson, Rice
combine for 17 Ks in easy win over unranked Knights

Published: 06/14/2008

Email a copy of Base 3A STATE FINAL: #5 Crawfordsville strikes out Mishawaka Marian, 5-1 to a friend

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Crawfordsville’s Cameron Hobson comes to the plate
June 14 in the Class 3A state championship game. The senior tied a 3A state
finals record with 11 strikeouts. Photo by Mike McGraw

Crawfordsville’s Justin Wright accepts the 3A Mental
Attitude Award at Victory Field. Photo by Mike McGraw

INDIANAPOLIS –
Excellence + Execution = Exultation

That is the equation that
fifth-ranked Crawfordsville (32-4) used June 14 to defeat unranked Mishawaka
Marian, 5-1, at the 42nd Annual IHSAA Baseball State Finals at Victory Field to
win the 3A state championship. The victory marks the Athenians’ first state
title in a male sport since 1956.

(Click here for video highlights and post-game
interviews!)

The excellence was supplied through a dominating pitching
performance from senior Cameron Hobson and sophomore reliever Steven Rice. They
combined to strike out 17 Knights batters during the contest, including Hobson’s
3A championship record-tying 11 in five-plus innings of work.

Crawfordsville’s offense, meanwhile, contributed the execution. The
Athenians scored five runs, all of which were in some manner manufactured by
their “small-ball” tactics.

At day’s end, the exultation was evident on
every Crawfordsville face.

The surgical approach began in the very first
inning. Hobson (10-2), the Athenians’ left-handed ace who came in with 113
strikeouts and an earned run average of just 0.51 in 54 2/3 innings, whiffed the
first two batters he faced and cruised through an easy first despite issuing a
two-out walk.

In the bottom of the frame, junior Brett Linn drew a
one-out walk and promptly stole second (he would set a 3A state finals record
with three thefts on the day) where a simple base hit could score the game’s
initial run. The hit came off the bat of senior Mitchell Ray one out later, and
Crawfordsville was up 1-0.

If you are a fan of sequels, the second inning
was right up your alley – this time Hobson struck out the side in order. Junior
J.D. Rice led off the bottom half of the inning with a double past diving senior
centerfielder Shawn Geraghty.

Senior Andrew Swart immediately sacrificed
junior pinch-runner Quentin Anderson to third, once again applying pressure to
the defense. Another two-out single, this one from senior Justin Wright, scored
the Athenians’ second run.

Are you detecting a pattern here? If so, then
you know what came next.

Hobson retired the side in order in the third
and held the Knights in the fourth with the help of a nifty double play from his
infield. Through four innings, the University of Dayton-bound lefty hurler had
struck out eight.

Senior Blake Harris led off the Crawfordsville fourth
with an infield single. Wright laid down a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed,
and runners wound up on second and third. Mishawaka Marian (21-11) intentionally
walked Hobson to load the bases with nobody out.

Linn struck out, but
then Brent McKinney, who has specialized all year in being a pain in opponents’
backsides, lifted a sacrifice fly to plate the Athenians’ third run. The junior
had two RBIs, the game’s only player to do so.

The lads from Mishawaka
scratched out a run of their own in the fifth against Hobson. They then began to
make things a little nervous in the top of the sixth when an infield error and
two wild pitches placed a Knight runner on third with nobody out.

Crawfordsville coach John Froedge decided it was time to lift Hobson,
replacing him with Steven Rice. It was just another day at the office for the
gutsy reliever, who proceeded to strike out the next three hitters – two of them
on pressure-packed full counts – to preserve the Athenians’ two-run
cushion.

Hobson, who had moved to first base, started the Crawfordsville
sixth with a blast to left-center that wound up a leadoff triple. Linn then
supplied the quintessential Crawfordsville play. He fell behind 0-2 after taking
a strike and then failing to lay down a squeeze bunt.

No problem. Linn
just laid that squeeze down on the 0-2 pitch.

It not only scored Hobson,
but Linn also beat out the throw at first base. You guessed it. Three pitches
later, he stood on third after a case of grand theft.

McKinney answered
the call with an RBI single, and it was suddenly 5-1.

Rice made the
seventh adventurous. He walked one batter and hit two more. Fortunately for the
Athenian faithful, he also struck out the side. In all, the diminutive
left-hander faced nine Mishawaka Marian hitters and NONE of them put the ball in
play.

The celebration was lengthy, and the pure joy on Froedge’s face
told the entire story. After 27 years and over 500 victories, the legendary
mentor finally stood on top of the mountain.

It is only appropriate that
his Athenians achieved their biggest goal by taking the smallest things as
well.

Crawfordsville’s Wright wins Mental Attitude
Award
Justin Wright of Crawfordsville was recognized by members of
the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s recipient of the L.V. Phillips
Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A baseball. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the
corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Crawfordsville
in Wright’s name.

Wright recently graduated third in his senior class at
Crawfordsville with a GPA of 4.178. He is a member of the National Honor
Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Athenian Corps – the official
host for CHS – and served as senior class treasurer. He has volunteered his time
working with various youth groups, attended the National Youth Leadership Forum
in Washington, D.C., and has worked at the Family Crisis Shelter.
 
The
son of Jim and Suzi Wright of Crawfordsville has been a four-year participant in
baseball, football, and basketball and also served as team captain in the latter
two. He intends to begin studying environmental sciences at Purdue University in
the fall.
 
At the conclusion of each championship game, the IHSAA
Executive Committee presents an award for mental attitude to an outstanding
senior participant in each classification of the state tournament. The recipient
of the award, nominated by his principal and coach, was determined to have best
demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership, and athletic ability in
baseball.

The award is named in honor of the late L.V. Phillips, who
served as the second commissioner of the IHSAA from 1945-62.

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By Mike McGraw
Executive Director

LAFAYETTE – For most of the June 4 Class 3A Regional 13 title game with seventh-ranked Brebeuf, No. 5 Crawfordsville had a tough time putting runners in scoring position in the game played at McCutcheon High School. Brebeuf, however,will take little solace in that fact.

That’s because when the Athenians did produce legitimate scoring chances, they were lethal in cashing in. The result was two very big innings: a five-run second and a four-run sixth. Those outbursts, along with a solid pitching performance from left-hander Cameron Hobson, were enough to generate a 9-3 victory and a regional championship.

The night certainly did not start off looking like the Athenians would be doing any celebrating.

Crawfordsville pitching had not allowed a run in sectional play, but a pair of two-out hits plated two runs for Brebeuf in the very first inning. The Braves’ Cody McFarland coasted through the bottom of the inning, allowing only one baserunner, and the score was 2-0 in favor of the visitors from Indianapolis after one frame.

Hobson settled down in the second inning and began mowing down Brebeuf hitters with regularity. In the bottom of the inning, meanwhile, the lower end of the Athenian lineup stirred up some trouble when Cody Dowell walked to lead off the inning and catcher Mitchell Ray singled.

That put runners on first and second and brought hard-hitting first baseman Andrew Swart to the plate. What followed may well have been the key play in the game.

Crawfordsville coach John Froedge instructed Swart to lay down a bunt to advance the runners. Swart bunted down the third base line just a little harder than intended. The ball was fielded by Brebeuf third baseman Mitch Overley, who thought he could beat Dowell to the bag at third but was wrong. Overley then whirled and fired across the diamond a fraction too late to get Swart at first.

(Hoosier Authority spoke with coach Froedge and several players after
the game. Click here to catch the video!)

Now, the bases were loaded with nobody out, and the flood gates soon opened.

Blake Harris followed with a walk to plate the first Athenian run. One out later, Hobson redeemed himself for the shaky first inning by crushing a two-run double. Brett McKinney capped off the inning with a single that scored two more runs. It would not be the last time McKinney would be heard from on this night.

The game settled down through the middle innings. Hobson was in complete control for the Athenians, while Brebeuf’s Charles Eberhardt held Crawfordsville in check with an outstanding relief job. Brebeuf did scratch across a run in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-3.

That produced the dramatic, and deciding, sixth inning. In the top half of the frame, Brebeuf pinch-hitter Tommy Green laced a hit to left and took advantage of a two-base error to stand on third with only one out. Hobson, however, mowed down the next two Brave hitters to quash the rally.

That is when outside forces came into play.

As it has all spring, weather played a role in the outcome of this game. As the bottom of the sixth began, lightning flashed over the centerfield wal. The game was put into a 35-minute delay in accordance with IHSAA safety rules. The discussion throughout the stadium during the stoppage in play was the effect it would have on the opposing pitchers, and it didn’t take long to find out.

When the teams returned to the field, Eberhardt simply didn’t have the same stuff. He struck out the leadoff hitter for the Athenians, but then Crawfordsville created a little lightning of its own.

Harris blasted a triple. Pinch-hitter J.D. Rice scored Harris with a ringing double. Brebeuf intentionally walked Hobson, but it didn’t slow the onslaught. Two batters later, McKinney struck again with a double, scoring two. Scott Hunt capped it off with an RBI single.

Suddenly, it was 9-3, and the suspense of how the delay would affect Hobson was a moot point. Froedge decided his hard-throwing senior had done enough, and Steven Rice came in and finished the job in the seventh, allowing only one runner.

The lightning delay was not the only way weather affected this contest. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday and had to be postponed. It was then moved to McCutcheon on Wednesday because of field conditions at Crawfordsville.

As a result of the postponement, Crawfordsville will head to Jasper for the June 7 semistate with some mild pitching concerns. Swart, an 11-game winner, is completely fresh. Hobson, however, will contribute whatever innings he throws on just two days’ rest.

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Mike McGraw
Hoosier Authority

For most of Wednesday evening’s Regional title game with
Brebeuf, Crawfordsville had a tough time putting runners in scoring position.
Brebeuf will take little solace in that fact. That is because when the
Athenians did produce legitimate scoring chances, they were lethal in cashing
in. The result was two very big innings; a 5-run second and a 4-run sixth. Those
outbursts, along with a solid pitching performance from left-hander Cameron
Hobson, were enough to generate a 9-3 victory and a regional championship.

 
The night certainly did not start off looking like the
Athenians would be doing any celebrating. Crawfordsville pitching had not
allowed a run in sectional play, but two two-out hits plated two runs for
Brebeuf in the very first inning. The Braves’ Cody McFarland coasted through
the bottom of the inning, allowing only one base runner, and the score was 2-0
in favor of the visitors from Indianapolis
after one frame.

 
Hobson settled down in the second inning and began mowing
down Brebeuf hitters with regularity. In the bottom of the inning, the lower
end of the Athenian lineup stirred up some trouble. Cody Dowell walked to lead
off the inning, followed by a single from catcher Mitchell Ray. That put
runners on first and second and brought hard hitting first baseman Andrew Swart
to the plate. What followed may well have been the key play in the game.

 
Crawfordsville coach John Froedge instructed Swart to lay
down a bunt to advance the runners. Swart bunted down the third base line just
a little harder than intended. The ball was fielded by Brebeuf third baseman
Mitch Overley who thought he could beat Dowell to the third base bag. He was
wrong. He then whirled and fired across the diamond a fraction too late to get
Swart at first. Now, the bases were loaded with nobody out, and the floodgates
soon opened.

 
Blake Harris followed with a walk to plate the first
Athenian run. One out later, Hobson redeemed himself for the shaky first inning
by crushing a 2-run double. Brett McKinney capped off the inning with a single
that plated two more runs. It would not be the last time McKinney would be heard from on this night.

 
The game settled down through the middle innings. Hobson was
in complete control for the Athenians, while Brebeuf’s Charles Eberhardt held
Crawfordsville in check with an outstanding relief job on the hill. Brebeuf did
scratch across a run in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-3.

 
That produced the dramatic, and deciding, sixth inning. In
the top half of the frame, Brebeuf pinch-hitter Tommy Green laced a hit to left
and took advantage of a two base error to stand on third with only one out.
Hobson, however, mowed down the next two Brave hitters to quash the rally. That
is when outside forces came into play.

 
As it has been all spring, weather played a role in the
outcome of this game. As the bottom of the sixth began, lightning flashed over
the center field wall and the game was put into a 35-minute delay in accordance
with IHSAA safety rules. The discussion throughout the stadium during the
stoppage in play was the effect it would have on the opposing pitchers. It didn’t
take long to find out. When the teams returned to the field, Eberhardt simply
didn’t have the same stuff. He struck out the leadoff hitter for the Athenians,
but then Crawfordsville created a little lightning of their own. Harris blasted
a triple. Pinch-hitter J.D. Rice scored Harris with a ringing double. Brebeuf
intentionally walked Hobson, but it didn’t slow the onslaught. Two batters
later, McKinney
struck again with a double scoring two. Scott Hunt capped it off with an RBI
single. Suddenly, it was 9-3 and the suspense of how the delay would affect Hobson
was a moot point. Froedge decided his hard throwing senior had done enough, and
Steven Rice came in and finished the job in the seventh, allowing only one
runner.

 
The lightning delay was not the only way weather affected
this contest. The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday and had to be
postponed. It was then moved to McCutcheon on Wednesday because of field
conditions at Crawfordsville. As a result of the postponement, Crawfordsville
will head to Jasper for the semi-state with some mild pitching concerns. Andrew
Swart, an eleven game winner, is completely fresh. Hobson, however, will
contribute whatever innings he throws, on just two days rest.

 
Hoosier Authority spoke with Coach Froedge and several
players after the game. Come back later to see all the video from the champion
Athenians.

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