Osgood Journal Sports
June 13, 2006

Memories for the 2006 Raiders as they went marching along
Gary Franklin - Sports Writer

The Raider Semi-State send off
The Regional Champion Raider Baseball Team was met at South Ripley High School Friday morning by families, cheerleaders, a Raider band, and well wishers as they mounted up for a trek across lower southern Indiana in preparation to compete at the 2006 IHSAA Class 2A Semi-State Tournament action on Saturday, June 10, against the North Posey Vikings at the Huntingburg City Parks Stadium, 'Home of the Dubois Bombers'.
The Raiders' spirit was high following their undefeated ORVC conference run this season, and Sectional and Regional victories of which the South Ripley school has never experienced in its history, and a large community support effort to send them off. The Versailles Fire Department volunteers escorted the team in their send off around town as the community showed its pride and support.
Even with a season of first time accomplishments, the young Raider squad had done a pretty fair job of keeping their egos in check. They as a team have earned much respect with their ability to keep this year's success to this point in proper prospective.
The Semi-State sight
The Semi-State Stadium, the Huntingburg City Park Baseball Stadium was originally dedicated in 1894 and has gone through renovations over the years, the most recent was the result of Disney Productions for the sight of Walt Disney's shooting of the 1991 movie production "A League of Their Own", thus adding extra nostalgia to the special Raiders' 2006 season memories.
The ceremonial opening pitch
Edwin Sizemore, grandfather of South Ripley Raider junior (now senior) Michael Fear, was honored to throw the first pitch to set the game into motion. The Raider baseball team members acknowledge Sizemore as 'papaw Sizemore', as he has a strong relationship with all team members having followed his grandson and teammates from a young age as Fear pursued sports teams which have made them all a tight knit group.
The Game
South Ripley vs North Posey
Following the introduction of ball teams, coaches and umpires, the game was set into motion, ending with a down note for the Raiders after 5 complete innings at 11-1.
1st Inning
The Raider line up
With South Ripley designated the home team, the Raider Semi-State field opened with Michael Fear pitching, Josh Cumberworth catching, Kyle Patrick covering first base, Jared Keck at second with Michael Mathews slated as the Designated hitter, Dakota Walker was at third base, and BJ Sieverding assigned to the short stop duties. In left field was Eric Landwehr, Brandon Seabolt occupied the center field spot, and right field was handled by Cory Yeomans.
The first pitch
Raider Michael Fear delivered to Viking Jake Voegel for strike 1, followed with a ball, then strike 2. Sighs of relief as big game jitters appeared to be nonexistent.
A swing and a shot to Raider second baseman Jared Keck, throwing across to Kyle Patrick at first, and out number one was officially in the record book. Adam Schroeder hit a hanging fly drifting to short right field, caught by a speeding center fielder Seabolt for the second out. Jared Baehl drew the 4 pitch walk before Robert Johnson hit a sharp shot up centerfield where Seabolt first broke the wrong but adjusted quickly enough to catch the ball on the fly for the third out, ending the threat.
Raiders first at bat
Michael Mathews led off with a shot to second thrown to first for out #1. BJ Sieverding ran a 0-2 count to full before driving a stinger off the pitcher and out-legged it to first before the second baseman could adjust to throw him out. Michael Fear on a 1/1 count flew out to right field who in turn tried to turn a double play shooting the ball over first to the backstop moving Sieverding along the basepath with 2 down. Brandon Seabolt then drove in what would be the only Raider run of the day shooting a double over the second baseman's head to drive Sieverding home for the score and the lead at 1-0. Dakota Walker wrapped up the Raider first with a ground out to the pitcher - tossed to first for out #3.
The second inning
The Vikings sent 4 batters to the plate beginning with a Ryan Neuman single, closed down by a Brock Wenderoth fly to Cory Yeomans in right, Justin Esche rang up on strikes by Fear, and Adam Walkers fly in foul territory ran down by Raider Dakota Walker for the 3rd out.
Cory Yeomans grounded out second to first, Eric Landwehr and Kyle Patrick both went down on strike 3 swinging counts to end the second inning.
The third inning
Braxton Williams grounded out to short stop Sieverding, Jake Voegel drew the 4/1 walk only to be picked off by Fear to Patrick to Sieverding to Patrick to Keck to Patrick for the run down registering out #2. Adam Schroeder in his second appearance to the plate hit a bloop single over second base, Baehl burnt Seabolt with a deep shot to center for the 1-1 tie, leading to Johnson flying out to Fear on the infield for out #3.
The Raider third
Starting the inning in great fashion, Josh Cumberworth drew a full count to a walk, but Mathews' attempted bunt flew long and high to short, Sieverding's 3rd strike foul bunt attempt accounted for out #2, and Fear hit to second for a 4-3 FC to end the threat as would prove to be a turning point for the Vikings.
The fourth
Neuman walked on a 4/1 count before Wendworth teed up for a 2 run home run over the left center field fence. Esche singled to short center, Nix drew a 4/0 walk, and Williams laid down a bunt sac to Patrick at first, advancing the runners. Voegel's bunted sac for an RBI thrown to Keck covering first for the second out. Schroeder doubled down the third base line for an RBI, followed by Baehl being intentionally walked, and Johnson being hit by a pitch to load the bases before Neuman hit into a Sieverding to Keck fielders choice to get out of the inning, but not before the Vikings' had tallied a lead of 5-1.
The Raider fourth
Seabolt went down swinging for out #1, Walker out to a second to first throw out, and Yeomans flew to second to end the inning.
The fifth inning
Wendworth doubled to center, prompting a Raider pitching change. Tim Burcham went to the mound for Fear, Fear to second base, and Keck was removed from the game. Esche doubled to the right field wall to score Wendworth making North Posey 6-1.
Burcham took Nix down swinging for out #1. Williams on a 2/2 count hit a line drive single, Voegel on an 0/2 count ripped a shot over 1st for 2 RBI's, Schroeder walked, and Baehl went down for the 2nd out swinging. Johnson tripled for 2 RBI's, as the game was quickly unraveling for the Raiders.
Neuman walked on 4 pitches and error at second allowed Wendworth to get to first and Esche was rung up on strikes for the third out. The Vikings had scored 6 runs in the inning and now led 11-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.
The Raider fifth
Eric Landwehr opened the inning but was called out on strikes swinging. Chandler Stearns entered the line up for Kyle Patrick but was called out on strikes as he watched a called third strike pass him for the second out. With opportunities for the Raiders quickly escaping, Josh Cumberworth would be the last Raider to reach base as he drew the walk before Michael Mathews hit into the fielders choice 4-3 to wrap up the season for the Raiders.
The Vikings won with a 10 run rule application 11-1 after 5 innings. In all the Vikings had 11 runs on 11 hits with 1 error and the Raiders finished with 1 run on 2 hits and 1 error.
The Raider season was completed short of hopes but farther by far than any other Raider team had gone before. The bus ride may have stopped, but the accomplishments can not be taken away. They are theirs forever.

The South Ripley Raiders Baseball Team prepares to travel onward to 2006 Class 2A Semi-State action.

Volunteers of the Versailles Fire Department escorted the South Ripley Raider Baseball Team around town as their 2006 Class 2A Semi-State trek continued.

South Ripley Raider baseball team at 2-1 were successful over the Austin Eagles in the 2006 Class 2A Regional
Gary Franklin - Sports Writer

The South Ripley Raider baseball team's 2-1 victory on Tuesday, June 6, at Forest G. Waters Field was a tough battle all the way to its climax in the top of the 7th inning. The Raiders were deemed the home team, thus the Austin Eagles attacked from the offensive side first.
INNING ONE
The Eagles sent 4 batters through the batters box in the top of the first, they being Tyler Combs leading off flying out to Kyle Patrick, South Ripley's first baseman. Second to enter the box for the Eagles was Chance Densford who captured the first hit of the game with a single. The Eagle starting pitcher, Shane Bowling flew out to Raider right fielder, Cory Yeomans for the second out, sending Matthew Bayes to the plate where Raider hurler Michael Fear accounted for his first strike out and the third out to end the top of the first.
In the Raider bottom of the first inning, Michael Mathews entered the box as the DH for second baseman Jared Keck. A shot to short relayed to first accounted for the first out. BJ Sieverding singled for the Raiders. Michael Fear, the Raider starting pitcher, singled to move Sieverding around the base path. Brandon Seabolt hit into a fielders choice for the second out. Dakota Walker drove in the first Raider run as Sieverding crossed the plate. Winding up the Raider threat, Cory Yeomans hit into a fielders choice for the third out.
INNING TWO
Austin's Derek Turner walked but was picked off first base by Fear. The second batter, Dylan Hale walked, only to be gunned down by Raider catcher Josh Cumberworth trying to take second base. The third out was by Clayton George on a Sieverding to Patrick play.
The Raiders failed to score as Eric Landwehr went down on strikes for the first out, Kyle Patrick also fell for out number two, and Josh Cumberworth singled before Mathews went by the way of a strike out to end the second.
INNING THREE
The Eagles sent Dakota McIntosh to the plate to open the third. McIntosh walked but was picked off by Fear. Nathan Coomer likewise drew the walk, however, Cumberworth nailed him as he attempted to steal second for the second out. Combs singled only to have Densford's shot to second, fielded by Keck, turn into the third out for Austin.
The Raider third likewise ended quickly as Sieverding led off with a strike out, Fear flew out to centerfield, Seabolt drew a walk, and Walker's drive fielded by the first baseman ended the third.
INNING FOUR
Austin's Bowling accounted for the first out. Bayes singled and later scored to tie the game at one apiece. Turner made the second out, leading to Hale's RBI drive scoring Bayes. A fielders choice by George closed the Eagle threat.
The Raiders sent Yeomans to the plate to begin their half of the fourth. At the plate he doubled and later took third on a sac fly by Landwehr. With one out, Patrick and Cumberworth were cut down via strike outs to end the inning.
INNING FIVE
In the Austin fifth, Fear struck lead off batter McIntosh out, Coomer reached on an error, and Combs singled. With first and second occupied, a Keck to Patrick fielders choice followed by a Fear to Patrick out on Bowling cut the Eagle threat short leaving two on base
South Ripley, at the top of their batting lineup sent Mathews to the plate where he was called out, Sieverding likewise fell for out number two. Fear walked, Seabolt singled, and Walker hit a bullet head high line drive shot, caught by the second baseman to cut the Raider possibilities short.
INNING SIX
Opening the Austin sixth, Raider Tim Burcham came in relief with the game tied at 1-1. Fear went to second base, and Keck came out of the lineup. The Austin battery consisting of Bayes flew out to Sieverding at short stop, Walker at third threw to Patrick at first to eliminate Turner, and Hale went by the way of an unassisted play by Patrick at first.
Austin pitching duties in the hands of Bayes met Yeomans as the Raider lead off batter. Yeomans greeting to the pitcher was a ferocious shot over the left field fence to unknowingly give the Raiders all they would need to become the 2006 Regional Champions.
Landwehr grounded out short to first, Patrick reached on an error but was doubled up on a catcher to short at second to first double play ending the inning with the swing of Cumberworth on a umpires call at first to end the inning.
INNING SEVEN
Burcham facing the first Eagle batter in the seventh was stung for a single. McIntosh came to the plate with a rally in mind only to have Burcham field the bunt fly and doubled the Eagles up with a quick throw to Patrick at first. Coomer hit a blooper single that Burcham could not find the handle on allowing the tying run to once again get on base. Combs followed reaching first and Densford was hit by a pitch to load 'em up.
Regaining composure in a situation fast getting dangerous for the pitcher, Bowling grounded to Dakota Walker at third who routinely spun and delivered a strike to the outstretched glove of Kyle Patrick at first base, clinching the game, win, regional, and opportunity to move onward to a state championship title.