Osgood Journal Sports
June 10, 2008

Mother Nature delays IHSAA semi-state baseball action

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Proving once again where the upper hand lies, Mother Nature spawned a rigorous storm to force the delay of scheduled IHSAA baseball action for area semi-state game earners.
Both the Class 1A Jac-Cen-Del Eagles (by defeating the Henryville Hornets at Henryville HS on Wednesday, June 4, by a final score of 12-5) and the Class 2A South Ripley Raiders (with a 3-0 shutout victory over Heritage Christian at Heritage Christian HS) that same evening advanced to semi-state qualifying status.
Neither team knew when they left their home schools on their road trips if once arriving at their regional destinations if they would actually get to play a game with inclement weather threatening at all facets. However, both were able to get their Wednesday regional scheduled games in and were victorious.
Semi-state action however would render quite a different outcome as neither was able to get their game in on Saturday, June 7 as scheduled. Severe thunder storms and torrential rain estimated to be over 10 inches in an eight hour period forced postponement of games to an attempted Monday event at the absolute earliest. Many roads and major highways were closed, even if ball fields were not under water, the teams could not have reached their destinations.
Emergency road crews and emergency personnel were called on to work feverishly to block then reopen dangerous routes. Clean-up appears to be pretty well under control at present for the most part and both the JCD and South Ripley semi-state games are expected to take place at 1PM and at 8PM on Monday, June 9.
Eagle regional action
The Jac-Cen-Del Eagles found ace pitcher Brandon Gehl on the mound for the entire seven innings against Henryville. The Eagles were taken down in their first inning at bat, but held the Hornets as well.
In the second inning, with Brock Billman on base, Eric Horan sent a Home Run over the 305 right field fence, deep into the thicket behind it to give them their first lead of 2-0.
The Hornets were again held in the bottom of inning two, and neither team could muster a run through the third. However, in the top of the fourth, Eagle pitcher Brandon Gehl helped his own cause with a lead off solo Home Run to go up 3-0.
Following a pair of Hornet singles and a bit of sloppy Eagle play in the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles lead was cut to one at 3-2.
Neither team scored in the fifth, putting JCD at the plate in the top of the sixth. That's when Eagle fury struck Henryville, as JCD rallied to put nine more runs on the scoreboard while leaving two on base, taking their lead to 12-2.
The 12-2 lead going to the bottom of the sixth inning gave them enough to end the game after six complete, by the 10 Run Rule, if they could keep the Hornets from scoring.
That would not be the case as Henryville saw their first three batters walked and eventually managed to score them, leaving the game at 12-5 entering the seventh.
JCD failed to score in the top of the seventh, leaving them a win if they would just hang on to it. Gehl walked the first Hornet batter and fanned the second for out number one. The third batter flew out to Eagle short stop Blake Sutton, for the second out. The third out and game clincher for the Eagles, came off a Sutton to David Busch toss at second base, to rouse the Eagle faithful and team.
Eagle pitching & catching
Brandon Gehl - while facing 30 batters, struck out 7, walked 5 and allowed 4 earned runs off 5 hits with Andrew Huff - catching the entire seven innings for the Eagles.
Eagle batting
Blake Sutton -
2/4 plus a walk and scored.
David Busch -
2/5, An RBI, scored & a K.
Shane Adams -
0/4, scored, a walk & K.
Zach Simon -
0/3, scored with 2 walks and a strike out.
Brandon Gehl -
2/4 for 3 RBI's, a walk and a Home Run, scored 2 runs with Ryan Schuler scoring as a pinch runner for Gehl.
Brock Billman -
0/1, scored, struck out, walked and was hit by a pitch.
Derek Lunsford -
Pinch hit, walked and scored.
Eric Horan -
2/4, scored, 4 RBI's and a Home Run.
Gerald Hardesty -
1/3, walked, scored and struck out.
Andrew Huff -
0/3, walk and 2 stolen bases.
The Eagle win advanced them at 21-4 to a semi-state meeting against 20-8 Tecumseh at Perry Meridian in Indianapolis @ 1PM on Monday, June 9. An afternoon victory slates them for an 8 PM play off game against the winner of the 15-8 Bethesda Christian or 23-8 Shakamuk.
Raider regional action
The Raiders claimed their 3-0 regional victory behind pitching ace BJ Sieverding and long ball deliverer, Russ Steinhauer.
Sieverding, with strong defensive efforts by fellow Raider teammates, managed to control the Heritage Christian attempts to score, leaving them scoreless at game's end.
The Raider offensive power as needed was provided by a early double by Brian Thomas, followed by a single by Jared Keck moving Thomas to third where he scored on a passed ball to give SR the 1-0 lead. The Raider game was later highlighted by a pair of giant Home Runs by SR graduate Russ Steinhauer. Steinhauer nailed his first in the third inning and blasted a second one in the fifth.
Other Raider regional details were unavailable at press time.
The 18-6 Class 2A Raiders square off at Mooresville against 16-8 Eastern Greene at 1PM. The night cap will feature the winner against the winner of 26-3 Elwood or 30-2 Austin at 8 PM.
Good Luck Raiders and Eagles--You make us proud!

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured above, front from left are the 2008 IHSAA Class 2A Regional Champion South Ripley Raiders as they enjoy the feel of victory in a celebration at home after a long day of baseball and travel. Now Semi-state bound are: Blake Richmond, Kyle Patrick, BJ Sieverding, Russ Steinhauer, Anthony Gramaglia - manager and Tyler Landwehr. Standing: Assistant Coach Shawn Halcomb, Andy Miller, Jared Grossman, Brian Thomas, Rob Lafary - announcer, Thomas Welch, Ryan Dennis - manager, Jared Keck, Kevin Gullion, Jonathan Grossman, Seth Leonard, Kile Huss, Chase Grider, Justin Gullion - manager and 2008 ORVC "Baseball Coach of the Year" Rodney Hite. Not pictured Assistant Coach Brian Romans.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Pictured above, front from left are the 2008 IHSAA Class 1A Regional Champion Jac-Cen-Del Eagles celebrating following their 12-5 victory over the Henryville Hornets: Austin Lord, Andrew Huff, Eric Horan, Zach Simon, Brock Billman, David Busch and Brandon Gehl. Standing are Head Coach David Bradshaw, Zach Kappes, Assistant Coach Steve Huff, Dalton Garnett, Trevor Arnett, Ryan Schuler, Trent Tucker, Derek Lunsford, Blake Sutton, Gerald Hardesty, Jacob Gaither, Brandon Wilhoit, Shane Adams, Daniel Harlemert, Assistant Coach Travis Rohrig and scorekeeper - Renee Meister.