Bursting the Bulldogs' Bubble

May 19, 2015

LUTHERAN AT COLUMBUS NORTH

Most seasons for Lutheran Baseball, I would try to schedule a game during the last full week of the season with a big school. Part of our culture was that even though we were a 1A school, on a given day we could compete with any school in the state.

By this week, our Conference games were complete and the Sectional was a week away, so I knew we could have our best line up, primarily our best pitcher, was available to play on that day. Over the years we played Lafayette Jeff, Chatard, Perry Meridian, Guerin and in 2015 we played Columbus North. This game really was a win-win for us. I believed that we could win every game but in reality,

Columbus North would be a heavy favorite and if we did not win, it would be a good experience we could learn from.

A key factor in scheduling Columbus North was that our team had 6 returning seniors, two very good juniors and an up and coming sophomore as starters. Essentially, a very good team. Our line up was:

Addison Robertson	SR CF
Cody Moncel	SR SS
Seth Hougesen	SR P
Austin Klase	SR C
Austin Mays	SR LF
Jake Reid	JR 3B
Spencer Owen	JR RF
Jason Sneed	SR 1B
Patrick Kem	SO SS

I believe the numbers would show that this group of seniors won more games than any other group of seniors for Lutheran Baseball. At this point of the 2015 season. our team had a record of 15 wins and 4 losses. We had been beaten by Perry Meridian, Ritter, Chatard and Brebeuf. Our game versus Brebeuf was the first game of the County Tournament. We lost 4-3 and had the tying run on 2nd base with two outs. Austin Mays hit a great line drive but it ended up being caught by the shortstop. Interestingly, Brebeuf won the County and then forfeited the game to us due to them playing an ineligible player. Still County Champs though.

Our trip to Columbus was OK until the directions I had took us to downtown Columbus. No baseball diamond in sight and not at the high school. Coach Baglow pulled up directions on his phone to a location that was outside of Columbus where Columbus North had a sports complex. In 2015, to get info from one’s phone was still pretty new. Props to Coach Baglow. We got to the facility pretty much on time and got ready for the game.

A couple of points about the game. Columbus North was ranked #5 in 4A at the time. Also, this game was their Senior Night. Apparently we were the designated losing team for Senior Night! Columbus North was very good. They had 3 seniors who were going on to play baseball in college. Devin Mann, shortstop, went on to have a nice career at Louisville. Cody Burton went to Indiana State and Even Finke went to

Snead State in Alabama. Underclassman going on to college baseball included

Brice McDaniel at Purdue, Collin Lollar at Ohio State and Cooper Trinkle at IU.

I doubt that Columbus North did much in preparing to play us. We were a 1A school. How good could we be?

As the game began, we learned they were pitching a senior named Jon Cox. He was not in their top 3 pitchers but I seem to remember that he was undefeated in the season.

We started off in great fashion in the top of the first. Addison Robertson singled, Cody Moncel singled and Seth Hougesen doubled to drive in both runners. Seth got to 3b on the throw to home and then scored our third run when Austin Klase grounded out to second base. I loved that Austin was able to score the run with 1 out or less by just hitting a groundball. Excellent baseball play.

Austin Mays drew a walk and after an out, Spencer Owen singled and Austin was able to move to third base. Spencer then stole second base so we had runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Jason Snead then singled scoring both runners. After our first at bat, we led 5-0. The Bulldogs must have been wondering what hit them.

Seth Hougesen was our starting pitcher. As a senior, Seth had pitched in many important games. This game was also important. The first hitter for Columbus North was a junior named Canaan Baum. He tripled to lead off the bottom of the first. The #2 hitter, Brice McDaniel, grounded out to Jake Reid at third, but the runner did score. 5-1. Devin Mann then singled and stole 2nd. The clean up hitter, Evan Finke, popped out to Patrick Kem who made a nice catch. Pat then doubled off Mann at 2nd as Mann did not think Pat would get to the pop up. So, 5-1 after one inning.

Addison led off the 2nd inning with another single. Cody followed up with a single. Their pitcher got a little nervous and walked Seth to load the bases with no outs. Our next hitter hit a groundball to the 2nd baseman and he started a 4-6-3 double play. Addison scored on the play and Cody got to 3rd base. Austin Mays then drew a walk and stole 2nd. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Jake Reid then singled to right field to drive in Cody but they made a nice play and Austin was thrown out at the plate. We now led 7-1.

In their 2nd inning, Cody Burton led off with a double. Lollar struckout and then Trinkle singled to put runners on 1st and 3rd. The pitcher, Cox, batting for himself, bunted to squeeze in a run. Their #9 hitter struckout to end the inning. After two innings, we led 7-2.

Niether team scored in the 3rd or 4th innings. In the 5th, Austin Mays led off with a walk. Jake bunted him to second base, but we had two groundball outs and could not score. In the bottom of the 5th, the Bulldogs got a lead off single. Baum, the lead off hitter, singled to drive in the runner who had stolen 2nd. McDaniel flew out to Austin Mays in left for the 1st out. Devin Mann then hit a sharp groundball to Jake at third. Jake made the throw to 2nd for the force out. Finke then popped out to Jason Snead at 1st for the third out. After 5 innings, we led 7 to 3.

We went down in order in the 6th and 7th innings. Columbus North got a runner on in the 6th, but a sharp groundball to Pat Kem up the middle allowed Pat to step on 2nd and throw to 1st for a double play.

Going into the bottom of the 7th, we led 7 to 3. Seth was still doing fine as he had thrown 96 pitches. But as we all know, the hardest outs to get are the last 3!

Seth got the #8 hitter to ground back to him, 1-3 for out #1. The ninth hitter, got his 2nd single. Baum walked and McDaniel then singled to drive in the runner on 2nd, 7-4. Devin Mann singled for his second hit of the game to drive in their 5th run. With one out, The Bulldogs had runners on 2nd and 1st, the tying run. Seth got Finke to pop out to Pat for the second out. That brought up Cody Burton who so far was

3 for 3 with 2 doubles. Needless to say, everybody on both teams was anxious to see what was going to happen. Burton swung at the first pitch and hit a fly ball to right field where Spencer Owen caught the ball for the last out. We had won 7 to 5!

As regular season games go, this game was most likely the biggest win of my years at Lutheran High School. We had wins over Perry Meridian, Chatard, Guerin, Lawrence Central and other bigger schools, but this Columbus North team had the most players going on to play in college and they were the highest ranked team we defeated. I am sure the players on this team remember the game very well. Maybe as well as they remember the trip to Dairy Queen on the way home!