June 18, 2011
MINKS’ TWO HOMERUNS SPURS CRAWFORDSVILLE TO SECOND 3A CROWN IN FOUR YEARS
Chris Minks hit a state finals-record two home runs for No. 5 Crawfordsville, and the Athenians knocked off Mishawaka Marian 8-3 on Saturday to win the Class 3A baseball state championship at Victory Field. The game was a rematch of the 2008 Class 3A title game, when the Athenians defeated the Knights, 5-1.
Unranked Marian took an early, 2-0 lead on a walk, an error, and a Corey Samuels steal of home plate on a missed squeeze bunt. The lead didn’t last long, though, because Minks hit his first home run as part of a three-run 3rd inning for Crawfordsville. His second home run was a two-run shot to left off of Marian reliever John Leszczynski, who came on in relief of starting pitcher Taylor Krugh. Minks was 2-for-4 with a walk and 4 RBI in the game.
Mishawaka Marian loaded the bases in the bottom of the 7th inning, but was unable to push across any runs against Athenians pitcher Cory Rice. Rice went the distance for Crawfordsville, and gave up just 1 earned run on 3 hits and 3 walks; he also notched 7 strikeouts in the game.
Vince Ravotto, Bobby Norell, and Matt Gibson each had a hit for head coach Tim Prister’s Mishawaka Marian team, which finishes the season with a record of 26-8.
Jordan Jackson and Alex Ehrlich were the other hitting stars for Crawfordsville and head coach John Froedge. Jackson finished 2-for-2 with 2 RBI and a walk, while Ehrlich was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored. The Athenians wrap up their second state championship season with a 29-6 record.
CRAWFORDSVILLE’S ADAM BOEHM NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Following the game, Crawfordsville’s Adam Boehm was named the winner of the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award for Class 3A Baseball by the IHSAA Executive Committee.
The award is annually presented to an outstanding senior participant in each state championship game who has best demonstrated excellence in 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.
Boehm has participated in baseball all four years of high school and served as captain this season for the Athenians while pitching and playing third base. He also played soccer for four seasons and basketball as a freshman. Aside from sports, he was a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and also participated in Link Crew, a school mentoring organization that paired up juniors and seniors with freshmen students.
He graduated with a 3.7 grade point average while taking demanding honors level classes and will begin studying biology at Wabash College in the fall.
He is the son of Ted and Lynn Boehm of Crawfordsville, Ind.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA state tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Crawfordsville High School in the name of Boehm.