June 16, 2012

Record 5th Inning Sparks Lafayette Central Catholic To Record Fourth Straight Championship
Lafayette Central Catholic compiled 17 hits and 12 runs including a nine run fifth inning to beat the Shakamak Lakers 12-2.  Lafayette Central Catholic becomes the first school in Indiana high school history to win four straight baseball state titles.  The win also marked the Knights’ 26th straight win in the IHSAA tournament series over the last four seasons.

The 17 hits and nine runs in the fifth inning were both Class A game records.

Lafayette Central Catholic started the top of the first off with a single by senior pitcher Austin Munn.  Munn would later score on a sacrifice fly to center field by sophomore Evan Kennedy to put the Knights up 1-0 in the top of the first. 

Lafayette Central Catholic would load the bases in the top of the second, but failed to capitalize on the situation and the Lakers would seize the opportunity.  In the bottom half of the inning, the Lakers would hit a single and draw a walk with one out to set the stage for Lakers sophomore Christian Burris to hit a two RBI double and a 2-1 Shakamak lead.

The Knights answered right back in the top half of the third to tie up the game 2-2 after junior Jake Churchill hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score senior outfielder Nick Stone. 

The Lakers came out in the bottom of the third and looked poised to score after loading the bases with no outs.  However, Knights pitcher Austin Munn was able to get a strikeout and then get the following batter to hit into an inning-ending double play to preserve to tie.

Lafayette Central Catholic then blew the game wide open sending 13 batters to the plate in the top of the fifth inning scoring nine runs for a 11-2 lead.  The first 10 batters of the inning reached base including a walk, 4 singles, 3 doubles, a triple, and an error.

The Knights would add another run in the top half of the sixth inning on a single to center field by senior catcher Wiley Lodde to make the final score 12-2.

Head coach Chip Sweet and the Lakers made the school’s fifth appearance in the baseball championship game, and finished the season with a 27-7 record.

Head coach Tim Bordenet’s Knights finished the 2012 season with a 31-4 record. Their sixth state championship moves them into second place in state history behind only LaPorte’s eight championships.

Shakamak’s Brock Dowell named Mental Attitude Award winner
Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Brock Dowell of Shakamak High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class A baseball.

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.

Dowell finished his high school career ranked ninth academically in his senior class. He holds the school’s single season record with 48 base hits, is a U.S. Army Scholar Athlete and earned the Louie Romine Scholarship as Shakamak’s Best Male Athlete.

The son of Matt and Jessica Dowell of Linton, he will attend Olney Jr. College (IL) where he’ll play baseball and study pharmacy.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Shakamak High School in the name of Brock Dowell.