June 20, 2014

Noblesville Tops Terre Haute North for First Baseball State Championship
Eighth-ranked Noblesville got the go-ahead score in the top of the sixth inning and held on for a 2-1 victory over Terre Haute North for the IHSAA Class 4A state championship at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

It was Noblesville's first state championship in baseball, seventh overall in school history and first since the 1999 boys golf team won it all.

With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Dax McLochlin's triple over the centerfielder's head scored Zack St. Pierre from first. St. Pierre had drawn a walk.

Terre Haute North took an early 1-0 lead in its first at-bat when Nathan Will singled to left to score Zach Milam from second base. Milam had singled to get on and then took second when T.J. Collett was hit by a pitch.

In the top of the third, Brian McLean's deep sacrifice fly to right center field scored Noblesville pinch runner Austin Shirley from third base to tie the game 1-1.

Coach Justin Keever's Millers (28-8) used three pitchers to strand 10 Terre Haute North runners. Noblesville left nine runners on base. Cory Conway (5-1), who came on in the fifth inning in relief of starter Garrett Christman, was the winning pitcher.

Terre Haute North (25-8), coached by Shawn Turner, was looking for the school's second baseball state title and first in 40 years.

Nathan Will of Terre Haute North named Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Nathan Will of Terre Haute North Vigo High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Baseball.

Will is a member of the National Honor Society, DECA, served as treasurer of the Continental Club and sports editor of the yearbook. The 1st baseman also participated in swimming and basketball in addition to baseball.

He is the son of David and Julie Will of Terre Haute and will attend Anderson University where he'll study Physical Therapy and play 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.

The IHSAA Executive Committee presented a $1,000 scholarship to Terre Haute North Vigo High School in the name of Nathan Will.