June 17, 2019
Royals edge Olympians on throwing error to end game
Anthony Eggers scored from second base on the second error of the inning by Columbus East to give Hamilton Southeastern a 3-2 victory in the Class 4-A state championship game.
Eggers reached on a bloop single over third base with one out and advanced to second when Brayton Harrison reached on an error. Clean-up hitter Greyson Droste then bounced to second, where Columbus East’s Ben Major flipped to short for the second out, but the shortstop’s throw to first went wild allowing Eggers to score the winning run.
The Royals of coach Jeremy Sassanella captured the state title in their first appearance and finished the season on an 11-game winning streak.
Hamilton Southeastern (23-8) took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning when Cole Dewael led off with a double and scored on a Jack DeWolf single. The Olympians tied it in the third on a two-out, RBI single by Julian Greenwell. Columbus East left the bases loaded in that inning.
The Royals came back in the bottom of the third with another RBI single by DeWolf that scored Harrison, who just beat the throw to home plate.
Columbus East re-tied the game in the fifth as it put runners on second and third with no out, chasing HSE starter Michael Dillon. Left-hander Tyler Schweitzer replaced Dillon and, two outs later, Parker Harrison’s sent a nubber up the third base line and beat the throw to first, allowing Jonah Wichman to score and make it 2-2.
That hit by Harrison was the only one allowed by Schweitzer in three innings of relief. He struck out five.
Coach Jon Gratz’s Olympians saw a 12-game winning streak snapped and finished 25-5.
Julian Greenwell of Columbus East named Mental Attitude recipient
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Julian Greenwell of Columbus East High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 4A Baseball.
A four-year letterman for the Olympians, in his senior season Julian was named The Republic Baseball Player of the Year, and is a finalist for The Republic Male Athlete of the Year, on top of receiving All-Conference honors and earning a spot at the North/South All-Star Game. Julian was also an impressive member of the football team, playing a crucial part in winning the state championship in 2017.
In his community, Julian has given back to youth baseball by participating in the East/North Youth Baseball Camps as well as instructing pitching lessons for young players. He also served on his schools National Honors Society and Student Assembly, where he helped organize and run events for the school.
Julian is the son of Missy Borkhart and John Greenwell of Columbus, Indiana, and he will continue his baseball career at Wright State University in the fall and will pursue a degree in the medical field.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA's corporate partner, presented $1,000 to the general scholarship fund at Columbus East High School in the name of Julian Greenwell.zx
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.