June 21, 2014
Shakamak Sends Coach into Retirement with State Title
Shakamak's big fifth inning was all it needed as the Lakers defeated Rockville, 3-2, in the IHSAA Class A state championship game at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
It was Shakamak's second state championship in any sport, both in baseball to go along with it's 2008 Class A title. It was also Lakers coach Chip Sweet's last game as he'll retire after 22 seasons in charge. The game marked his first championship as coach and came in his second stint on the job (1990-2006, 2010-14).
Trailing 2-0, the third-ranked Lakers (27-6) broke through for three runs with two outs in the fifth.
Brett Yeryar's RBI single to right scored Tanner Yeryar who had walked to get on base and moved to third on a throwing error followed by a another single. Two batters later, Mike Huddleston hit a 1-2 pitch for a 2 RBI single to right field scoring Luke Sweet and Brett Yeryar to put Shakamak ahead for good.
Fifth-ranked Rockville (28-4) put a run on the board in its opening at-bat as Dalton Laney sacrifice flied down right field line, but deep enough for Tyler Rapp to score from third base. Rapp had doubled to centerfield and advanced to third when an attempted pick off by the pitcher went awry.
Two innings later, Laney's two-out double to the left center gap scored Rapp from 1st base to put the Rox up 2-0. Rapp took first base when he was hit by a pitch.
Rockville, which was hoping to capture the school's first state title in any sport, was led by 13th year coach Bob Kyle.
Shakamak's Brett Yeryar named Mental Attitude Award Winner
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Brett Yeryar of Shakamak High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 1A Baseball.
As the starting shortstop and team captain, Yeryar graduated with an Academic Honors Diploma and finished 12th in his senior class this spring. He was an honor roll student each semester of high school and is active youth member of the Lebanon Baptist Church Youth Group for several years. Besides baseball, he's also been an integral part of the Lakers' cross country and basketball teams having earned seven varsity letters in all.
He is the son of Brent and Kelly Yeryar of Jasonville and will attend Vincennes University where he'll continue playing 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 Shakamak High School in the name of Brett Yeryar.