INDIANAPOLIS ― Caden Crowell was just that good.
The Notre Dame commit ― and potential MLB Draft pick next month ― lived up to the hype in the IHSAA Class 4A baseball state championship game Saturday, June 21, leading the Valparaiso Vikings to a 5-0 win over Evansville North at Victory Field in Indianapolis.
It’s the first state title for the Vikings program in its first ever trip to the finals. North is now 0-3 in state championship contests.
Crowell twirled a gem, tossing all seven innings while allowing only two hits with eight strikeouts. Of the 85 pitches he threw, 58 were strikes. North (25-9) did not have a baserunner until two outs in the bottom of the fourth when senior Conner Watson doubled off the top of the leftfield wall.
Crowell also showed up at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
“Honestly, I’m just most proud of our team going out there and playing, but I’d have to say the pitching performance,” said Crowell of which element of his performance stood out to him more. “I put a lot of time into that. … It’s a memory I’ll never forget. (The 12 other Valpo seniors) are my guys forever. I’ve been playing baseball with them since I was 11 years old.”
Valparaiso (26-5) jumped out ahead in the top of the 1st. After the first batter grounded out, Trent Gill singled, Trevor Fenters tripled and Crowell doubled to put the Vikings ahead, 2-0, in a blink.
The Vikings doubled the lead in the third with a two-out rally. Crowell and Adlet Holtz each singled, then Max Reaume was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Dennis Malloy proceeded to drive in Crowell and Holtz with a single to centerfield, chasing North starting pitcher Watson from the mound.
Malloy’s RBI single in the fifth made it a 5-0 game.
North’s chance of a rally was snuffed out in a cruel way in the bottom of the 6th. Aiden Vaught drew a leadoff walk (Braelen Bridgewaters was brought in as a pinch runner afterwards), and the next batter up, Jake Wilke, worked a 3-0 count. The next pitch looked like a ball, and Bridgewaters started trotting to second base thinking Wilke had drawn a walk.
A late strike call was made by the umpire, though, and Valparaiso’s catcher threw out Vaught in a “stolen base attempt” at second base. Wilke grounded out two pitches later, then Daniel Cranick struck out to end the frame.
It was a surprising run to the state finals for North, who got past rival Castle in the sectional and No. 2 Center Grove in the semi-state championship game.
Valparaiso’s run also seemed unlikely when it started the season 1-4. The Vikings closed winners in 25 of their final 26 games, though, to win that elusive first state championship.
“It’s, obviously, the number one goal I’ve had forever,” said Crowell of the state title. “That’s been the one thing I’ve always wanted to win. Last year, we got bounced in the first round, and that left a bad taste in my mouth. We all took it personally.”
The victory also gave Northwest Indiana, a.k.a. “The Region,” a 3-0 record in the state finals this weekend over Southwestern Indiana teams. Andrean beat Jasper, 4-3, in the 3A game Friday night before Boone Grove knocked off Mater Dei, 6-1, in the 2A contest Saturday afternoon before the Valpo-North contest. A fourth “Region” team, Kouts, lost the 1A game to Indianapolis Lutheran, 14-1, Friday.
See below for all the live updates we provided from the Class 4A state championship game!
10:09 p.m. ET: FINAL: Valparaiso 5, Evansville North 0
First state championship in program history for the Vikings.
9:48 p.m. ET: End 6: Valparaiso 5, North 0
North’s chance of a rally were snuffed out in a cruel way in the bottom of the 6th. Aiden Vaught drew a leadoff walk (Braelen Bridgewaters was brought in as a pinch runner afterwards), and the next batter up, Jake Wilke, worked a 3-0 count. The next pitch looked like a ball, and Bridgewaters started trotting to second base thinking Wilke had drawn a walk. A late strike call was made by the umpire, though, and Valparaiso’s catcher threw out Vaught in a “stolen base attempt” at second base. Wilke grounded out two pitches later, then Daniel Cranick struck out to end the frame.
9:31 p.m. ET: End 5: Valparaiso 5, North 0
All Vikings, all Crowell.
9:24 p.m. ET: Mid 5: Valparaiso 5, North 0
Dennis Malloy RBI single with two outs extends the Vikings’ lead.
9:13 p.m. ET: End 4: Valparaiso 4, North 0
The Huskies finally had its first runner of the game. With two outs in the bottom of the 4th, Conner Watson hit a double off the top of the leftfield wall, less than two feet from a home run. A groundout on the next pitch, though, ended North’s brief scoring chance.
8:55 p.m. ET: End 3: Valparaiso 4, North 0
Vikings rolling so far.
8:50 p.m. ET: Mid 3: Valparaiso 4, North 0
It’s getting late early for the Huskies.
8:45 p.m. ET: Valparaiso doubles its lead
A two-out rally saw the Vikings load the base before Dennis Malloy hit a two-RBI single to center, scoring Caden Crowell and Adler Holtz. Pitching change for Evansville North, trailing 4-0. Two runners on still, two outs, top 3rd.
8:33 p.m. ET: End 2: Valparaiso 2, North 0
Three up, three down for both teams that inning.
8:21 p.m. ET: End 1: Valparaiso 2, North 0
1-2-3 inning for Caden Crowell on the mound for the Vikings.
8:15 p.m. ET: Mid 1: Valparaiso 2, North 0
The Vikings had two runs before two outs in the top of the first inning. Trevor Fenters smoked a triple off the leftfield wall ― one foot farther, it would’ve been a home run ― to drive in Trent Gill. The next batter, Caden Crowell, hit a ground-rule double to right-centerfield. Four batters in, it was 2-0 Valpo.
LINEUPS
GAME PARTICULARS
First pitch: 8:04 p.m. ET
Location: Victory Field, Indianapolis
Game time temperature: 90 degrees, sunny
How Evansville North and Valparaiso reached the IHSAA baseball state finals
Evansville North: defeated Castle, 4-0 and Harrison, 14-3, in sectional. Defeated Seymour, 6-4, in regional. Defeated North Central, 6-0 and Center Grove, 2-1 (9 innings) in semi-state.
Valparaiso: defeated Hobart, 14-4 and Portage, 16-2, in sectional. Defeated Crown Point, 5-0, in regional. Defeated Fort Wayne Snider, 7-0 and Goshen, 4-1, in semi-state.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: FINAL: Crowell brilliant as Valparaiso blanks Evansville North for IHSAA 4A baseball title
Reporting by Austin Hough and Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
