By Ben Grossberg
PBR Indiana

Game 1: Columbus East Battles Back to get Win in Opener

Jasper and Columbus East met in the opening game of the Jasper Invitational on Saturday. Western Michigan commit Peyton Gray got the start on the mound for East, facing off against 2016 righty Cal Krueger for Jasper. Gray was 85-87 topping out at 88 a few times, while Krueger was 82-84 and up to 85.

Jasper jumped out in front early with a run in the first inning. Gray loaded the bases with no outs, but got back to back strikeouts. Scott Stallwood came up next and hit a hard groundball down the third base line, East’s third baseman Sam Claycamp dove and knocked it down, but couldn’t get an out giving Stallwood a RBI infield single.

Jasper got another run in the third inning thanks to a two out RBI single from Tyler Begle that brought Stallwood in to score.

After the second run of the game, Gray shut down the Jasper offense allowing just one more hit the rest of the way. He finished the day allowing six hits and striking out nine to get the win.

Krueger was dominant for the first four innings allowing just two hits while striking out four, but East finally got to him in the fifth inning. Claycamp led off the inning with a double and after a strikeout Kyle Weiss line a ball into right for East’s first run. Nick Andrie followed that with a RBI hit of his own, doubling into a gap brining Weiss in to score and tying the game at two.

East would jump ahead in the sixth with another two run inning. Two errors with one out and a passed ball put runners on second and third for Claycamp. Claycamp came through with a two run single to give East a 4-2 lead.

Takahiro Yamada gave Gray an insurance run to work with in the top of the seventh bringing in Andrie with a RBI single.

Gray headed back out to the mound for the seventh to close out his complete game effort. He set Jasper’s hitters down 1-2-3, picking up his ninth strikeout to end the game.

Game 2: Ashe Russell Dominant in Pitcher’s Duel

The second game of the day featured a great pitching matchup between Cathedral’s Ashe Russell and Evansville Central’s Will Ray. Russell, a 2015 Notre Dame commit, showed why he is one of the top players in the state with his fastball sitting 88-92, hitting 93 twice and showing good command of his secondary pitches. Ray, a Senior committed to Olney Central, was equally impressive allowing just five hits in the game and up to 83.

Central had a chance to get on the board early getting a runner to third with one out, but could not capitalize. Russell got a strikeout for the second out then walked the next batter, before getting a ground out to end the threat.

Ray also had to work around some trouble in the second, giving up a leadoff double to Adam Neal. Ray struck out the next batter and got the following two to hit into outs keeping the game scoreless.

In the third Cathedral struck for the only run of the game. Purdue commit Harry Shipley doubled with one out and Pete LaMagna had his second hit of the game with a single bringing Shipley in to score.

One run was all Russell needed to get the win. In the third, fourth, and fifth he struck out seven of the ten batters he faced, allowing only Ray to reach base on a two out double in the third.

Ray worked out of a jam in the fifth after loading the bases with one out, but got the next two batters out to end the inning.

Central had another chance to push a run across in the sixth. Ray singled down the left field line with one out and after a strikeout Seth Mueller singled, but the next batter grounded out to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh Central got their leadoff hitter, Malyk Johnson, on base thanks to an error. Central tried to advance him with a sac bunt, but after two foul bunts Russell picked up another strikeout. Catcher Alex Boos then picked off Johnson at first and the final batter hit into an out to end the game. Russell got the win throwing a three hit shutout allowing three hits, two walks, and striking out 12.

Game 3: Jasper Routs Evansville Central in Consolation Matchup

Jasper scored early and often in the consolation game against Evansville Central. They scored five runs in each of the first two innings and six in the third inning en route to a 16-3 win.

In the first inning Jasper did all of their damage with two outs. With runners on first and second an error extended the inning and loaded the bases. Scott Stallwood immediately cleared the bases with a three run triple to give Jasper the lead. Cal Krueger followed the triple with a two run homerun pushing Jasper’s lead to 5-0.

Jasper did not let up in the second, again capitalizing on Central mistakes. A bad throw home allowed Tyler Begle, who doubled to start the inning, to score. Ben Moore would score the second run of the inning after an error by the second baseman. Stallwood added the third run of the inning with a RBI single and one batter later Tyler Haskins drove in two more with a single of his own putting Jasper up 10-0 after two.

In the third inning Jasper showed their plate discipline getting six runs with only two hits. They sent 12 batters to the plate and drew six walks. Evan Aders got hit by pitch with a bases loaded for the first run of the inning. Stallwood, Krueger, and Haskins each picked up a RBI with a bases loaded walk to make the score 14-0. Begle hit into a fielder’s choice bringing in a run and Moore drew a bases loaded walk to make the game 16-0.

Central’s offense showed some life in the fourth inning putting up all three of their runs. Grant Buckley singled in the first run of the inning and Beau Deadmond brought two more runs in with a single of his own.

Craig Shepherd got the win on the mound for Jasper throwing four innings, allowing no earned runs, five hits, and picking up two strikeouts.

Game 4: No. 1 Cathedral Claims Jasper Invitational Title

Cathedral and Columbus East faced off the in championship game of the Jasper Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Cathedral had a big second inning and did not look back as they went on to claim the title in a five inning run rule.

In the second the top of the Cathedral lineup showed their patience at the plate. With two outs and the bases loaded Harry Shipley, Pete LaMagna, Alex Boos, and Ashe Russell all worked walks to bring in run giving Cathedral a 4-0 lead.

Four runs were more than enough for Cathedral starter Will Conway. The sophomore lefty threw all five innings allowing one run on six hits while striking out five to get the win.

In the fourth inning Cathedral added onto their four run lead with two more. Boos brought in the first run with a RBI groundout and Russell singled in the next run putting Cathedral up 6-0.

Cathedral broke the game open in the top of the fifth sending 13 batters to the plate and bringing in seven runs. An error brought in the first run of the inning and Harry Shipley picked up his second RBI of the game with a single. After a fielder’s choice gave Cathedral two outs, Boos doubled to center brining in two more runs. Two batters later, with the bases now loaded, Evan Whigham was hit by a pitch, Gary Schorr had an RBI single, and Dorian Holmes was also hit by a pitch to put Cathedral up 13-0.

East scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fifth, but Conway got a double play to end the game and give Cathedral the win in five innings.