The 2019 3A Title Game pitted No. 1 Andrean against No. 2 Edgewood with one of the best pitching matchups in state championship history as Andrean senior RHP Michael Doolin (Vanderbilt) squared off against Edgewood sophomore righty Luke Hayden (Indiana). The game lived up to the hype as both pitchers dominated allowing just one earned run each, and both finishing with double digit strikeouts (Doolin-15, Hayden-10). The Andrean 59ers won in dramatic fashion 2-1 on a walk-off single.

Wed June 19, 2019
Steve Krah
PBR Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS — They call them the Fighting 59ers and Andrean had to fight for its seventh IHSAA state baseball championship.

“You don’t come here and expect to have it easy,” said 59ers coach Dave Pishkur after watching his No. 1-ranked 59ers (36-1) score a run in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 2-1 win against the No. 2 Mustangs of Edgewood (25-3) Tuesday, June 18 in the Class 3A title game at Victory Field.

“(Edgewood sophomore right-hander Luke Hayden) was really good for six innings. “Had they not had a miscue there (in the bottom of the sixth inning), we would have been shut out going into that last inning. You take what you can get.”

Andrean walked off the field at the 53rd annual State Finals with the program’s seventh state title, which is one behind LaPorte’s record eight and tied with Lafayette Central Catholic.

In the 59ers seventh, senior Rigo Martinez pulled a 2-2 Hayden pitch down the left field line for a lead-off double.

“It was a breaking ball,” said Martinez of the pitch where he produced his two-bagger. “You can’t sit on a breaking ball for a guy who’s throwing the ball that fast so I threw the barrel out there and hit it pretty good down the line.”

Martinez was spelled by freshman pinch runner Robbie Balentine.

Senior Joel Holtcamp reached on a throwing error and moved to second base on the play.

Senior Matt Lelito was intentionally-walked to load the bases. 

 “Mason puts the ball in-play,” said Pishkur. “Mason came through.”

Junior Mason Sannito singled to right to plate Balentine with the game-winner.

“Our team does not give up at all,” said Martinez after helping his team finish the 2019 season on a 35-game win streak. “It’s the same charisma, the same attitude the whole game.”

Andrean senior right-hander Michael Doolin (14-0) gave up four hits and one walk with 15 strikeouts — breaking his own 3A championship game record of 13 set in the 2018 win against Silver Creek. The Vanderbilt University commit faced 27 Edgewood batters and threw 116 pitches — four short of the one-day limit. He was also received the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude winner for 3A.

Indiana University recruit Hayden (11-1) yielded three hits with six walks and 10 strikeouts over 111 pitches. He faced 27 batters.

“We had a mental breakdown (in the seventh) and that cost us the game,” said Edgewood coach Bob Jones. “Those things happen. We struggled at the plate. Maybe we should have been a little more aggressive on the swings? “We’re glad we’re here. We’re not satisfied with the outcome.”

Doolin struck out the side (two swinging, one looking) in a 1-2-3 Mustangs top of the seventh.

The 59ers pulled even at 1-1 with one run against Hayden in the bottom of the sixth.

Junior Jake Mullen drew a lead-off walk, moved from first to third on a errant pick-off attempt and later scored on throwing error following a dropped third strike with Doolin at the plate.

Doolin was out trying to move to second on the play. The rally ended with sophomore Mikey Jarek lining out to Edgewood senior shortstop Joe Kido.

The Mustangs scored the game’s first run against Doolin in the top of the sixth.

With one out (fly-out), senior Ethan Vecrumba bounced to the right side but beat the fielders to the bag for an infield single.

IU recruit Vecrumba stole second base and scored on sophomore Coleman Sater’s first-pitch two-out triple down the right field line.

The second and third outs were swinging strikeouts.

Andrean threatened but did not score in the bottom of the fifth.

With two outs (groundout, looking strikeout), senior Matt Lelito walked and moved from first to third on an errant pick-off throw.

Sannito walked to put runners at the corners. Sannito went to second on a wild pitch before Hayden racked up a threat-halting strikeout.

Edgewood left one runner against Doolin in the top of the fifth. 

After a strikeout (looking), Hayden rapped a single to right and senior courtesy runner Levon Bellemy stole second base before a strikeout (looking) and inning-ending groundout.

The 59ers produced its first baserunners and left two runners in the bottom of the fourth.

Andrean’s first hit against Hayden — a single to center by Mullen —came with one out (groundout).

“Our game plan was to get on-base and steal,” said Pishkur. “We had a lot of success, but it took us four innings to get somebody on-base.”

Senior courtesy runner Ben Warren was thrown out attempting to steal second base — Mustangs junior catcher Harrison Pittsford to junior second baseman Sam Kido — for the second out.

Junior Tyler Nelson, an IU recruit, drew a two-out walk and stole second base and Doolin followed with a walk.

A wild pitch allowed Nelson and sophomore courtesy runner Cam Thornton to move up to third and second, respectively.

Mustangs shortstop Joe Kido speared a line drive by Jarek for the third out.

Doolin gave up the game’s first hit — a single to right by Sater — with two outs (swinging strikeouts) in the top of the Edgewood fourth.

After Sater’s hit, Doolin induced an inning-ending groundout.

The 59ers grounded out and strike out twice (swinging) against Hayden in a 1-2-3 bottom of the third.

The Mustangs stranded a runner at first base against Doolin in the top of the third.

After a swinging strikeout and diving catcher by right fielder Lelito to take a hit away from Pittsford, Joe Kido drew a walk before Doolin pounced off the mound and threw out Sam Kido attempting a bunt hit.

Hayden put Andrean away 1-2-3 in the bottom of the second with two swinging strikeouts and a groundout.

Doolin struck out all three Edgewood hitters he faced in the top of the second (all swinging).

The 59ers went down in order against Hayden in the bottom of the first with two strikeouts (looking and swinging) and a groundout.

The Mustangs left a runner at second base against Doolin in a scoreless top of the first.

With one out, Sam Kido reached second on a throwing error before Doolin struck out the next two hitters (looking and swinging).

Edgewood opened the season with a 20-18 win against Terre Haute North Vigo in Vincennes. The Mustangs trailed 11-0 in the fourth inning then scrapped and clawed back to win.

“We were down but not out,” said Jones. “That’s the same way here (in the State Finals).”

In advancing to the championship game, Andrean earned titles at the Kankakee Valley Sectional, Griffith Regional and Kokomo Semistate while Edgewood reigned at the Owen Valley Sectional, Crawfordsville Regional and Mooresville Semistate.

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