By Blake Hibler
Director of Scouting, PBR Indiana

Brownsburg

Record: 17-9

Conference: HHC

Sectionals: Defeated crosstown rival Avon in a closely contested ball game, 7-2. Brownsburg broke the game open in the seventh with 4 runs keyed by an Anthony Travelsted 3 run triple.

Key Players Offensively:

Senior SS Mike Hartnagel (DePauw), is very sound defensively and is leading the team in hitting .468 and has hit 5 homeruns.

Tyler Houston, junior second baseman, is second in hitting .453 and leads them in homeruns with 6.

Pitchers:

Junior lefty Ty McCoy will be game one starter (prediction). McCoy makes hitters uncomfortable with his ability to throw three pitches for a strike. McCoy is not over powering, but very effective

Junior righty Tyler Houston is more of a low to mid 80's arm with a good breaking ball. Houston hits spots and uses the breaking ball very effectively to get outs.

Summary: Brownsburg is a sleeper in this sectional. They do not have the power arms, but do have more potential college players than any other school in the sectional. If Brownsburg gets by TH North, Houston has the ability to beat either team in the regional final.

Terre Haute North

Record: 24-6

Conference: MIC

Sectionals: Knocked off Plainfield 13-3 in 6 innings. Had a big inning where they scored 10 runs to pull away in the game

Key Offensive Players:

T.J. Collett is the most feared freshman in the state. Started the year with 8 home runs in 10 games. Collett has a lot of power and hit .424 this spring.

Sam Wolf is the senior catalyst. Wolf has power both ways and hit 8 homeruns this spring while leading the team in hitting at .465.

Gabe Sevingy is another senior. Sevingy is quick and hits for a high average, .404. Gabe needs to be the table setter for the two power guys behind him.

Key Pitchers:

Austin Hicks keys off movement. Hicks fastball will run in on hitters and the breaking ball will cover the whole plate. He keeps hitters off balance and is sneaky quick.

Summary: Terre Haute has the offense to beat Brownsburg, and Hicks is good enough to shut down their bats. If North wins this game their struggle will be keeping the Regional Final close with their pitching. They will have to win game two in a high scoring affair.

Cathedral

Record: 25-0

Indepedant

Sectionals: Ashe Russell and Will Birch pitched it well enough in the final to allow Alex Boos to lead Cathedral to a sectional title. Boos finished with 5 of the 6 RBI for Cathedral. They knocked off Lawrence Central 6-5.

Key Players:

Senior Brendan Flood has become the most feared hitter in Cathedral’s lineup. He is aggressive with good hands and is just a tough out.

IU commit Luke Cuerton is the most toolsy player in the lineup. He runs well and hits for power. Cuerton is tough to keep off the bases.

Junior Alex Boos is the most underrated player in the lineup. Boos has a short simple swing that typically always produces hard contact.

Key pitchers:

2015 Notre Dame commit Ashe Russell leads the undefeated Irish. Russell is about as special as they come on the mound. He can over power you or strike you out with a good breaking ball. Russell rarely loses.

Will Birch is an unsigned senior, and is similar to Russell from the stand point he can strike you out with two different pitches. Both pitchers throw hard breaking balls. Birch will be in the mid to upper 80's with the fastball.

Summary: You are not undefeated by accident. Cathedral’s team is not near as talented as they have been in the past, but they are the grittiest team Coach Andriole has had in a few years.  All year, they have just found ways to win games. 

Greenfield Central

Record:23-7-1

Conference: Hoosier Heritage

Sectionals: Knocked off Connersville 6-3 behind Brendon Neal’s complete game and two run triple.

Key Players:

Ohio State commit Curtiss Irving is where you have to start with Greenfield Central.  Irving is one of the more special hitters in the state. He is tough to get out period. If Greenfield Central wins the regional Irving will do something special in one of the games. 

Senior Jayden Jackson is another catalyst and four year starter for Greenfield Central. Jackson has to give Irving support against the tougher pitching they will face in Cathedral’s Ashe Russell. 

Key Pitchers:

Curtiss Irving leads the way here as well. Irving has the ability to shutdown any offense. He will pitch in the mid to upper 80s and throws a good breaking ball. Irving’s key to success will be throwing strikes. 

Summary: Greenfield Central’s best asset as a team is they play really well defensively. The team is strong up the middle with Jayden Jackson at catcher, Adam Rains and Mitch Gibson up the middle, and outfielders Brendon Neal and Hayden Kissee. The key for Greenfield Central is to continue to come up with big hits, and Irving has to let that defense play behind him by throwing strikes.   

Note: Brian Murphy (Greenfield Central’s Head Coach) was the last coach to defeat Cathedral. Murphy coached Warren Central last year and helped pull off one of the bigger upsets in the 2012 state tournament.