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Northfield hung on to edge out Evansville Mater Dei and win the 2A state baseball championship.  The Norsemen (29-5-1) knocked off the Wildcats, 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Victory Field to win the school’s second baseball state title.

The top-ranked Norsemen got on the board early as freshman Adam Roser hit a leadoff single to left center field and later scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first inning.  Northfield junior Ryan Keaffaber pitched a one, two, three bottom of the first inning followed by another run in the top of the second after an error by the Wildcats to make the score 2-0.

Evansville Mater Dei junior Alex Springer got an RBI on a single to third to score junior Easton Ricketts to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the 5th inning, 2-1.

Northfield junior Joseph Ross opened the top of the sixth with a double to left center.  Pinch runner freshman Tanner Wilcox would later score on a Wildcat fielding error making the game 3-1.

Mater Dei (18-14-1) came out in the bottom of the sixth swinging though.  Senior Cody Hess started the inning with a single to right followed by a triple to right center by senior Hunter Owen to make the score 3-2.  However, Owen was stranded at third as Northfield pitcher Ryan Keaffaber struck out the next two batters to hold off the rally.

Mater Dei had another chance in the bottom of the seventh inning after a leadoff walk and a stolen base put sophomore Jake Fleming on second base with no outs, but Keaffaber stuck out one, forced a ground ball, and struck out the final batter of the game to clinch the crown.

Northfield was coached by 19th year leader Tony Uggen, who also doubles as the school’s athletic director. Mater Dei was coached by fifth year mentor Jeff Schulz.

Northfield’s Hunter Wells named Mental Attitude Award winner
Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Hunter Wells High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A 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.

Wells finished his senior year ranked fifth in his senior class academically. He was a member of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was a two-time state finalist in wrestling and played football for four years.

The son of Marc and Monica Wells of Northfield, he will attend Purdue University to study veterinary medicine.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Northfield High School in the name of Hunter Wells.