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THREE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS HEADLINE BASEBALL STATE FINALS
Three teams who captured state championship glory last June are among the eight teams that will square off during this weekend’s 44th Annual IHSAA Baseball State Finals at Victory Field in Indianapolis.

The Class A state championship game is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 pm ET, while the 2A, 3A and 4A games will be contested at 1 pm ET, 4 pm ET and 8 pm ET, respectively, on Saturday. All four games will be played at the home of the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Andrean (3A), Heritage Christian (2A) and Lafayette Central Catholic (A) each won their respective state championships in 2009 and have returned to defend those titles.

Friday’s Class A state championship game features No. 4 Lafayette Central Catholic (26-7) taking on No. 10 Tecumseh (22-10). The Knights are playing in the championship game for the fourth time in seven years and are 3-0 during those previous opportunities winning it all in 2004, 2007 and 2009. This tournament, they’ve already beat No. 1 Frontier in the sectional and No. 2 Cowan in the regional. Tecumseh returns for the first time since its 2003 championship season when the Braves beat Lafayette Central Catholic, 2-1, in the state semifinals and went on to win the championship the next day.

Saturday begins with the 2A title game as defending champ Heritage Christian (26-10), ranked fifth, meets No. 8 Delphi (26-7). The Oracles have knocked off No. 2 Fountain Central and No. 6 Fairfield this tournament and is one win away from capturing the school’s first state championship in any sport. To do so, they’ll have to knock off the fifth-ranked defending champs from Heritage Christian (26-10). The Eagles have outscored their opponents 20-5 over the last four games and have not allowed more than two runs in any tournament game.

The two squads meeting in the 3A final represent two of the best baseball schools in state history. Seven state titles and 18 appearances are shared between No. 2 Jasper (30-5) and No. 6 defending champ Andrean (28-6) which will meet for the first time in the state tournament. The 59ers have outscored tournament opponents by a 55-8 margin. Jasper has outperformed its foes 37-9, including a victory over No. 1 New Palestine in the semi-state for its 23rd straight win, and is playing in the state finals for the first time since their 2006 title season. Over the years, Wildcat teams are 5-0 with a state championship riding on the game. Both squads are led by veteran coaches with Dave Pishkur, in his 31st season, coaching Andrean while Terry Gobert is in his 23rd year directing Jasper.

The weekend finale pits No. 1 Indianapolis Cathedral (31-1) against unranked Carroll of Fort Wayne (25-6) in Class 4A. Carroll is making its second appearance in a state championship game (1999 3A state runner-up) and enters having shutout four of its tournament opponents and winning by a single run in the other two including a 5-4 win over No. 4 Kokomo for the regional championship. Cathedral has won 18 straight games including tourney wins over No. 6 Lawrence Central in the sectional final and No. 5 Bloomington South in last Saturday’s semi-state. This will be the fourth championship game in 10 years for the Irish which won in 2001 (3A) and 2007 (4A).

Check www.ihsaa.org throughout the weekend for scoreboard updates on each contest. Line scores and computerized box scores will be available for Saturday’s four state championship games.

Meet the Teams
For roster, stats and schedules on all 16 teams in this year’s state finals, click here.

State Finals
Victory Field, 501 W. Maryland Street, Indianapolis.
Victory Field | Seating Chart | Driving Directions & Map | Parking
Dates: Friday, June 18 and Saturday, June 19, 2010.
Admission: $9 each day.
Home Team: The winner of the south semi-state (second team listed below) is the designated home team in each game.
Television: The Indiana Cable Network will carry the 2A, 3A and 4A state championship games live. | Affiliates
Webcast: IHSAASports.org will provide a live webcast of all four state championship games.

Brackets: 4A | 3A | 2A | A

Class A | Lafayette Central Catholic (26-7) vs. Tecumseh (22-10) | Friday, 7:30 pm ET
Class 2A | Delphi (26-7) vs. Heritage Christian (26-10) | Saturday, 1 pm ET
Class 3A | Andrean (28-6) vs. Jasper (30-5) | Saturday, 4 pm ET
Class 4A | Carroll (Fort Wayne) (25-6) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (31-1) | Saturday, 8 pm ET

Media Information

Media Hosts – Sports Information Director Jason Wille, Communications Director Chris Kaufman and assistant Toni Polizzi will be on site to assist in your coverage.

Media Credentials: The 2009-10 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued previously this year will allow for admission. To apply, please e-mail your request (with name of individual) as soon as possible to IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org. E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. The application deadline is Thursday, June 17, at 4 pm ET / 3 pm CT. Those wishing to broadcast at any site should immediately contact Matt Smith of Associated Sports Productions at 317-633-1462 to make arrangements.

Media Will-Call: Approved requests will be available for pickup at media will-call located inside the glass doors to the right of the ticket windows on the stadium’s west side. Please have identification available to claim your credentials. Will-call will open on Friday at 5:30 pm ET and on Saturday at 11 am ET.

Media Parking: There is no designated parking for media but the lot to the west of the stadium is the nearest option. If full, there are several lots available within short walking distance of Victory Field. The State Garage, opposite the centerfield entrance on the northeast corner of Maryland and West streets is nearby as is the underground garage northwest of the stadium for the NCAA, Indiana State Museum, Eiteljorg Museum and White River State Park.

Services: Starting lineups and game programs will be circulated to members of the media in the press box. Computer-generated official box scores will be available following each of the four state championship games and also posted to the IHSAA website. The Indianapolis Indians provide complimentary wireless internet access within the press box. A password which is posted in the press area is needed for access.

Photography: Photographers may take up positions in the outfield portion of each dugout for field level shots. At no time during the game should photographers be shooting from the playing field itself.

Interviews: Interviews with coaches and players may be conducted on the field following the conclusion of the awards ceremonies. In order to allow the grounds crew to do its work, we ask your cooperation in conducting interviews outside the foul lines.

Notables

Defending State Champions in the Field
3A: Andrean.
2A: Heritage Christian.
A: Lafayette Central Catholic.

Returning to State Finals from 2009
3A: Andrean.
2A: Heritage Christian.
A: Lafayette Central Catholic.

Former State Champions in the Field
4A: Indianapolis Cathedral, 2001 (3A), 2007 (4A).
3A: Andrean 2005 (3A), 2009 (3A); Jasper 1996, 1997, 1998 (3A), 2000 (3A), 2006 (3A)
2A: Heritage Christian 2009 (2A).
A: Lafayette Central Catholic 2004 (A), 2007 (A) 2009 (A); Tecumseh 2003 (A).

First-Time Participants in the State Finals
2A: Delphi.

BILL SHOBE OF SHOALS HONORED AS TOP BASEBALL OFFICIAL
Bill Shobe of Shoals is the recipient of the 2010 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport of Baseball.  Shobe will be honored in a special ceremony at this weekend’s state finals. 

Each year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association, in cooperation with the National Federation of Interscholastic Officials Association, recognizes and honors an outstanding official in each of 11 sports during the school year.

Shobe has been a baseball official for 40 years.  During his career, he has worked every level of the state tournament, including 35 sectionals, 10 regionals, one semi-state and one state final.  He last officiated the state finals in 2003.

Shobe was selected for this honor by a committee representing the officials associations.  In Indiana there are 26 associations made up of men and women who give up much of their personal time to assist in providing wholesome, worthwhile, and healthy activities for the student-athletes in our state.  Statewide, there are more than 8,000 officials licensed by the IHSAA in 11 sports. 

A member of the Southwestern Indiana Officials Association, Shobe served as the baseball chairman from 2000-2007 and as an IHSAA rules interpreter from 2004-2009. Shobe was the recipient of the Baseball Coaches Association District Umpire of the Year in 1998, 2003 and 2005.

Before his retirement Shobe worked for 30 years as a statistician and program analyst for the Naval Weapons Support Center in Crane, Indiana.  Shobe is also a certified official in football, and has been a member of the chain crew for the Indiana University football program since 2004.  Bill has two grown children, Kiply and Leslie.

NEWS & NOTES FROM AROUND THE STATE

Have an interesting note? A conference or school record, coaching milestone or something else of interest? Please e-mail IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org for consideration.

On Monday, June 14, the Bluffton-Harrison School Board approved the hiring of middle school social studies and high school football coach Casey Kolkman at Bluffton. Kolkman was the head coach at Fort Wayne North Side for six seasons, compiling a record of 29-34.

On Tuesday, June 15, Norwell girls' tennis coach Terri Worden announced her retirement as the Knights' coach after 34 years. Her teams compiled a total record of 307-198 with five sectional championships. She also won three Allen County Athletic Conference championships and was named Northeast Hoosier Conference Coach of the Year in 1998. She will continue teaching, but she will be leaving Norwell High School to teach at the Wells County Alternative School. She has taught Language Arts at Norwell for 35 years.