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The Western Panthers knocked off the Brebeuf Jesuit Braves 8-1 on Friday to win the Class 3A baseball state championship at Victory Field. The game was the first appearance in the IHSAA baseball state finals for either team.  The win marks Western’s second state championship in school history and first in a boys’ sport with the other coming in girls’ golf in 2001.   

Western jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead and never looked back.  The top of the first inning started with a walk, a single, a two RBI double, a hit by pitch, and another two RBI double with the first four batters of the night crossing the plate to score for the Panthers.

After the top of the first inning there were no hits until Brebeuf Jesuit senior Jacob Wischmeyer hit a leadoff double to start the top of the fifth inning.  The Braves put their first run on the scoreboard with a two out single to left center field by senior shortstop Michael Paisley with two out in the bottom of the fifth.

The Panthers answered in the top of the sixth and loaded the bases with one out after a single, a walk, and an error.  Two runs scored after senior first baseman Jake Florek reached on a fielder’s choice and another Brebeuf error.  Western tacked on one more run in the sixth as junior Cameron Kuntz came on to pinch hit and recorded an RBI to stretch the Western lead to 7-1.

Evan Warden hit a triple to center field followed by junior Dakota LaMott hitting a sacrifice bunt in the top of the seventh to make the score 8-1. 

Michael Paisley, Nic Meyers, and Jacob Wischmeyer each had a hit for head coach Andy McClain’s Brebeuf Jesuit team, which finishes the season with a record of 21-9.

Evan Warden and Austin LaFollette both recorded two RBI in the win for head coach Ty Calloway and his 640th win in his 35th season.  Junior Ronnie Smith is credited with the win, his 13th of the season.  Western scored eight runs on five hits as the Panthers wrap up their state championship season with a 25-9 record. 

Brebeuf Jesuit’s Connor Hale named Mental Attitude Award winner
Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Connor Hale of Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A 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.

Hale has been a starting varsity pitcher for the last three seasons and helped the Braves to their first state championship game appearance in school history.

The son of Todd and Nancy Hale of Carmel, he will attend the University of Notre Dame on a baseball scholarship and major in business and finance.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in the name of Connor Hale.