The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1469332
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, June 1, 2022 B-3 The 2022 Pike Central boys golf team members are front row (l to r): Nathan Snyder, Clayton Galloway, Xan- der Parker, Devin Farmer, Max Burkhart, Drew Dawson and Arrie O'Neal. Middle row: Caden Fausnaugh, Brenton Freyrear, Cobey McKinney, Tyler Craig and Arri McDonald. Back row: Nolan Nelson, Lucas Taylor, Peyton Howald, Sam Nelson and Griffin Correll. CHARGER GOLF Good Luck at Sectionals A MBER M A NOR A Trilogy Senior Living Community CARE CENTER 801 E. Illinois St. Petersburg, IN 812-354-3001 ambermanorhc.com P.O. Box 67, Petersburg, IN 47567 812-354-9995 | www.fourstarfab.com Chargers! Glezen Revival Center Go 245 S. Glezen Center St. • Petersburg • 812-354-9909 2134 E MAIN STREET, PETERSBURG | C A L L 812 - 380 - 7453 HEATING AND AIR 812-789-3065 tdavis@alltradeheatingandair.net or admin@alltradeheatingandair.net WE TEST. SO IT RUNS. score 5 -3 in favor of the Hatch- ets. In the fifth, Pike Central pushed a run home to move to within one, at 5 -4, and that re- mained the score as the teams headed into the dramatic sev- enth inning. Washington pitcher Caleb Armstrong got the first Char- ger out in the top of the sev- enth on a called third strike on a curve ball. That brought freshman Al- bert Whitehead to the plate for the Chargers, and as he did numerous times through- out the season, Whitehead worked the pitcher for a walk to give the eventual winners a runner on first base, with one out. Sophomore Kannon Garcia then hit a line drive single to right field off a 1-0 pitch, and Whitehead raced to third base on the play to put runners on the corners for the Chargers with one out. The Chargers' leading hit- ter, junior Kendric Sorgi- us worked the Hatchet hurl- er for a walk to load the bas- es for Pike Central, with still one out and the Pike County team trailing by a run at 5 -4. Washington made a pitch- ing change and brought in Ashton Ostby. Ostby got the first Char- ger he faced to give Pike Central two outs, the bas- es full, and the Chargers on the short end of a 5 -4 score, a scenario the Chargers faced too many times in 2022, with heart-breaking outcomes on each occasion. But, not this time! With Whitehead on third, Garcia on second, and Sorgi- us on first (sounds like the po- em, "Mighty Casey at Bat"), and the Chargers trailing 5 - 4 with two outs, junior Jagar Dent stepped to the plate as the last hope for Pike Central. Unlike the Mighty Casey (who struck out with the bas- es loaded), Dent smacked a shot to right field for a base hit to send both Whitehead and Garcia home and Sorgius to third to give Pike Central a 6 -5 advantage. With runners again on the corners, sophomore Zack Miller took his turn in the batter's box to face Ostby with two outs. On a 1-1 pitch to Miller, Dent attempted to steal sec- ond base, and on the play, Sor- gius raced toward home plate; however, Dent was called out at second before Sorgi- us could cross home, for the third out of the inning. Powell replaced Sorgius on the mound with junior Isaac Burdette to start the bottom of the seventh inning. Burdette opened the final frame by striking out Wash- ington's Logan Riester for the first out, with fans from both teams either standing or lean- ing toward the field in their seats. That brought Ostby to the plate, and Burdette struck out the Washington pitcher on five pitches to the cheers of Charger fans and groans from the Hatchet faithful. Armstrong stepped to the plate for the Hatchets, and fans from both sides were now standing and holding their breath. Armstrong fouled off Bur- dette's first two offerings, and Burdette's third pitch was called a ball to make the count 1-2 on Armstrong. Burdette's next toss was a breaking ball that Armstrong weakly swung at and missed, but the ball got away from Miller as Armstrong raced to first to give the Hatchets new life with two outs. With two outs and Arm- strong on first, Burdette faced Washington's Joah Horrall. Burdette's first pitch was a ball, but the Charger hurler pumped a fast ball down the pipe to Horrall on the next pitch, and the Hatchet hitter drilled a shot to left center field for a single, and on the play, Armstrong rounded sec- ond and headed for third. On the relay, Sorgius caught the ball, and in one motion, fired a bullet to Dent at third. The throw to Dent beat Armstrong by several feet, and the tag ended the game, sending the Chargers to the IHSA A Princeton 3A Section- al Semi-finals! "It was a great win for our kids and for our program," smiled an elated Charger Coach Dustin Powell. "We have worked so hard all year, and it seemed as if we just could not catch a break throughout the season. "Our guys never gave up and they never quit believing in each other the entire sea- son, and they could have many times. We have been so close, so many times, and this time, we pushed the pedal down and never let up." "We were ready, and we played like a veteran team out there. I am so proud of them and happy for them. They earned this win, and they de- served it, after all the effort they have put into this sea- son." "It was just a great win for a great bunch of kids. The Hatchets outhit the Chargers 10 -6, but Pike Cen- tral drew six walks against Washington pitching, while only one Hatchet could get to first base via a walk against the Chargers. That actual- ly gave Pike Central 12 base runners, compared to 11 for Washington. Dent and Garcia each had a pair of hits for Pike Central, with one of Dent's hits being a triple and one of Garcia's tags being a double. Sopho- more Zack Miller and fresh- man Noah Meece each had a base knock to account for the six Charger hits. Sorgius made it to first base three times in the seven-in- ning fray, all three times com- ing on free passes from the Hatchets. Whitehead, Garcia, and Miller each walked once. Dent and Garcia were both credited with a pair of RBIs. The Chargers did not com- mit an error, while the Hatch- ets booted the baseball twice in the battle. Sorgius got the win for Pike Central. He worked the first six innings of the game, strik- ing out seven Hatchets and walking just one. Burdette relieved in the bottom of the seventh to fin- ish the game and get the save. Burdette struck out three Washington batters in his one inning of work, and he did not walk a hitter. Faith, Improvement, Per- severance, Believing, Effort, and Never Quitting. They all sound like cliches, but those adjectives absolutely describe the Pike Central Charger Baseball Team in 2022. Regardless of the outcome in the semi-finals, this team is loaded with winners. This group of young men are indi- viduals, who as a team, never quit and lifted each other in tough times all season. Sometimes effort does not matter, but not with this group. It was everything! SECTIONAL Continued from page 1 Pike Central sophomore Zack Miller tags a base hit in last Wednesday's heart stopping 6-5 win over Wash- ington in the IHSA A class 3A sectional at Princeton. Junior Isaac Burdette fires home a strike in last Wednesday's 6-5 IHSA A 3A Sectional victory over Washington in Princeton. Burdette struck out three Hatchets in the bottom of the 7th to preserve the win for classmate Kendric Sorgius. The victory moved Pike Central into the tournament semi-finals. The Chargers' Kannon Garcia hits a 1-0 pitch "on the button" to hit a line drive single to right field to put runners "on the corners" in Pike Central's 6-5 win over Washington in last week's IHSA A Sectional Tournament in Princeton.