Base CG Classic: 3A #8 West Vigo beats 4A #12 Center Grove, Connersville

GREENWOOD – Class 3A eighth-ranked West Vigo defeated 4A baseball schools No. 12 host Center Grove and Connersville April 10 to capture the crown at the four-team Trojan Classic. Here’s a rundown of all four games …

West Vigo started early against Center Grove, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Following a strikeout of junior outfielder Dylan Aff by Trojans pitcher Nolan Clayton, the senior starter walked the next three batters to load the bases before walking in junior pitcher Scott West on a fourth straight base on balls.

Junior infielder Zack Kent then connected on a single to drive in the second Vikings run before Clayton rallied with a pair of strikeouts.

The Vikings forced Center Grove to go three-and-out (to borrow a term familiar to football fans of the Trojans, who won the 4A state title in 2008) in the bottom of the second. Junior outfielder Zach Garcia managed to get a hit, but the Vikings were able to turn a flyout into a double play after Garcia did not return to the base in time.

West Vigo added to its lead in the second when junior infielder Nolan Flinn singled to start the inning and eventually scored on another single by Aff. The Trojans, meanwhile, continued to struggle offensively until the bottom of the third, when junior Cameron Hardin hit a solo home run to center field to cut the gap to 3-1. 

But West Vigo answered with another score in the bottom of the frame when Aff singled and came home on a double by West. Center Grove’s other run came from junior third baseman Nolan Weidman off an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth by senior first baseman Jon Ebbeler, but the Trojans would get no closer after West Vigo plated two more runs in the fifth on a walk, double, bunt, and RBI grounder.

“Our defense did well, and we had some timely hits that worked out pretty good,” said West Vigo coach Stephen DeGroote, who got RBIs from junior Scott West, Aff, Kent, and sophomore Cogan Stewart. “For this early in the season, I’m pretty happy to play that way.” 

Class 4A fifth-ranked Lawrence Central was in control of the other semifinal until the seventh inning, when a walk-off grand slam by Connersville senior Jonathon Gettinger lifted the Spartans to the improbable upset.

“Our kids never quit,” said Connersville coach Scott Sargent. “They threw the ball and Jon did what Jon can do – put it over the fence.”

In the championship tilt, Connersville took an early 2-0 lead on RBIs from seniors Zack Hufferd and Gettinger before West Vigo answered with four singles and a triple in its first six at-bats to take a 3-2 lead after one.

The second inning decided the game. Connersville started the scoring frenzy with a game-tying RBI by Hufferd before senior Devin Tomlin drilled a three-run homer to put the Spartans up 6-3.

The Vikings responded, however – and how – in the bottom of the second by scoring 11 of their 18 runs. West started the hit parade, connecting with a single. One strikeout and two walks later, Kent drove a double deep into center field, adding the first two runs of the inning. 

Junior Ryan Crowther added an RBI and junior Cody Wheat stole home to add two more runs during the Vikings’ offensive melee. Aff also cleared the bases with a three-run homer to center as West Vigo regained the lead, 14-6.

“I was just in the zone,” Aff said. “I hope I did my part on the team. It was a team effort.”

West Vigo allowed two more runs in the top of the fifth, but the game ended in the bottom of the inning when the Vikings scored four more runs, two on a double by Crowther and the final two off a single by West.

“These are four good programs here,” DeGroote said. “This early in the season, I’m really happy about this.”

The host Trojans fell for the second time in the third-place game, this time by a 4-2 count to Lawrence Central. Despite losing 10 seniors last year, CG coach Dave Gandolph is still optimistic about the rest of the season.

“We’ve got a learning experience here,” Gandolph said. “We’re only going to get better from this point. We won’t do it today, but we’ll only get better.”