Game Report: Dream Baseball Season Ends 06/13

The Hauser Jets baseball team, fresh off their first regional title since 2007, arrived in Mitchell on Saturday to compete and score a victory in the 1A Southern Semi-State against the North Daviess Cougars at the 11 a.m. semi-final.  

With timely hitting behind the strong pitching of starter Kameron Blair and reliever James Oliver, the Jets advanced to the championship game with a 7-2 victory.

The Jets got off to a flying start in the top of the first inning. After North Daviess’ junior pitcher Zane Sample retired leadoff hitter RJ Foster, catcher Stryker Gill greeted him with a line drive double. Hauser senior Blair helped himself by moving Gill to third base with a ground out that was then followed by a run-scoring single from clean-up hitter Oliver.

The Jets held the 1-0 lead through three innings as Blair retired eight of the first ten hitters he faced after surrendering an opening single to the Cougars’ leadoff batter who was quickly erased on a lovely double play by Jet shortstop Foster.

North Daviess would draw even in the bottom of the fourth when their first hitter singled and was advanced to second when Blair hit the next batter with a pitch. With runners on first and second and no one out, it looked like the Cougars would break through and they did scoring the tying run before Blair ended the inning and left two runners on base with a strikeout.

Hauser, as they have done so many times in this special season, responded when they came to bat in the top of the fifth. After the first two hitters were retired Foster who came in batting .474 on the season got on base via a single to right field. Gill, the top hitter on the season and a top ten hitter in 1A worked a walk as the Cougars pitcher seemed reluctant to throw him a hittable pitch. On a 2-2 count Blair, the next hitter, got a pitch to hit which he promptly singled on bringing Foster in and recording his team leading 28 th RBI of the season. The inning ended with Hauser clinging to a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, the lead would be short-lived as North Daviess showed why they were a regional champion by staging a rally to tie the score in the sixth inning. Sophomore Markus Graber was recorded as safe on a close play at first as he beat out an infield single that ignited the rally. He would score on an RBI double to left center by the Cougars’ pitcher who helped himself at the plate much as Blair had done.

The Jets would finally break it open in the seventh inning as Foster once again got the parade started with a leadoff single. After another walk to Gill by a relief pitcher, a single by Oliver would plate Foster and give the lead back to Hauser. Gill then promptly stole third and Oliver second to put two runners in scoring position. When the Cougars’ pitcher overthrew third in an attempt to pickoff Gill, Stryker sprinted home to give the Jets a two run cushion. 

After a walk to junior Grady Niccum and a single to sophomore designated hitter Micah Schoolcraft, the bases were loaded. The North Daviess pitcher then recorded the second out of the inning on a strikeout bringing up Hauser junior Damyon Hunter who came up clutch clearing the bases with a double to left center. The seventh ended with Hauser up 7-2.

James Oliver sporting a .056 ERA would come on in the bottom of the inning and after allowing three runners to reach base for the Cougars and giving them a bit of hope, put out the fire with a strikeout to end the game and move the Jets to the championship game.

Hauser finished the game scoring seven runs on ten hits as they won their 20th game of the year. Blair moved his individual record to 8-0 recording four strikeouts and surrendering only two runs on seven hits. The Jets defense played an errorless game behind him as Oliver led the way offensively with three hits and two RBIs aided by Foster and Hunter, who each notched two hits. Foster and Gill, the Jets’ first two hitters each scored twice proving the value of getting the top of the order on base.

Post Game Update: A Dream Season Comes to an End

On Saturday night in Mitchell, Indiana Hauser’s terrific baseball season came to an end at the hands of an outstanding Northeast Dubois team. Reaching the final four in any sport is worthy of great respect and many of these Jets did it in both basketball and baseball—a fact that may not bring much solace now, but will one day in the future result in great pride. This team did not fail, but simply got beaten by a superior team led by a tremendous pitcher. A team many Jet fans felt was clearly the best team Hauser faced all season.

The Jets earned their place in the final with a 7-2 win earlier in the day as did the Jeeps with a 5-2 win over Greenwood Christian Academy. Northeast Dubois entered the championship sporting a 22-5 record and a number two MaxPreps state rank and they proved to be a formidable opponent. Junior pitcher Eli Schroering started strong retiring the Jets first three hitters in the opening inning—one of five perfect innings he would record.