Game 1

The 17U Chiefs (11-3) got a gem of a start from Jimmy Skiff (3-0, Andrean) in their first game of pool play to beat the Columbus Cobras 1-0. Skiff went the distance giving up just 3 hits while recording 9 strikeouts. In the third inning, the Chiefs got a leadoff single from Rob Long (Andrean) to start the inning. Pinch runner Jamie Johnson (Andrean) stole second and was then driven in by Frank Podkul (Andrean).

Game 2

The first game of a Friday doubleheader started ominously after the leadoff man for the Kentucky Baseball Club hit a solo homerun on the second pitch of the game. Jonathan Azar (2-0, Munster) would only allow 4 more hits and 0 runs from that point on as he threw all 7 innings. He also struck out 3. Offensively, the Chiefs (12-3) were paced by 2 runs from Jaylen Yarbrough (Bishop Noll), 2 runs from Larry Crisler (Bishop Noll), Brandon Garcia (Griffith) stole 2 bases, and 2 RBI each from Corey Rusboldt (Chesterton) and David Hladek (Munster). The Chiefs 17U won by a final of 6-1.

Game 3

In the second Friday game, this one against the Indiana Yeti, the Chiefs (13-3) got yet another great start from a starting pitcher. Matt Dvorscak (4-0, Whiting) threw all 6 innings of the 9-1 victory. Dvorscak struck out 6, gave up 3 hits, and 1 unearned run. Larry Crisler (Bishop Noll) was 3-4 with 3 RBI and a double, David Hladek (Munster) was 3-3, Brandon Garcia (Griffith) was 2-3 with a double, 2 runs, and 2 RBI, Rob Long (Andrean) was 2-2 with a double, Josh Terzarial (Griffith) was 2-3, Corey Rusboldt (Chesterton) was 2-4 with a double and 2 runs scored, and Jamie Johnson (Andrean) scored twice.

Game 4

Playing for the chance to be the outright pool winners, the Indiana Chiefs 17U team took on the Knoxville Stars. Chiefs’ starter Clay Keltner (2-1, Highland) allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings and that proved to be more than enough. The Chiefs got big contributions from Nick Podkul (Andrean) who went 2-3 with 2 RBI, Kyle Buikema (Griffith) who was 2-3 with a double, and Alec Skalka (Munster) who chipped in with 2 hits and 2 runs scored. Justin Mender (0-0, 4 saves; Lake Central) shut the door in the 7th for the save. The Chiefs (14-3) won by a final of 5-3.

Championship Round

Quarter-Finals

This one was a battle of ‘Region’ teams as the #3 seed 17U Chiefs took on the #6 seed Apex. Apex got on the board first in the top of the 2nd with one run off Chiefs’ starter Cullan Carey (2-1, 1 save; Andrean). The Chiefs scored 2 runs of their own in the bottom half of the third when Jaylen Yarbrough (Bishop Noll) got an RBI on a fielder’s choice and a run from Jamie Johnson (Andrean) on an error from the Apex catcher. Apex scored one more time off of Carey in the 4th inning to tie the game at 2-2. After 4 solid innings from ‘C.C.’, Frank Podkul (1-0, Andrean) shut the door for the final 3 frames while giving up 1 hit to go with his 3 strikeouts. In the 5th inning, it was Yarbrough coming through again. After Brandon Garcia (Griffith) scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, Yarbrough’s 2 RBI single broke the game open and the Chiefs (15-3) went on to win 6-2.

Semi-Finals

The Semi-Final game pitted the #3 seed Chiefs against the #2 seed Indiana Prospects. The Prospects jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three and a half innings before the Chiefs answered back. A Nick Podkul (Andrean) single and a Larry Crisler (Bishop Noll) walk started the bottom of the 4th inning. Podkul scored on a Kyle Buikema (Griffith) single and Crisler came around to score on an error to make it 4-2. The Indiana Prospects added another run in the top of the 7th to extend their lead to 3 runs. Matt Dvorscak (Whiting) got on base to lead off the bottom of the 7th. He was followed by a 1 out single by Robbie Long (Andrean), an RBI single by Alex Vode (Andrean) and an RBI single by Jimmy Skiff (Andrean) but that was as far as the final rally would go and the Indiana Chiefs (15-4) went down by the score of 5-4 and the Indiana Prospects went on to win the championship game 10-2.