The format is different but the matchup for today’s Class 4A regional baseball title game is the same.
New Palestine (22-9) takes on Indianapolis Cathedral (22-4) in a regional championship game at 11 a.m. today at Mooresville High School.
The IHSAA changed tournament formats this year. The regional is now a one-game event. Previously, teams played in a morning or early afternoon semifinal game and a championship game later that same day. That is now the semi-state format, which will take place Saturday, June 10.
A year ago, the Dragons season came to an with an 11-7 loss to the Irish in the regional title game. They had won 18 of 19 games (with the lone loss in extra innings) prior to the loss to Cathedral.
To say it’s a different season and different Dragon team might be an understatement.
Eleven seniors graduated from New Palestine’s 2022 squad that finished 24-7.
But here they are, sectional champions again playing for a regional championship.
“It shows that some of the talent we had last year, we had people that could have played varsity baseball for other teams, or pitched for other teams,” New Palestine senior Blaine Nunnally said. “We had some dudes on last year’s team that are now off playing college baseball. They were our top guys last year and seniors and they stepped up in big ways. It feels amazing (to win a sectional again). It gives this team, especially the underclassmen, a boost of confidence.”
Nunnally, a pitcher and shortstop, and outfielders Wes Stiller and Ben Morwick are the only returnees that had more than 27 at-bats in 2022. Nunnally, Henry Thorpe and Nolan Cox are the only pitchers that threw double-figure innings.
“Coming into the (sectional) tournament and going against Mt. Vernon, we were the underdogs,” Stiller said. “It was definitely cool for the underclassmen from last year to show that we have just as much talent as we did last year. It’s good for our program. I love it.”
Veterans Stiller and Nunnally have led the way this season. Stiller is hitting .415 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs. No other Dragon has multiple home runs and the closest in RBIs is junior first baseman Ben Hirschy with 21.
Nunnally is second in hitting (.333) and the leader of the pitching staff. He fanned 13 and threw a one-hitter in Monday’s sectional championship game win over Mt. Vernon. He’s 6-1 with a 1.38 ERA.
Michael Thorpe and Brayden Marrow also had shutout wins in the sectional tournament. Michael Thorpe is 6-2 with a 1.18 ERA. Marrow is 5-2 with a 2.08 ERA. The Dragons have a team ERA of 2.47.
At the plate, frosh Jacob Morris is right behind Nunnally with a .326 average. Ten different players have 10 RBIs or more.
The Dragons beat Cathedral 11-2, in eight innings, exploding for nine runs in the extra frame, in a May 11 regular season contest. It’s the last time the Irish lost. They’ve won eight straight.
Cathedral is ranked No. 3 in the MaxPreps poll and were No. 5 in the final regular season Indiana Prep Baseball Report poll.
The winner will play the winner of the Castle Regional between host Castle (23-6) and Jeffersonville (17-10) in a semi-state game next week. Site and time for the semi-state will be announced Sunday.
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IHSAA Class 4A Baseball Regional
Admission: $10 per person. Children age 5 and younger admitted free. Tickets can purchabe sed on your mobile phone at gofan.co
Home team: The second-named team in each pairing is the designated home team
Regional championship games will be played in doubleheader at each of the host sites.
North
LaPorte Regional
Lake Central (26-4) vs. Valparaiso (18-10), 11 a.m. CT
LaPorte (20-9) vs. Penn (18-8), 3 p.m. CT
Plymouth Regional
DeKalb (21-10) vs. Homestead (18-9), 3 p.m.
Lafayette Jefferson Regional
Harrison (23-8) vs. Hamilton Southeastern (18-14), 3 p.m.
South
Mooresville Regional
*New Palestine (22-9) vs. Indianapolis Cathedral (22-4), 11 a.m.
Franklin Central (10-19) vs. Brownsburg (15-12), 3 p.m.
Jasper Regional
Center Grove (26-3) vs. Columbus North (17-10), 3 p.m.
Castle Regional
Jeffersonville (17-10) vs. Castle (23-6), 3 p.m. CT
*New Palestine-Cathedral winner plays Jeffersonville-Castle winner at TBD
