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EVANSVILLE --- When Center Grove looks back on its 2026 season, the team will remember the nights together playing poker and competitive hitting sessions in the batting cages. They will remember the dominant regular season, and the impressive collection of talent manning each spot in the lineup.
With Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year Gannon Grant leading the way, the No. 1 Trojans had their sights on Victory Field, but ultimately, they fell two games short, losing to No. 3 Evansville North 2-0 in the Class 4A semistate semifinals at Charles H. Braun Stadium on the University of Evansville campus.
The Trojans out-hit the Huskies seven to six but they could not get the timely hit when they needed it. Center Grove left nine runners on base, failing to capitalize three times when it got the leadoff hitter on.
"We knew it was going to be a dogfight," Center Grove coach Keith Hatfield said. "I wouldn't say we didn't execute, but we didn't execute one time when we didn't get a safety squeeze. Everything else was pop outs, but we also hit the ball really hard.
"At least three, maybe four outs were really loud outs. And sometimes that happens."
The loudest out proved costly for Center Grove (26-2). With two runners on and two outs in the fifth, Grady Grant barreled a 3-0 pitch from North starter Ty Pohl. Off the bat, the ball appeared headed into a gap, but the hard-hit ball landed in center fielder Tyler Land's glove. The Trojans had the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but second baseman Gideon Rice fielded Joel Tracy's hard-hit ball, flipping to shortstop Brooks Carroll for the third out.
The Trojans' lack of offense spoiled a strong start from Gannon Grant. Grant went the distance, striking out 11. The Tennessee commit was up to 95 mph in the first inning, using his fastball and slider to rack up swings-and-misses. With two runners on and no outs in the fourth, Grant struck out the next three batters to end the threat. In the fifth, Grant gathered Daniel Cranick's bunted ball and threw home for an out, saving a run. Cranick advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home on A.J. Beggett's single. Aaron Humphrey followed with a RBI single up the middle, putting the Huskies up 2-0.
Evansville North (28-4) showed resolve to bounce back from a scoreless fourth. The Huskies do not have a roster of Division I talent like the Trojans, but they always play fundamentally sound. Saturday's win is North's second consecutive tournament win over Center Grove. The Huskies earned a ninth inning walk-off win over the Trojans in the semistate championship game last season.
"Last year against Center Grove in the second inning we loaded the bases and didn't score a run," Evansville North coach Jeremy Jones said. "That was a punch to the stomach, we talked about it and having opportunities. Grant is so good that we have to cash in when you have runners on. We couldn't do it, but our lefties were so good today."
Pohl, a left-handed sophomore, allowed five runs over 5-plus innings. Beggett entered in relief in sixth, forcing Tracy's ground out to end the threat.
The 2026 Trojans' team was loaded, but the cupboard will not be bare next season. TCU commit Grady Grant, Texas A&M commit Drake McClurg and Michigan commit Liam Delp return for a team that will once again be considered a state title contender.
Grady and Gannon had one hit each. Delp, Tracy and Dayton commit Hudson Stewart added singles. Tristan Yerman added a two-out double in the fifth.
"It was great, but at the end of the day, you look at the score and we lost," the elder Grant said of his performance. "At the end of the day I love these guys, I'm going to give all the glory to God, he got here. I just appreciate these seniors. I loved playing with them.
"It sucks that we went out that way. But we're going to do some great things in the future."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA Baseball: Center Grove loses semistate semifinal to Evansville North
Continue reading...
With Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year Gannon Grant leading the way, the No. 1 Trojans had their sights on Victory Field, but ultimately, they fell two games short, losing to No. 3 Evansville North 2-0 in the Class 4A semistate semifinals at Charles H. Braun Stadium on the University of Evansville campus.
The Trojans out-hit the Huskies seven to six but they could not get the timely hit when they needed it. Center Grove left nine runners on base, failing to capitalize three times when it got the leadoff hitter on.
"We knew it was going to be a dogfight," Center Grove coach Keith Hatfield said. "I wouldn't say we didn't execute, but we didn't execute one time when we didn't get a safety squeeze. Everything else was pop outs, but we also hit the ball really hard.
"At least three, maybe four outs were really loud outs. And sometimes that happens."
The loudest out proved costly for Center Grove (26-2). With two runners on and two outs in the fifth, Grady Grant barreled a 3-0 pitch from North starter Ty Pohl. Off the bat, the ball appeared headed into a gap, but the hard-hit ball landed in center fielder Tyler Land's glove. The Trojans had the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but second baseman Gideon Rice fielded Joel Tracy's hard-hit ball, flipping to shortstop Brooks Carroll for the third out.
The Trojans' lack of offense spoiled a strong start from Gannon Grant. Grant went the distance, striking out 11. The Tennessee commit was up to 95 mph in the first inning, using his fastball and slider to rack up swings-and-misses. With two runners on and no outs in the fourth, Grant struck out the next three batters to end the threat. In the fifth, Grant gathered Daniel Cranick's bunted ball and threw home for an out, saving a run. Cranick advanced to second on a wild pitch and came home on A.J. Beggett's single. Aaron Humphrey followed with a RBI single up the middle, putting the Huskies up 2-0.
Evansville North (28-4) showed resolve to bounce back from a scoreless fourth. The Huskies do not have a roster of Division I talent like the Trojans, but they always play fundamentally sound. Saturday's win is North's second consecutive tournament win over Center Grove. The Huskies earned a ninth inning walk-off win over the Trojans in the semistate championship game last season.
"Last year against Center Grove in the second inning we loaded the bases and didn't score a run," Evansville North coach Jeremy Jones said. "That was a punch to the stomach, we talked about it and having opportunities. Grant is so good that we have to cash in when you have runners on. We couldn't do it, but our lefties were so good today."
Pohl, a left-handed sophomore, allowed five runs over 5-plus innings. Beggett entered in relief in sixth, forcing Tracy's ground out to end the threat.
The 2026 Trojans' team was loaded, but the cupboard will not be bare next season. TCU commit Grady Grant, Texas A&M commit Drake McClurg and Michigan commit Liam Delp return for a team that will once again be considered a state title contender.
Grady and Gannon had one hit each. Delp, Tracy and Dayton commit Hudson Stewart added singles. Tristan Yerman added a two-out double in the fifth.
"It was great, but at the end of the day, you look at the score and we lost," the elder Grant said of his performance. "At the end of the day I love these guys, I'm going to give all the glory to God, he got here. I just appreciate these seniors. I loved playing with them.
"It sucks that we went out that way. But we're going to do some great things in the future."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA Baseball: Center Grove loses semistate semifinal to Evansville North
Continue reading...
