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BENTON — NorthWood held off a last-inning rally by Fairfield Monday, June 1 and became IHSAA Class 3A Fairfield Sectional 20 baseball champions.
The Zach Benko-coached Panthers (18-12-1) beat the Darin Kauffman-coach Falcons (13-16) by a 6-2 score on a night where Fairfield stranded nine runners, including the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning.
Junior left-hander Ean Bogan came on in relief of NorthWood junior right-hander and starter Drew Rains with no outs and the bags packed. He proceeded to get a strikeout, line-out to junior Finley Miller (playing left field after defensive switches) and a come-backer to the mound.
Rains (6 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks; 69 of 110 pitches for strikes) was the winning pitcher.
“He did not have his best stuff,” said Benko of Rains. “He did not have the zip he usually has.
“He just continued to battle and compete. I’m proud of his performance, being able to stick it out and give us a chance to win.
“Championship games are never easy.”
Bogan took 11 pitches (seven strikes) to retire the three batters he faced.
The sectional title is the 15th in Panther program history and the third straight. NorthWood advances to a one-game regional against the Highland Sectional winner Highland (13-16) on Saturday, June 6 at a site to be determined by the IHSAA.
The Panthers went up 6-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bogan was hit by a pitch from sophomore left-hander Lucas Graber to open the frame. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Sade Yoder pushed Bogan to second base and he went to third base on a single to left field by junior Finley Miller. A fielder’s choice on the same play allowed Bogan to score.
Miller, who transferred from Wawasee, talked about the pressure of the title contest.
“You’ve got to come back with a positive mindset in the (batter’s) box,” he said. “You’ve got to fight for your team.
“It’s a brotherhood and you’ve got to battle, battle, battle.”
How about “small ball” execution by the champions?
Said Benko, “When you’re up, you can do stuff like that.”
NorthWood assumed a 5-2 advantage with one run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sophomore Brady Weaver reached second base on an infield single and error. He went to second base on junior Brady Blackford’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Bogan’s single to left.
Fairfield cut the gap to 4-2 with one run in the top of the fourth inning.
Senior Grady Chupp drew a lead-off walk, went to second base when Lucas Graber drew a walk and third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior Logan Miller.
Chupp crossed the plate thanks to a sacrifice fly to left by junior Drew Beachy.
The Falcons turned a double play to end the Panther half of the third inning.
Second baseman Beachy speared a line drive off the bat of sophomore Jett Rulli and tossed to freshman first baseman Lucas Miller to double off the runner.
NorthWood sent nine runners to the plate and tallied four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The first four batters — Bogan (walk), Yoder (walk), Finley Miller (single to center) and sophomore Brody Rondeau (walk) all reached base and wound up scoring.
Bogan trotted home on a passed ball, Yoder on a hit by pitch to senior Ryder Ransberger, Finley Miller on a fielder’s choice by Rains and Rondeau on a single to right by Rulli.
Ransberger — a four-year starter including the last three years behind the plate — is the Panthers' lone senior and talked about his role.
“I didn’t expect all the guys from my grade not to play any more,” Ransberger said. “I’ve been able to lead this young group and they’ve stepped up into huge roles.”
Fairfield scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning.
“We put pressure on them every time,” Kauffman said. “We came out in the first inning and hit line drives right away. “We lose six seniors (Landon Beasy, Grady Chupp, Grady Garber, Cole Knight, Logan Miller and Breckin Stair), but we have a lot of guys coming back.
“Seeing (NorthWood) celebrate, that’s motivation for next year.”
Beachy and senior Grady Garber both singled to left. Beachy later scored on an error. A strike-them-out and throw-them-out double play triggered by Ransberger accounted for the first two outs.
NorthWood finished with seven hits and left six runners on base (four in scoring position) The Falcons had four hits — three in the first two innings.
Each team committed two errors.
Fairfield used two pitchers — freshman right-hander Treyton Huser (4 innings, 5 runs, 5 hits, 1 strikeout, 3 walks; 50 of 82 pitches for strikes) and lefty Graber (2 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 1 walk; 16 of 25 pitches for strikes).
Monday was the second 2026 meeting of the two squads. The Panthers beat the Falcons 11-1 in five innings on the same field on April 17.
------------
PREP BASEBALL
Fairfield Sectional 20 Championship
Fairfield 1; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 0 — 2 4 2
NorthWood 4; 0; 0; 1; 0; 1; x — 6 7 2
Records: Fairfield 13-16, NorthWood 18-12-1.
Continue reading...
The Zach Benko-coached Panthers (18-12-1) beat the Darin Kauffman-coach Falcons (13-16) by a 6-2 score on a night where Fairfield stranded nine runners, including the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning.
Junior left-hander Ean Bogan came on in relief of NorthWood junior right-hander and starter Drew Rains with no outs and the bags packed. He proceeded to get a strikeout, line-out to junior Finley Miller (playing left field after defensive switches) and a come-backer to the mound.
Rains (6 innings, 2 runs, 4 hits, 7 strikeouts, 5 walks; 69 of 110 pitches for strikes) was the winning pitcher.
“He did not have his best stuff,” said Benko of Rains. “He did not have the zip he usually has.
“He just continued to battle and compete. I’m proud of his performance, being able to stick it out and give us a chance to win.
“Championship games are never easy.”
Bogan took 11 pitches (seven strikes) to retire the three batters he faced.
The sectional title is the 15th in Panther program history and the third straight. NorthWood advances to a one-game regional against the Highland Sectional winner Highland (13-16) on Saturday, June 6 at a site to be determined by the IHSAA.
The Panthers went up 6-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bogan was hit by a pitch from sophomore left-hander Lucas Graber to open the frame. A sacrifice bunt by sophomore Sade Yoder pushed Bogan to second base and he went to third base on a single to left field by junior Finley Miller. A fielder’s choice on the same play allowed Bogan to score.
Miller, who transferred from Wawasee, talked about the pressure of the title contest.
“You’ve got to come back with a positive mindset in the (batter’s) box,” he said. “You’ve got to fight for your team.
“It’s a brotherhood and you’ve got to battle, battle, battle.”
How about “small ball” execution by the champions?
Said Benko, “When you’re up, you can do stuff like that.”
NorthWood assumed a 5-2 advantage with one run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sophomore Brady Weaver reached second base on an infield single and error. He went to second base on junior Brady Blackford’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Bogan’s single to left.
Fairfield cut the gap to 4-2 with one run in the top of the fourth inning.
Senior Grady Chupp drew a lead-off walk, went to second base when Lucas Graber drew a walk and third base on a sacrifice bunt by senior Logan Miller.
Chupp crossed the plate thanks to a sacrifice fly to left by junior Drew Beachy.
The Falcons turned a double play to end the Panther half of the third inning.
Second baseman Beachy speared a line drive off the bat of sophomore Jett Rulli and tossed to freshman first baseman Lucas Miller to double off the runner.
NorthWood sent nine runners to the plate and tallied four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The first four batters — Bogan (walk), Yoder (walk), Finley Miller (single to center) and sophomore Brody Rondeau (walk) all reached base and wound up scoring.
Bogan trotted home on a passed ball, Yoder on a hit by pitch to senior Ryder Ransberger, Finley Miller on a fielder’s choice by Rains and Rondeau on a single to right by Rulli.
Ransberger — a four-year starter including the last three years behind the plate — is the Panthers' lone senior and talked about his role.
“I didn’t expect all the guys from my grade not to play any more,” Ransberger said. “I’ve been able to lead this young group and they’ve stepped up into huge roles.”
Fairfield scored the game’s first run in the top of the first inning.
“We put pressure on them every time,” Kauffman said. “We came out in the first inning and hit line drives right away. “We lose six seniors (Landon Beasy, Grady Chupp, Grady Garber, Cole Knight, Logan Miller and Breckin Stair), but we have a lot of guys coming back.
“Seeing (NorthWood) celebrate, that’s motivation for next year.”
Beachy and senior Grady Garber both singled to left. Beachy later scored on an error. A strike-them-out and throw-them-out double play triggered by Ransberger accounted for the first two outs.
NorthWood finished with seven hits and left six runners on base (four in scoring position) The Falcons had four hits — three in the first two innings.
Each team committed two errors.
Fairfield used two pitchers — freshman right-hander Treyton Huser (4 innings, 5 runs, 5 hits, 1 strikeout, 3 walks; 50 of 82 pitches for strikes) and lefty Graber (2 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 strikeouts, 1 walk; 16 of 25 pitches for strikes).
Monday was the second 2026 meeting of the two squads. The Panthers beat the Falcons 11-1 in five innings on the same field on April 17.
------------
PREP BASEBALL
Fairfield Sectional 20 Championship
Fairfield 1; 0; 0; 1; 0; 0; 0 — 2 4 2
NorthWood 4; 0; 0; 1; 0; 1; x — 6 7 2
Records: Fairfield 13-16, NorthWood 18-12-1.
Continue reading...
