By Jeff Washburn
jconline.com

So much for the anticipated Class A baseball sectional championship showdown between top-ranked Frontier and No. 2 Lafayette Central Catholic.

Tri-Central curveball specialist Blake Burnett pitched a masterful two-hitter June 2 against previously unbeaten Frontier and scored the winning run in a stunning 2-1 Sectional 53 semifinal victory at Central Catholic .

Burnett and the Trojans will face 2007 Class A state champion Central Catholic in the June 3 title game at Gordon Leming Field. The Knights rolled past Rossville, 13-0, in five innings in Tuesday's first semifinal.

(NOTE: Central Catholic won Wednesday's championship game, 1-0.)

The Knights' Dru Anthrop was 3 for 3 and scored twice, and Scott Windler and Taylor Glaze each had three RBIs to back Brett Haan's three-hit pitching.

But Tri-Central's Burnett, who improved to 8-0, was Tuesday's newsmaker.

Frontier catcher Curtis Brackett was 2 for 3 and scored the Falcons' lone run, but the rest of coach Ryan Long's lineup was a collective 0 for 21.

Burnett struck out 10, including No. 2 hitter Grant Ream three times.

"We played them in a tight sectional game last year," Burnett said. "It was 1-1 through five innings, and then we made three errors and ended up getting beat 3-1.

"I learned last year that if I could use the first-pitch curveball, I could keep them off balance. I went curveball, curveball and then hit them with a fastball. They were looking curveball on that third strike."

Burnett walked two, one in the first and one with two outs in the seventh.

"I wanted to get out in front in the count," Burnett said. "I threw a lot of first-pitch strikes. This is one of the best games I've pitched."

With the score tied at 1 in the bottom of the sixth, Burnett reached on an infield single and stole second.

After two were out, Tyler Burke lined an RBI double to left against losing pitcher Travis Demerly (6-1).

"Tyler Burke is a very good clutch hitter," Burnett said. "I got that leadoff single, and then our Nos. 3 and 4 couldn't do their job. But Burke got the job done. He has been great this tournament."

Brackett hit Burnett hard, but no other Frontier player could solve the right-hander's curve.

"His curveball is effective," Brackett said. "It has been tough for our team to sit back (on curveballs) all year. He is a good pitcher, and we didn't come ready to hit. It's on us.
Advertisement

"We knew Tri-Central was going to be a tough game. Last year, we beat the same guy but by only two runs. We weren't looking ahead. It just wasn't our day. We had a good year. It's just tough to end this way."

Long said Burnett had the Falcons (28-1) off balance from the first inning.

"His curveball was exceptional," Long said. "The big thing was that he was able to locate it for strikes. We wanted to run him deep into the count, knowing he was going to throw a lot of breaking pitches.

"When he locates it and throws it for strikes, it's hard to get your fastball. We put the ball in play, but we just hit it in the ground. Hats off to their pitcher."

Long said Frontier was not looking ahead to a rematch with Central Catholic. The Falcons beat the Knights in the 2008 sectional final and defeated them during a 2009 regular-season game.

"We knew this was going to be a challenge," Long said. "We knew they had an exceptional pitcher. Travis threw a great game. We had one miscue in the field, and it probably was the difference in the game."

Now that CC will play Tri-Central, senior Anthrop said the Knights will focus on regaining the sectional title it lost in 2008.

"We've been looking forward to it," Anthrop said. "What happened last year has been in the back of our minds. It has kept us motivated.

"To get back to this point is what we have been working toward all year. We're going to be prepared. This is my last run through my last sport at CC. And really, this is my last run through baseball."

CC coach Tim Bordenet likes the way the Knights are playing.

"Our kids are excited to play," Bordenet said. "We've probably played our best baseball during the past three weeks.

"This is when you want to play well. Our kids are believing in themselves. But you never know what is going to happen with high school kids."