South Bend Saint Joseph Earns First Baseball Crown

South Bend Saint Joseph scored a pair of runs in two different frames and shut out Jasper 4-0 to take the IHSAA Class 3A Baseball State Championship at Victory Field.
It was the school’s 10th state championship overall but first in baseball in their initial visit to the state finals. Saint Joseph became the first South Bend school to play in a state championship game since South Bend Washington in 1985 and the first to win a title since South Bend Clay in 1970. John Gumpf is the 10th year leader of the Indians (25-4).
In the second inning, Luke Houin walked with one away. Jacob Hoover pinch ran for Houin and moved to second on Alex Voss’ single through the right side. Three batters later, Patrick Farrisee singled to left scoring both Hoover and Voss.
In the fourth, Andrew Washburn sent a sacrifice fly to left to score Voss. The throw to the plate was late and then a throw by the Jasper catcher to first base was off target and went into right field allowing JR Haley to score.
Saint Joseph’s Michael Dunkelberger (7-2) held Jasper to just three hits and struck out four going the distance for the win. Voss ended 2-for-3 with two runs scored to lead the Indians.
Second-ranked Jasper (30-5) was appearing in its state record-extending 16th baseball state finals under 30th year head coach Terry Gobert. It was the Wildcats’ fourth runner-up finish to go along with their five state titles.
Jasper’s Evan Aders named Mental Attitude recipient
Following the game, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee announced Evan Aders of Jasper High School as the winner of this year’s L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award in Class 3A Baseball.
Evan completed high school with a 4.50 GPA and a class rank of 13 out of 251. His excellence is reflected both inside and outside the classroom. Jasper principal Brian Wilson says Evan’s most admirable trait has been his consistently high level of character and integrity. He was awarded the Jasper High School Class of 2017 Outstanding Senior Boy, Eagle Scout, Edward Rottet, Jr. Memorial Scout Award, and Keith Gettelfinger Boy Scout Mental Attitude Award. He is involved in the Boy Scouts of America organization, where he served as Patrol Leader. He has also volunteered his time at the Memorial Health Care Critical Care Unit.
When it comes to baseball, Evan will leave with numerous awards and accomplishments. He is first all-time in Jasper career history in RBIs; top five in total bases, hits, runs, doubles, and home runs. In 2014, he led the team in home runs. He was named 2nd Team All-State as a junior and Big 8 All-Conference in 2017.
Evan is the son of Doug and Pam Aders of Jasper, Indiana. He will be attending the University of Evansville, where he will play baseball on scholarship and major in Biology/Pre-Medicine.
The award is annually presented to an outstanding senior participant in each state championship game who has best demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in baseball. The award is named in honor of the late L.V. Phillips, who served as the second commissioner of the IHSAA from 1945-62.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented $1,000 to Jasper High School’s general scholarship fund in the name of Evan Aders.