Columbia City steals 11 bases, speeds past Valley in sectional opener

Adamson reflects on ex-Valley teammate Andrews making MLB debut

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Tippecanoe Valley baseball team lost to Columbia City 11-2 in a Class 3A, Sectional 20 quarterfinal at Fairfield May 27 to end their season. Valley went 3-17 overall and 1-9 in the Indiana Northern State Conference.

GOSHEN — During a week in which the Tippecanoe Valley baseball program celebrated a star of its past reaching baseball’s pinnacle, the current Vikings found out that the journey to a sectional championship is still a ways into their future.

Maddox Moon went 3 for 3 with four RBIs, and Logan Matiya had two hits and three RBIs as Columbia City handled Valley 11-2 in a Class 3A, Sectional 20 quarterfinal at Fairfield May 27.

Columbia City stole 11 bases, including even in their five-run third inning that pushed the lead out to 8-1. Valley also committed five errors, and their pitchers walked six and hit three batters.

Gage Hileman had an RBI double to deep left field in the first inning, and Hunter Paxton had an RBI single in the third for Valley, who finished 3-17.

Valley has not won a sectional title since 2012, and they have not won a sectional game since 2023.

Quentin Dennis pitched a seven-hitter for Columbia City. He walked two and struck out six. An error in the third inning meant that Paxton’s RBI single was an unearned run against his ledger, but the Eagles also turned a nifty 5-4-3 double play to end the game.

In the end, Valley could not keep Columbia City’s sports car offense in the garage.

“They’re quick,” Valley coach Clayton Adamson said. “They were timing us up pretty well. We didn’t settle in on that, and we were trying to get outs in that situation. You live and you learn.”

Trey Deckman, a Ball State recruit who pitched a no-hitter against Valley at the Tony Ross Invitational at Plymouth May 22 but who was at shortstop this game, tripled off the left-field fence to start the game. Moon walked and stole second.

Matiya then reached on an error on a hot grounder down the third baseline to score Deckman and Moon.

Paxton would escape further trouble when he struck out Kolby Boocher with the bases loaded.

Parker Adamson led off the Valley first with a single, and he would score when Hileman’s fly to deep left missed by just a foot or two of going over the fence. It went for two bases and got the Vikings back within 2-1.

“He’s tough,” coach Adamson said of Dennis. “He competes, but that’s the thing that Hunter does too for us. He competes. … We knew going in who they were going to throw. We saw their shortstop on Saturday, so the boys were ready. We jumped on them early.”

The top of the second began the same way the top of the first did with the leadoff hitter – in this case Dennis – whacking the first pitch for a triple. Paxton fanned Deckman, but Moon singled home Dennis.

Valley had two on with one out in their half of the second, but Dennis struck out Liam Newcomer looking and got Parker Adamson on a grounder to second.

The top of the third began with Easton Deckman trying to bunt his way on but Paxton throwing him out at first.

But then the next six batters reached base, and all six stole at least one base once they reached. Colton Schroeder started the rally by stealing home. Dennis had an RBI single and then stole second and third. After Trey Deckman walked and stole second, coach JUstin Dailey called for a suicide squeeze with Moon up.

Dennis flew down the third baseline, and Trey Deckman started running towards third, and Moon put down a well-placed bunt to the left of home plate. Dennis scored, and when a hustling Moon beat the throw to first, Trey Deckman, who had never stopped, also scored on the unusual two-run single.

Moon then stole second and scored on Matiya’s single.

Valley committed two more errors in the fourth inning as the lead reached 11-2.

Hunter Paxton pitched the first 2 ⅓ innings and allowed six hits and eight runs (one earned). He walked four and struck out three. Preston Prater relieved and pitched 2 ⅔ innings and allowed three hits and three runs (one earned). He walked one and fanned four. Junior Wyatt Craig closed it out with two scoreless innings.

The loss finishes a season in which the weather and a later spring break kept Valley from playing their season opener until April 17. Prior to April 29, Valley had played just three games. After April 29, Valley played 17 games in 29 days.

“We (would have) a rain delay, and everybody sees the rain coming,” coach Adamson said. “(We had) to keep them motivated to keep on going. You get nice days like this to play, and that last few weeks, we’ve seen some improvements here and there. And we’re getting ready for next year.”

Tanner Andrews makes his MLB debut

The Toronto Blue Jays called up Andrews, a 2014 Valley grad, to the majors May 25, and he made his MLB debut with a 1-2-3 inning later that day in an 8-2 loss against the Miami Marlins. Andrews, 30, pitched two more scoreless innings the following day and got his first career strikeout when he struck out Heriberto Hernandez to close out an 8-1 Blue Jay win.

“They’ve all talked about it,” coach Adamson said. “They’ve all seen it on Facebook and stuff like that. They’re excited, and Valley’s excited for him. We’re really proud for him. We hope to see him in the future. I know he could possibly be in Chicago. It would be really cool to see him.”

Coach Adamson is a 2013 Valley grad. Asked what would keep him persevering to still want to make it to the big leagues, he said it is in the nature of his former high school teammate.

“That’s Tanner,” coach Adamson said. “It’s the grind, and he loves the grind. Him and his brother (Brody). You watch them all growing up … and they want to do that. They put their mind to one thing, and it’s a dream come true for him.”

The Blue Jays sent Andrews back to the minors on May 27 and designated him for assignment Thursday.

The rest of the sectional

NorthWood won their third straight sectional, walloping West Noble 20-3 in five innings Wednesday, taking out Columbia City 6-3 in the semifinals Saturday night and beating Fairfield 6-2 in the final Monday.

Fairfield reached the final with a 4-0 win over Wawasee on Saturday.

NorthWood has won 10 sectional titles since 2013. They will play Highland at home in the regional on Saturday.

Columbia City 11, Tippecanoe Valley 2

Columbia City 215 300 0 – 11 10 2

Valley 101 000 0 – 2 7 5

WP – Quentin Dennis (7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K)

LP – Hunter Paxton (2 ⅓ IP, 6 H, 8 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K)

2B – Gage Hileman (TV)

3B – Trey Deckman (CC), Quentin Dennis (CC)