.png)
BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Rochester senior catcher Jake Seuferer unleashes a throw during the Zebras’ 11-2 win over Bremen in a Class 2A, Sectional 36 semifinal at Wabash Saturday. Seuferer, an IU Kokomo recruit, had a hit and two RBIs. Rochester will play Wabash in the sectional final at 6:30 p.m. today. (photo provided by Paula Beehler)
WABASH — Rochester baseball coach Cory Good thought his team looked tight through the first three innings of its Class 2A, Sectional 36 semifinal against Bremen at Wabash’s Chris Rood Field Saturday.
In the bottom of the fourth, a tight team playing a tight game turned into a relaxed team having a whole lot of fun.
Carson Paulik and Colton Ferverda combined on a five-hitter, and the Rochester baseball team had four hits and drew five walks in a nine-run fourth inning en route to an 11-2 win.
Paulik, Ferverda, Brant Beck and Parker Casper had two hits each, and Jake Seuferer had two RBIs on a single in the third and a walk in the fourth. Brady Coleman had a hit and two runs scored.
Tanner Reinartz also had an RBI.
The Zebras improved to 18-10 and earned a spot opposite Wabash in the sectional final at 6:30 p.m. today. The Apaches beat LaVille 10-8 in Saturday’s other semifinal.
Bremen defeated Rochester in the 2023 sectional final, and they carried a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the third in this game before Seuferer’s game-tying RBI single on an 0-2 count.
In the fourth, Brant Beck scored on a wild pitch, and Paulik and Seuferer drew bases-loaded walks off reliever Silas Laidig to make it 5-2.
Kaden Martin relieved Laidig and got ahead of Ferverda 0-2 before Ferverda crunched a two-run double to deep left-center to make it 7-2. After Brady Beck reached on an error on a grounder to short, the bases were loaded. Brant Beck doubled to right-center to bring home two more runs and make it 9-2, and Parker Casper slashed a two-run single down the right field line to make it 11-2.
Good wanted his players to calm down. He also wanted to see better plate approaches, and it paid off. All five batters who walked in the fourth came around to score.
“I stressed patience and just having fun,” Good said. “I thought we were playing a little tight early in the game. You know, we were letting some emotions get the better of us in a sectional semifinal game like this. I just told them all to be patient. We’re not going to be beat by a curve ball. Stay back on the fastball and look to pound pitches that we like. And work in some walks and stuff.”
Said Paulik: “I think we looked for our pitch more, and we weren’t as anxious. We really looked for our pitch and were patient up there.”
Ferverda then took over on the mound and retired nine of the 11 batters he faced for the save.
Paulik won after a four-inning outing in which he allowed four hits and two runs. He walked one and struck out five.
It was his second win of the sectional. He also pitched two innings in relief for the win against Manchester on Wednesday. He said he was “very tense” against Manchester but felt “more loose” and “confident” against Bremen.
Paulik and Ferverda held Bremen senior catcher Zack Rouch hitless in four at-bats. Rouch had a crucial three-run double against the Zebras in the 2023 sectional.
“Honestly, I was worried about their second batter Rouch,” Paulik said. “He’s a really good contact hitter, and most of my travel ball years, I faced him, so I’m pretty good friends with him, and he really drives the ball all over the place. So if I had to be scared of anybody, that’s who. … That was very big. Second hole, him not getting on the base really helped us.”
Rochester’s Tanner Reinartz (3) and Brant Beck (22) celebrate after Beck scored on Parker Casper’s two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning against Bremen in a Class 2A, Sectional 36 semifinal at Wabash Saturday. Rochester won 11-2 to improve to 18-10 on the season. (photo provided by Paula Beehler)
Zebra notes
Both Paulik and Ferverda threw fewer than 60 pitches, which means both will be eligible for the sectional final. Per IHSAA pitch count rules, any pitcher throwing more than 60 pitches would have had to have rested for two days, which would have made them ineligible for the sectional final.
Good raved about the Beck brothers, saying they want to be good at everything they try. He also said they put in the work and have excellent hand-eye coordination. Brady Beck is a senior playing baseball for the first time since has 12. Brant Beck is a sophomore in his first year on the varsity. Asked about Brant Beck specifically, Good said the coaches are working with him to hit the top half of the ball.
“I guess just listening to the coaches and what they say,” Brant said. “Improving on what they tell me to and taking the knob straight to the ball and extending my hands.”
Brant said he is going to play baseball this summer with Paulik.
“Being with the team,” Brant said when asked what he loves about baseball. “It’s a team sport, and I love team sports and just the bonding and having fun playing the sport.”
Rochester defeated Wabash 6-4 on April 30 in their regular season meeting.
The Wabash-Rochester winner will play the winner of the Sectional 35 final between Seeger and Benton Central in a regional on Saturday. Seeger and Benton Central will meet at 3 p.m. today. The IHSAA will announce where the regional games will be played Tuesday morning.
Rochester 11, Bremen 2
Bremen 011 000 0 – 2 5 3
Rochester 101 900 X – 11 10 0
WP – Carson Paulik (4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K)
LP – Silas Laidig (⅔ IP, 0 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 2 K)
S – Colton Ferverda (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K)
2B – J.J. Cencelewski (BRE), Reece Greene 2 (BRE), Carson Paulik (RHS), Colton Ferverda (RHS), Brant Beck (RHS)
