Culver downs Boone Grove

Updated: May 30, 2011 9:34PM

VALPARAISO — There will be a new sectional champion crowned today with four-time defending champion Boone Grove losing to Culver Community, 6-1, in the semifinals on Monday afternoon.

Hebron, which knocked off Winamac in eight innings, 13-11, will take on Culver at 5 p.m. for the right to the trophy. The Hawks (16-8) won their only sectional title in 1977, while the Cavaliers won their last title in 1985.

Culver senior pitcher Bryce Lindvall was impressive on the mound striking out nine and allowing no hits. His team recorded six errors but the senior right-hander stayed calm allowing the Wolves their only run in the third inning when Tom Burton scored on a drop by Cavalier first baseman Sam Hissong.

Culver (12-13) answered back with three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to back up Lindvall’s impressive performance. Hissong finished 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored, while designated hitter Michael Salary finished 2-for-4 with a double and run scored.

Fifth-year coach Mike Elliot said his team has taken steps each year to reach this point. Culver only won four games his first season.

“We weren’t intimidated and that wasn’t always the case,” he said. “In the past, when you hear the name Boone Grove, we were kind of done.

“But we were confident we could do this. We’ve been here and played them tough the last two years. Boone has a program you kind of want to build and emulate. Three years in a row we’ve played them and today was our day.”

The loss reflected the Wolves (13-12) season to a T, according to Coach Rollie Thill.

“I’m not going to make excuses; we didn’t play good,” he said. “We just didn’t play well offensively at all and we haven’t been all year. We haven’t been able to drive balls the way we should; we haven’t been hitting good pitches. They kind of shut down when they know they are not going to score any runs.”

Starting pitcher Zach Wein pitched well the first three innings for the Wolves allowing just one hit through three innings.

But he got lit up in the fourth inning giving up a double to start the inning and a triple and single to hitters A.J. Meace and Brian Nelson that plated two runs.

Boone Grove ace Adam Mosier started the fifth inning but he gave up two runs on wild pitches to increase the deficit to 5-1.

The Wolves backed up their defense putting only one base runner on over the final three innings.

In the opener, Hebron came back from a five-run deficit to win its second sectional game and reach the finals. The Hawks scored two in the top of the seventh thanks to a double from Kyle Joyce to extend the game and plated four more in the eighth to seal the victory.

Junior Kyle Hernandez (4-for-6, 2B, 2 R, RBI) and sophomore Jon Moneta (5-for-6, 3 RBI, 2 R) had monster offensive games for Hebron, while the defense got its act together in time to finish off the Warriors with a 6-4-3 double play to end the game. The Hawks recorded five errors total.

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