Published: June 07, 2007 11:42 pm            

Kokomo, Homestead clash in semistate

If Kokomo High baseball players want a glimpse of IHSAA Class 4A South Bend Semistate opponent Homestead prior to Saturday’s game at Coveleski Stadium, they need only look in the mirror. These teams seem cut from the same cloth.

Kokomo is 24-3, Homestead 23-4. Kokomo is fresh off winning its first regional since 1988; Homestead just won its first ever. Both teams are senior-dominated and have produced two-year records of 47-10 (Kokomo) and 48-11 (Homestead). Both teams will send prized left-handers to the mound Saturday and offer righties in their No. 2 slots and while both squads have formidable hitting, their coaches will tell you they’ve won with pitching and defense. And if rankings mean anything at this point, Kokomo is No. 3, Homestead, No. 9.

The common traits of the teams haven’t escaped the view of Wildkats coach Steve Edwards.

“Oh, there are a lot of similarities in the teams,” Edwards said. “The way their defense is set up — the way they do things. We’re almost carbon copies of one another. In a lot of ways, we feel we’re preparing for ourselves.”

Kokomo and Homestead will get after each other Saturday, somewhere around 1:45 p.m. The opener, pitting No. 1-ranked Crown Point (29-2) and Penn (24-7), carries an 11 a.m. start. The 8 o’clock championship will send one of these four teams to the Class 4A state championship game.

Edwards gives Crown Point the slight edge going into the tournament but noted that in what expects to be low-scoring games, anything can happen.

“Any No. 1 pitcher at this level can shutdown a team on a given day,” Edwards said.

The third-year Kokomo coach says he’s hoping his special left-hander — junior Bryce Robinson — can do just that, but he knows he faces a potent Homestead offense.

“[Homestead’s] offensive ability really stands out,” Edwards said. “They have just pounded the ball all season. We hope this comes down to a low-scoring game because that will mean we’ve held their offense down.”

Indiana University-bound Kyle Leiendecker leads the way with a .509 batting average that includes a team-high 31 RBI. Ryan Wright, a junior described by coach Keith Potter as a big-time college prospect, offers a .480 average and team-high 10 home runs. Bob Glover completes a hard-hitting trio, hitting .458.

Leiendecker is expected to be the Spartans’ starting pitcher.

“He had a rough start this season,” said Potter, who will retire from coaching after this, his 15th season as Homestead’s head coach. “He strained some muscles in his back but seems to be 100 percent. His last five starts have been good. The fastball is his best pitch — probably upper 80s. His breaking ball is good, but it’s a secondary pitch.”

Potter said his No. 2 pitcher is senior right-hander Kevin Bultemeier (8-0, 1.56 ERA). A deep pitching staff also shows Travis Carsten and Bob Rodenbeck with ERAs under. 1.15.

Kokomo will send Robinson to the hill on three days rest. The junior, who has pitched 16 consecutive scoreless innings in post-season play, is coming off a masterpiece Tuesday night. Facing Zionsville in a one-game regional, Robinson won 1-0, firing a three-hitter that included 14 strikeouts. He stands 9-0 on the season with a gaudy 0.78 ERA. He’s fanned 114 batters while walking 30.

“[Robinson] doesn’t usually pitch on three days rest, but this season we saved him a little during the season so his arm would be more rested,” Edwards said. “He wants the ball and he’ll be ready. He goes into every game confident that he can get every hitter out.”

Edwards would like to get a little more pop out of his batting lineup. The Kats have scored just four runs in three tournament games — getting just two hits against Zionsville.

“It’s a combination of better pitching you face in the tournament and us just not hitting the ball as well,” Edwards said. “Tuesday night we did have good contact on some pitches but they just didn’t drop for hits.”

Corey Ringley and Andrew Quinnette lead Kokomo with .400 batting averages. Ringley has an eye-popping .602 on-base percentage and Quinnette leads the club in RBI (29), runs (32) and doubles (7).

Others keeping Kokomo’s team batting average at a lofty .320 are Craig Dollens (.396), Evan Skiles (.353) and Dustin Schacht (.333). Ryan Herr, Nick Sale, Tyler Imbierowicz and T.J. Weir complete the lineup.

“We’ve got a core group of seniors who have been together for three years and they’ve provided leadership that has given this team good chemistry,” Edwards said. “They are going to South Bend with the idea of doing something very special — they want to bring a championship back to Kokomo.”



South Bend Semistate:

At Coveleski Stadium, Saturday

11 a.m. — Crown Point (29-2) vs. Penn (24-7)

1:45 p.m. — Kokomo (26-3) vs. Homestead (26-4)

8 p.m. — Championship

        

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