NorthWood’s Dominic Miranda lays down a bunt attempt against Tippecanoe Valley in the semi-final game of the NorthWood Baseball Sectional. Miranda ended up with four RBIs as NorthWood pounded Tippecanoe Valley, 11-1, in five innings Saturday. (Photos by Mike Deak)

NAPPANEE – In the end, it will be an All-Northern Lakes Conference final.

NorthWood and Wawasee both took care of business Saturday in the two semi-final games of the Class 3-A No. 21 NorthWood Baseball Sectional. NorthWood used a strong pitching performance from Chad Sellers and a whole lot of hitting to overwhelm Tippecanoe Valley, 11-1, in five innings in game one. Wawasee rode the arm of Lucas Garza while tattooing West Noble, 9-0, in the second game of the doubleheader.

Panthers Drop The Hammer

Tippecanoe Valley head coach Justin Branock rolled the dice, hoping to get starting pitcher Eric Hammer’s cannon left arm to befuddle the Panther hitters. Hammer, who missed five weeks with an aggravated UCL in his knee, hadn’t thrown in any game in that stretch. It looked evident as a lack of control allowed NorthWood to pick and choose when to put the ball in play.

Tippecanoe Valley starter Eric Hammer lasted into the third inning, giving up four runs in his return from a UCL injury.

Hammer only threw 32 of 69 pitches for strikes, walking six in just 2.1 innings of work. NorthWood loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batsman in the second, and after another walk brought in the second run of the game, Branock decided the gamble wasn’t worth the risk anymore.

“There were nine walks in the baseball game given to them, that’s nine free bases,” Branock said. “You put nine runners on in a game and they don’t have to earn it, they should score 10 or 11 runs.

“We rolled the dice a little bit. We knew NorthWood was a tough team and took our chances running him out there without throwing for five weeks.”

Luke Helton entered the game and gave up a single to Dominic Miranda to run the score to 4-0, then later allowed RBI singles to Tanner Cleveland and Chad Sellers as well as tossing a wild pitch to bring home another run.

Miranda later added a two-run double, running his total to four RBIs on the day and little brother Vincent Miranda drove big brother home with a single.

Sellers was fantastic on the hill, needing just 58 pitches to put away the Vikings. Striking out six, Sellers’ only trouble came in the fifth when Garrett Bell drove home Gabe Harlan, who reached on an error to begin the frame. Sellers worked out of the trouble to end it in five innings, sending the Panthers to the championship game Monday night.

Tippecanoe Valley (16-10) finished with just four hits, two from Gavin Bussard. NorthWood (22-3) returns to the sectional finals for the fifth straight year, winners of three of those past four tournaments and looking for its ninth sectional title. Valley last won a sectional in 2012 over NorthWood.

The Spinning Carousel

Wawasee’s offense was on point Saturday afternoon in game two. Almost to a fault.

The Warriors left 16 runners on base in the game against the Chargers, but thankfully, were able to plate eight runs in the first three innings.

Wawasee’s Gage Reinhard had four hits and two RBIs to lead Wawasee to a 9-0 win against West Noble.

Wawasee had just about everyone get involved, but none had a better day than Gage Reinhard, who had four hits and drove in two runs on a pair of singles. Drew Wright also had a pair of RBI singles and Nate Prescott was 3-for-3 with two runs scored.

Drew Anderson also had two hits, a walk, two RBIs and scored twice as the Warriors cracked 12 total hits and drew seven walks in the contest.

“When we are up 6-0, 8-0, we have to finish the job,” said Wawasee head coach Brent Doty. “Give West Noble credit, they only gave up one run in the last four innings. But we have to put them away leaving 10 guys on in the last four innings.”

One run would have been enough for the Warriors as Lucas Garza tossed his first shutout of the season. The righty only struck out two, but allowed just three hits and walked none. Garza worked out of jams in the first and fifth, both occasions having runners on second and third but stranding both on weak grounders.

Wawasee (12-13) reaches the sectional final for the first time since 2010, where it lost to Tippecanoe Valley. The Warriors, seeking its seventh sectional title, have not won one since 1997. In the regular season, NorthWood swept the home and home series, winning 12-4 and 3-2 in 12 innings. The championship game at NorthWood will begin at 5 p.m. Monday evening.