MISHAWAKA — Penn took its fifth straight IHSAA Class 4A baseball sectional and 22nd overall Monday, May 28 at sweat-soaked Jordan Automotive Group Field.

The No. 4-ranked Kingsmen (27-4) earned an 11-10 white-knuckle victory against Northridge (14-10) in the championship game of the Penn Sectional.

With the heat index hovering near 100 degrees by the end of the tense contest, Penn ran its 2018 win streak to 21 games and earned a berth in the four-team LaPorte Regional on Saturday, June 2.

Munster Sectional champion No. 6 Lake Central plays Chesterton Sectional winner No. 20 Chesterton in the first semifinal at 10:30 a.m. CST, followed by Penn vs. LaPorte Sectional title-taker Mishawaka. The championship is slated for 7 p.m. CST Saturday.

In a Penn Sectional championship game that featured 22 hits, 17 strikeouts, 13 walks, four errors and numerous wild pitches, the two teams combined to use seven pitchers Monday.

Toeing the rubber for the Kingsmen were junior left-hander Kameron Koch (3 1/3 innings, 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks, 6 strikeouts), sophomore left-hander Ryan Lynch (1 2/3 innings, 5 runs, 4 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts), junior right-hander Kegan Hoskins (2/3 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts) and sophomore right-hander Camryn Szynski (1 inning, 1 run, 0 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts).

“It’s a problem we hadn’t seen since the third game of the season (in a loss) against Carmel,” said Penn coach Greg Dikos. “We just couldn’t find the strike zone.

“I’ve got to give credit to Northridge because when we did get it over the plate, they were ripping the snot out of it.”

Lynch earned the win while Szynski picked up a save.

The Raiders sent three to the bump — senior lefty Dylan Trick (2 innings, 6 runs, 5 hits, 2 walks, 1 strikeout) and sophomore right-handers Hayden Nickell (2 1/3 innings, 1 run, 2 hits, 1 walk, 2

strikeouts) and Davis Enfield (1 2/3 innings, 4 runs, 5 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout). Nickell absorbed the loss.

Penn senior Nate Lovisa and Northridge senior Mason Troyer endured trying conditions as the catchers for the their respective squads.

“(Pitchers) didn’t it easy on either one of those guys,” said Dikos.

“They were bouncing them in there every which way. They were doing their best to keep it in front of them. I bet you they lost 10 or 15 pounds of sweat.”

Lovisa talked about the grind.

“It was just a grueling game,” said Lovisa. “It took a lot out of me mentally and, obviously, physically.”

It was the second meeting between the two teams on the same field this season. Northridge won 3-0 in Penn’s first game of 2018.

“We wanted that rematch,” said Lovisa. “The fact that it got down to bases juiced in the last inning with two outs and a full count, it’s every kid’s dream — no matter what side of the field you’re on, offensively and defensively.

“It’s one of those things that really gets you pumped up.” Szynski credited the bench for keeping Penn in it.

“We have teammates who cheer throughout the game and it helps a lot,” said Szynski.

The Raiders, which was going for their seventh sectional crown (and first since 2015), scored one run and left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning.

After Hoskins walked junior Reece Lueking to lead off the inning, Szynski took over mound duties for the Kingsmen.

Szynski walked sophomore Cam Knepp, coaxed an infield pop-out for the first out then issued a walk to sophomore Nick Logan to load the bases.

After a strikeout made it two outs, Szynski’s wild pitch let Lueking score Northridge’s 10th run.

An intentional walk to Troyer loaded the bases again.

Szynski racked up a called-third strike to ice the victory and the title for Penn.

“I’m very proud of our kids,” said Northridge coach Andrew Brabender.

“They fought to the very last pitch. That’s all you can ask — give yourself a chance.

“At the end of the day, they made more plays than we did. When you play against Penn, you’ve got to make routine plays and you’ve got to execute and we didn’t do that today.”

Enfield retired the Kingsmen in order in a scoreless sixth.

The Raiders scored three runs in the sixth to pull within 11-9.

Logan and senior Nick Hooley opened the frame with back-to-back walks and Troyer singled to right to load the bases.

That’s when Hoskins relieved Lynch on the hill for Penn.

After a strikeout, Hoskins issued a wild pitch that allowed Logan to score.

A deep sacrifice fly to right by Enfield drove in freshman courtesy runner Jamon Christner (running for Hooley).

Courtesy runner Lueking (running for Troyer) scored Northridge’s ninth run another wild pitch.

The Kingsmen scored five runs in the fifth for an 11-6 lead.

Enfield replaced Nickell on the mound for the Raiders with one out and a runner on.

The first batter that Enfield faced — senior Marshall Furner — smacked a one-out RBI single to center to knock in senior courtesy runner Geno Hoath (running for Lovisa who walked).

Szynski followed with a double to left to plate Furner and junior Jeff Pawlik collected a single to center to drive in Szynski.

“My approach is to hit where the pitcher pitches me,” said Szynski. “If it’s outside, I’ll hit it outside.”

Junior Hayden Berg doubled to right and senior Nate Vargo walked before junior Brock Boynton bashed a two-run single to right to drive in Pawlik and Berg. Boynton was out trying to take second on the play.

Northridge left runners at first base and second base in a score-free fifth.

The first two batters — Enfield and junior Logan Pratt — reached base on errors. But neither advanced any further.

Penn stranded a runner at third base in a scoreless fourth.

Vargo rapped a one-out double to left and moved to third base on a groundout.

Nickell retired the next two Kingsmen batters on groundouts.

The Raiders tallied three runs with two outs in the fourth to forge a 6-all tie.

Lynch relieved Koch with runners on first and second and one out.

Senior Cody Bible spanked a single into left and Penn left fielder Vargo threw out Pratt (who was hit by a Koch pitch) at the plate for the second out.

Logan followed with a two-run double to the fence in left. Knepp (who

walked) and Bible scored on the two-bagger off Lynch.

Troyer’s single to center drove in Logan with Northridge’s sixth run.

The Kingsmen produced five runs in the third to assume a 6-3 lead.

Berg lashed a triple to right-center and scored on a Raider error on a ball struck by Vargo.

Lynch cracked a single into left that plated Vargo with the tying run.

Senior Payton Kerr hit a long single to right and after a series of runners going back and forth, Boynton crossed the plate with the go-ahead run.

After Nickell replaced Trick on the mound for Northridge and struck out the first batter he faced, Szynski lashed a one-out single to right to drive in Lynch and Kerr.

A Raider double play — line drive caught by shortstop Bible and throw to first baseman Hooley Northridge took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the second.

Enfield stroked a lead-off single to left and Pratt slugged an opposite-field two-run home run over the left field fence. The blast came on a 2-2 delivery from Koch.

Penn scored one run without a hit in the bottom of the first for a 1-1 tie.

Vargo drew a lead-off walk, got out of a rundown on a pick-off attempt and then stole second base and moved to third base on a wild pitch.

With one out, Lynch walked on a wild pitch Vargo scored the tying run on the play.

The Raiders scored the game’s first run in the top of the first.

Lead-off man Knepp walked, moved to second base on a groundout and third base on a wild pitch.

Logan’s one-out single to left-center plated Knepp.

Bible, Hooley, Trick, Troyer, Aiden Driver and Garrett Rodino were the seniors on the Northridge sectional roster.

On Memorial Day, Pat Marvel sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” before the game and Paul Holoway performed “God Bless America” between the third and fourth innings.

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