Chase Miller comes up big as Glenn topples Western 3-2
GRIFFITH, Ind. — Chase Miller’s late-season surge continues.
Glenn’s sophomore right fielder and No. 9 hitter delivered a two-run, two-out single off towering left-hander Mitchell Dean, and the Falcons held on for a 3-2 win Saturday over Western High School in the Class 3A regional semifinal at Panther Park.
The 5-foot-7 Miller, giving up a full foot in height to Dean, also singled and scored in the fifth for a key insurance run as No. 7 Glenn (30-2) upended the second-ranked Panthers (25-3) to move into Saturday night’s regional final.
“I knew it was a big at-bat for us,” Miller said of his second-inning hit that wiped out an early 1-0 deficit. “I knew we were going to need it in the long run and it was going to be a close game. All week we were talking about quality at-bats, getting the hits when needed and just trusting your bat speed.
This was Miller’s first look at Dean, a junior who has committed to Louisville, but the scrappy right-handed hitter quickly timed up Dean’s 90-mph fastball.
“Once I see it one or two times, it’s easy to get that timing down and just be ready to pounce on it right when it’s there,” Miller said.
Glenn coach John Nadolny chuckled when asked about the height differential in the Miller-Dean matchup.
“David vs. Goliath on that all the way,” Nadolny said. “He’s come up clutch for us. He’s been really hot here the last two weeks. He’s just progressively gotten better.”
Hitting around .150 at midseason, Miller came through with the bases loaded in the sectional final win over Hanover Central as well.
Miller also ran down a wind-blown fly ball to the warning track to start the seventh. That proved vital when Western mounted a two-out rally off tiring sophomore starter Joe Chrapliwy.
“The balls here were carrying pretty good,” Miller said. “Once I saw it off the bat, I knew I had to get going and turn on the burners.”
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Chrapliwy, who retired 10 straight Panthers before giving up a two-out triple in the seventh, was lifted after giving up a run-scoring single on his 114th pitch. Brycen Hannah came on to induce three ground balls, the last of which resulted in the 21st and final out.
“I was proud of him; he worked hard,” senior catcher Nathan Marshman said of Chrapliwy. “I thought he could’ve finished it, but I’m glad we had someone else that came in and was able to.”
It took Chrapliwy 26 pitches to get through the first inning, but he found his fastball location and the feel for his curve after that. He struck out four and was able to scatter four hits and five walks to get the win.
“They’re a big pull-hitting team,” said Marshman, a Bethel signee. “If he threw an outside pitch, there was a good chance they were going to ground out.”
Nursing a one-run lead with two down in the fourth, Marshman blocked a first-pitch curve in the dirt with the tying run on third. Western’s leadoff hitter flied out to right on the next pitch.
“When I came in freshman year, I couldn’t block a single ball,” Marshman said. “The entire time it’s all been about learning, getting myself better. I think I’m well prepared this year to have confidence like that.”
Marshman also dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt in the middle of the two-run second, and his hustle up the line caused a stumbling Dean to make an errant throw past first.
Follow Mike Berardino on Twitter @MikeBerardino
REGIONAL 3A BASEBALL SEMIFINAL
GLENN 3, WESTERN 2
At Panther Park, Griffith High School
Western 100 | 000 | 1 – 2 5 1
Glenn 020 | 010 | x – 3 4 1
Western – Mitchell Dean (LP), Christian Pownall (5) and Austin Watkins. Glenn – Joe Chrapliwy (WP), Brycen Hannah (7) and Nathan Marshman.
3B – Lupoi (W).
Records: Glenn 30-2, Western 25-3.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Chase Miller comes up big for Glenn baseball in 3-2 win over Western
