a day ago
Notre Dame commit Caden Crowell wanted this for Valparaiso. Well, he earned it. ‘It's a dream I've had.'
Valparaiso senior left-hander Caden Crowell had been waiting for this day for more than a year.
Ever since Crown Point ended the Vikings' 2024 season in the first round of sectionals, the Notre Dame commit wanted another shot.
'I've had a countdown for this game since they bounced us out last year,' Crowell said. 'This one has been circled on my calendar for sure.'
Crowell made the most of his opportunity on Saturday, delivering a dominant two-way performance to lead Valparaiso to a 5-0 win over Crown Point in the Class 4A Griffith Regional championship game at the Steel Yard in Gary.
The Vikings' win secured their first regional title, and the history of the moment was not lost on Crowell.
'It's a dream I've had forever to win a regional and leave a legacy here,' he said. 'This was a huge win for us, but we've still got a couple more games to win.'
Crowell (5-0) went the distance for the Vikings (23-5), who were ranked No. 8 in the final 4A coaches poll and will play Fort Wayne Snider (24-6) in the semistate semifinals. He allowed just four hits and two walks and struck out 10 as he lowered his ERA to 0.34.
Crowell also helped his cause against the No. 3 Bulldogs (27-5) by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.
'He came in with the idea to dominate, and that's exactly what he did, either with a bat in his hand or the ball in his hand,' Valparaiso coach Todd Evans said.
Crowell's ERA is indicative of his season-long success on the mound, but he wasn't having as much luck at the plate through the first five games. He had one hit in his first 18 at-bats. The distance between his .056 average at that point and his .449 average last season weighed on his mind.
'Early in the year, I was putting too much pressure on myself because I hit a lot better last year,' Crowell said. 'But now I'm just kind of going out there, swinging the bat and having fun.'
Crowell raised his average to .350 with his three hits against Crown Point. That trio included a first-inning double to the wall in left. For Crowell, hitting to the opposite field was a specific point of emphasis in the offseason.
'I was working on getting more bat speed and hitting breaking balls the other way,' he said. 'He left me a change-up in the middle of the plate, and I hit it over the left fielder's head.'
Crowell's extra-base hit helped Valparaiso take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, continuing a trend of early run production.
'Right now, that just seems to be what we're doing,' Evans said. 'We're hitting the ball well early on in the game, and then our pitching staff and defense can shore it up.'
Crowell also doubled and scored in the third, providing more than enough cushion for him, according to Valparaiso senior catcher Max Reaume.
'Straight gas,' Reaume said of Crowell's pitching. 'He had a great day on the mound. His breaking stuff was in the zone, and he made them swing the bats. You can't ask for anything more as a catcher. He makes my life easy.'
Crowell's performance also makes life easier for Evans, who would like to see Crowell pitch a few more times before he goes to South Bend.
'Caden's going to be playing at the next level, and right now he's just trying to win every game possible before he has to do that,' Evans said. 'Hopefully, that's about three more games.'
