LAPORTE — Before Penn High School could eliminate the defending IHSAA Class 4A state baseball champions from Valparaiso, the Kingsmen had to wait out a 57-minute, in-game lightning delay under clear blue skies at Schreiber Field.
“Our coaches told us to keep our minds on the game and not just go around doing stupid stuff,” sophomore center fielder Mason Biernacki said after this 8-4 regional win on Saturday, June 6.
With struggling Penn ace Cayden Stockbridge clinging to a two-run lead with the tying runs on base and nobody out, there was plenty to discuss. So, what did the Kingsmen chat about in the shade of the third-base dugout?
“Just random stuff,” Biernacki said with a grin. “You know, teenager-type conversation.”
Fort Wayne Snider (15-10) is up next at semi-state for seventh-ranked Penn (24-6) after taking down Huntington North 4-3 in nine innings on Saturday. The game site and time has yet to be announced.
This marks the first trip to semi-state for coach Greg Dikos’ perennial powerhouse since 2023, when Penn went back-to-back as state champions.
It was fitting that Biernacki, who reached safely in all four trips on Saturday, stepped forward to accept the region title trophy when it was presented at home plate. His two-run double opened the scoring in the first inning and his bunt single keyed a three-run rally for some much-needed breathing room in the seventh.
He also recorded the final two outs of the game after fellow sophomore Bentley Baird ran into some trouble in the seventh.
In between, Biernacki walked twice, stole a base and threw out a Valparaiso baserunner at third to end the fifth with a double play on a routine fly ball.
“You live for those moments as an outfielder: a guy trying to tag up on you,” Biernacki said. “You just have to make a play when you’re given the opportunity.”
Biernacki, one of three sophomores who figured prominently in Saturday’s win, makes more than his share.
Dikos calls his No. 3 hitter “a gamer” and a “good, heady ballplayer,” one who regularly flashes advanced “baseball aptitude” despite his relative inexperience.
“When he’s on, it’s incredible,” Dikos said. “He has single-handedly taken over games. I don’t want to put any extra pressure on him, but when he’s on, we’re tough to beat.”
Penn feels fortunate after issuing nine walks
This highly anticipated showdown between the owners of three of the past four state 4A titles was oddly sloppy for much of the afternoon.
The Vikings (23-8) committed three errors in the field and went 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. All three errors led directly to runs for the visitors, including a pair of miscues in the top of the third after Valparaiso had tied the game at 2.
Four Penn pitchers, meanwhile, combined to issue nine walks and hit two batters. Stockbridge was pulled at 88 pitches after giving up a game-tying single with one down in the fourth.
“Nothing more exhausting than when your pitchers have trouble finding that strike zone and are just giving up the free passes,” Dikos said. “We have to feel very fortunate only allowing four runs.”
Penn went hitless for 26 straight plate appearances in between Biernacki knocks in the first and the seventh. Valparaiso junior righthander Lucas Haas proved difficult to solve after entering in relief to open the third.
Ten straight trips with runners in scoring position went down as failures, but two of those plated runs when Yoti Limberopoulos and Ben Dhaemers chopped two-out grounders under the gloves of the Viking infielders.
“We told them it’s not the great play that’s going to win,” Dikos said. “It’s that routine play — making the routine play time and time again.”
He smiled.
“And the pitcher throwing strikes,” he said. “The pitcher has to be able to throw strikes. That will be a topic of discussion for sure. We just have to toughen up and bear down and challenge people more.”
They’ll get another chance to do just that next weekend at semi-state.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn baseball works around obstacles in IHSAA regional 4A win
