NEW ALBANY — It was business as usual for Josh Rogers on Saturday night at Mount Tabor Field.

The junior left-hander pitched a five-hit shutout to lead Class 4A No. 5 New Albany to a 4-0 victory over Class 3A No. 6 Corydon in the Stan Sajko Invitational championship game. The Bulldogs won their own invitational for the 20th time in program history. It was their ninth Sajko Invitational title in a row.

Rogers tied his season-high in strikeouts with 15, with 12 Panthers going down swinging. The southpaw hit one batter and issued no walks, as he stayed undefeated on the season with a 9-0 record.

“I don’t think he was particularly good the first three innings. But once he got to the third, he settled into a nice groove,” New Albany head coach Chris McIntyre said. “His velocity picked up as the game went on.”

Rogers probably threw his hardest in the final innings of the contest. He struck out the side in each of the final four innings, and his pitches were popping New Albany catcher Garrett Sherrell’s mitt the loudest in the seventh inning.

“I started using my legs a little more in the last few innings,” said Rogers, who has made a verbal commitment to play his college ball at the University of Louisville. “I felt really good. I felt that my velocity picked up. They did a great job battling. They choked up and got around on my pitches quicker.”

Rogers complimented the defense behind him, which committed no errors. But Rogers made it easy for his fielders, as the Bulldogs fielded only four groundouts and caught two fly outs.

“I think we are playing better and our defense has played well all year,” Rogers said. “It’s a good feeling when you have a defense that will back you up like that.”

New Albany (25-3) scored in a variety of ways against the Panthers (19-5).

The Bulldogs’ first run came in the bottom of the first when Corydon starting pitcher Mitch Akers made a balk, plating New Albany’s Tucker Marcum. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 2-0 later in the frame when Zach Worrall came home on a Logan Striegel groundout.

After a leadoff double by New Albany’s Clayton Poff in the bottom of the fourth, he scored on a two-out single by Marcum to up the advantage to 3-0. The Bulldogs’ final run came in the fifth. U of L signee Jordan Striegel smacked a leadoff triple to the right-field corner. Then with one out, he charged home when Logan Striegel, his cousin, executed a suicide squeeze.

New Albany wound up with six hits, with Marcum being the Bulldogs’ only multihit player with a 2-for-4 outing.

“I don’t think we hit the ball particularly bad. Overall, I thought we swung the bats pretty decent,” McIntyre said. “We were a hit or two away from making this a seven- or eight-run game.”

After their regular-season finale at Henryville on Monday, the Bulldogs will face Seymour in the second semifinal of the Class 4A Jeffersonville Sectional at about 12:30 p.m. on Monday, May 28.

“There are four teams who have a legitimate shot to win our sectional,” McIntyre said.



CONSOLATION GAME

• Pioneers fall to North Harrison: Providence settled for fourth place in the Sajko Invitational by losing to Class 3A No. 5 North Harrison in the consolation game, 10-2.

The Pioneers (12-12) collected six hits in the tournament, with five coming against the Cougars (20-4). On Saturday, Providence’s Justin Starr, Nick Campbell and Jon Davis each had a double, while teammates Ben Shahroudi and Tyler Simms had a base hit apiece.

Pioneer starter Ryan Mueller suffered the loss, giving up five runs (all earned) on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Providence will host Crawford County in the first round of the Class 2A Providence Sectional at about 7 p.m. on Wednesday.



STAN SAJKO INVITATIONAL

CHAMPIONSHIP

CORYDON    000 000 0—0 5 0

NEW ALBANY    200 110 x—4 6 0

    W — Rogers (9-0). L — Akers. 2B — Poff (NA). 3B — J. Striegel (NA).

    Records — New Albany 25-3, Corydon 19-5.



PROVIDENCE    002 000 0— 2 5 2

N. HARRISON    050 050 x—10 9 2

    W — Murphy. L — Mueller (0-1). 2B — Cox (NH), Starr (P), Campbell (P), Davis (P).

    Records — Providence 12-12, North Harrison 20-4.