State runner-up Tecumseh baseball is motivated everyone will return for another season
INDIANAPOLIS — It would have been easy for Ted Thompson to only think short-term in the moment.
The Tecumseh High School baseball team had just wrapped a frustrating Saturday afternoon at Victory Field. Defensive miscues turned into runs. Offensive opportunities weren't cashed in when needed.
But instead of focusing on the final result, Tecumseh's head coach wanted to think bigger picture. He reflected on what this team accomplished. A team whose veterans, so to speak, were juniors with just two years of varsity experience.
Sure, the final tally on the scoreboard didn't say what the Braves wanted to see. But reaching this point was no small task. Thompson wanted them to realize that.
Tecumseh baseball: Conner Anglin has been a dynamic weapon all season
No. 3 Lafayette Central Catholic defeated Tecumseh 4-1 to claim the IHSAA Class A baseball state title. With the win, the Knights tied Andrean and LaPorte for the most state championships all-time with eight.
"You want to win so bad, but then you realize, 'I have 16-year-olds and even some 14-year-olds playing on a (field) that holds 3,000 people,'" Thompson said. "This season has been wonderful. It really has been. I'm just proud of them, we battled all day long against a really good team."
Tecumseh (19-13) limited its mistakes all season. That was one of the primary reasons it was one of eight teams to play at state. Unfortunately for the Braves, however, errors happened at the worst possible time.
A misplayed bunt in the first inning allowed the Knights to score. A throwing error brought home another for Lafayette Central Catholic in the fourth. Defensive miscues prevented Tecumseh from ever fully gaining momentum.
"It just came down to a few things on the defensive side," Thompson said. "We just didn’t execute a couple of defensive plays and that exposed the whole game."
Tecumseh still remained in the game. In the fourth inning, the Braves got on the board on a hard-hit ball from Drew DuPont and suddenly had the bases loaded with just one out and a 2-1 deficit.
Except, they couldn't find a way to break through. A strikeout and flyout ended the inning. The Braves had two players reach base in the fifth and sixth inning but couldn't advance them.
"That was the turning point of the game in my opinion," said junior pitcher Dax Bailey. "If we get those in, it's a whole different ball game."
Facing a 2-0 deficit during a regular-season game isn't that stressful of a situation. But with a state title on the line, it would have been easy for Tecumseh to let things snowball. The Braves kept battling. They found ways to put runners on base.
That determination and fight are what helped them get to this point.
"We made a mistake, they got runs off of it, but we kept on fighting," Thompson said. "They didn't give in. I'm proud of that."
Tecumseh's juniors stepped up and showed their leadership when needed. Conner Anglin went 3-for-3 in the leadoff position. Bailey notched the other two hits and pitched a complete game on the mound, striking out six and allowing six hits.
Last year, these juniors were practically freshmen after seeing their first year shelved because of COVID. They were thrown into the fire immediately. It has paid dividends as they keep gaining experience.
"That's the junior leadership we've had all year long. They've helped the younger guys understand how you have to play at this level," Thompson said. "You just hope that they learn from this experience and keep working all summer long."
It's rare to see a team bring back its entire lineup. But that's exactly what Tecumseh will do next season. The Braves' started a total of five juniors (Anglin, Bailey, Drew DuPont, Chase Jones, Brody Julian), one sophomore (DJ DuPont) and four freshmen (Wyatt Huddleston, Mason Gogel, Braydon Long, Thomas Pemberton).
As bad as this loss stings, it can be used as motivation. Not many get the chance to play for a state championship. The number of those that get an opportunity to experience that twice is extremely slim.
They know it won't be easy, but it certainly is possible with the amount of talent and experience the Braves posses.
"I think the fact that we’re all coming back gives us some confidence," Anglin said. "We want to come back next year and get the blue ribbon."
Contact Courier & Press sports reporter Hendrix Magley via email at hendrix.magley@courierpress.com or via Twitter @TweetsOfHendrix.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA baseball: Tecumseh falls to Lafayette Central Catholic at state
