Tough schedule prepared Tecumseh baseball for Class A postseason run to semistate
LYNNVILLE, Ind. — Chase Jones had a hunch this was going to be a special year.
The junior sensed it from the first day of training for the Tecumseh baseball team. Not one person missed the voluntary workout. Each player was determined to improve.
They didn't want to experience the same disappointment they felt after losing in the regional semifinal last year. Confidence was blossoming months before the first pitch was even thrown.
It was time for the Braves to make a statement across Southwestern Indiana.
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"We set our expectations and we still have something to prove," Jones said. "That's been our mindset this whole year."
Tecumseh (18-12) will battle Shakamak (16-13) in the Class A semistate on Saturday at noon at Jasper's Alvin C. Ruxer Field. The Braves seek their fourth state championship appearance overall and first since 2010.
Here's how a special season has unfolded in Lynnville.
Talented junior class has matured quickly
With no seniors on the roster, the Braves' junior class has taken the reins of being captains on the field and good examples for younger players.
"Being a coach to those guys is a big thing," junior Conner Anglin said. "We've realized how good we can be if we all come together as a team. It's helped us go far like we are right now."
Last year was practically his freshman season considering his first baseball season was shelved because of COVID-19. He was then thrown into the fire as an everyday starter as a sophomore. Now, he's one of the team leaders.
Anglin has become one of the best all-around players in the area both with his hitting (.476, 25 RBI) and pitching (5-2, 1.13 ERA). The lineup is filled with talented juniors such as Brody Julian (.378), Drew DuPont (26 RBI; 5-1, 47 strikeouts) and Dax Bailey (24 RBI).
But Tecumseh's underclassmen have played just as much of a role in getting the Braves here as the upperclassmen. Sophomore DJ DuPont and freshmen Mason Gogel, Wyatt Huddleston, Braydon Long and Thomas Pemberton have all become everyday starters.
"As the season really got into the season, these guys understood what we really trained for," said Tecumseh coach Ted Thompson. "They've really grown up and I think that goes for all of our team. I've tried to each one of these guys about what it means to be a leader."
Gauntlet schedule pays dividends
Thompson knows that Tecumseh's record isn't going to blow anyone away. They enter Saturday's semistate at 18-12 overall. But he's also aware of how rare it is for a Class A school to play a schedule as tough as the braves.
Some of Tecumseh's losses include strong SIAC teams, such as Memorial and North, as well as defending Pocket Athletic Conference and regional finalist Forest Park. The Braves didn't even surpass the .500 mark until May 10.
"Someone at the A level may look at our wins and losses record and think we’re not that good," Thompson said. "Whether we win or lose, we're competitive. That's what's important to me. As far as preparation for the tournament, you can't get any better than that."
Yet, against teams in their class, Tecumseh is 9-0. Other than a back-and-forth 9-8 extra-inning battle with Northeast Dubois in the sectional opener, the Braves have cruised through the postseason. Since then, they haven't allowed more than two runs and have won two games by mercy rule.
The players look forward to those tough games during the regular season. From tough non-conference battles to the gauntlet that is the PAC, every game on their schedule has been a challenge. They believe that was a major factor in advancing this far.
"Nobody else in 1A plays the schedule that we do. We have the hardest schedule by far," Anglin said. "We feel like we have a target on our back because we see a lot of the best pitchers. When we get to the tournament, we're already prepared to see that."
Brody Julian added: "It's helped us with handling adversity and other bad situations."
Bring home more hardware to Lynnville
It's already been a banner year for Tecumseh High School.
The girls basketball team won its first state championship this past winter. The softball team will be playing for its fourth state title this Friday. Even in individual sports such as track and field, the Braves have sent multiple athletes to the state tournament.
While the baseball team has made it to the state championship game three times in the past, this group is eager to create its own tradition and become another dominant program at Tecumseh moving forward.
"It's a hidden gem. Nobody really knows about it but there are great facilities and a great tradition here," Thompson said. "When I came here, I wanted to kind of revitalize the tradition. Our purpose isn't just to be here and exist, our purpose is to be competitive."
Anglin added: "Coach Thompson has been talking for years about how he wants to be at Victory Field. We've had that date locked in since the beginning of the season. That's all we want."
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 Braves seek first state berth since 2010
