By Michael Moreci

INDIANPOLIS - It was a day of records for Fort Wayne Luers. Senior designated hitter Issac Baker tied a 2A record for hits in a game with four. As a team, the Knights broke the 2A record for runs scored in a championship game with 14. They also broke the record for most runs in an inning. Oh, yeah: Fort Wayne also won its first ever state title, defeating Elwood, 14-8. (And for those counting at home, that makes three titles this school year for Fort Wayne Luers: baseball, baseketball, and football—another record).

“I’m really proud to say I was part of this team,” Baker said.
 
With two solid pitchers on the mound in Elwood’s senior Nate Wills (10-2 with a 1.31 ERA, 98 strikeouts in 80 innings) and Luers’ senior Kevin Kiermaier (10-1 with a 1.57 ERA, 89 strikeouts in 74 innigs), there were notions of a pitchers duel. But the way these teams have been hitting as of late, those notions were quickly tossed out the window.

“I knew offensively we were going to be okay,” coach Gary Rogers said. “We’ve been hitting the ball pretty good for a couple of weeks now.”

Coming into the championship game, the Knights had never been shutout in a game. In the state tournament, the Panthers have averaged 10 runs per game (they also hadn’t lost since May 7, making them the tournament’s hottest team). Both sides wasted no time getting on the board, going tit-for-tat with two runs apiece in the first inning.

Senior outfielder Tyler Bunn drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single. He was followed with another RBI single by senior outfielder Daniel Peppler. The hit from Bunn was one of four on the game—good enough to tie a 2A record.

The Panthers answered right back on an RBI double junior infielder Kevin Worsley and an RBI single by senior catcher Troy Worsley.

With a 4-3 in the fifth, things got wild for Luers. After an error and a hit batsman, Tyler Bunn came in and drove in the first of six Knight runs on the inning. Two batters later, senior Chuck Andrews, who entered the game hitting .185, drove in two runs with a single. After another error, junior outfielder Tyquan Hammock blew the game wide open with a two-run triple to right field. Hammock went 2-for-4 on the game with a double, triple, and two RBIs.

Up 10-4, the Knights weren’t finished. They tacked on four more runs in the sixth. Tyler Watts, who entered the game hitting .789 in the tournament, scored his fourth on of the game on a Peppler single. Andrews brought home a run on a sacrifice fly and senior infielder Dan Wyss plated two with a single to center. Luers’ 7-8-9 hitters combined for seven RBIs and four hits.

Elwood attempted to start a rally in the sixth when senior designated hitter Darren Jones led off the inning with a towering solo home run to right. Kevin Worsley drove in his second run of the game to cut the Luers lead to six at 14-8, but senior Joe Crouch, who came on in relief, shut the door on the Panther’s comeback attempt.  

Now that the Knights have completed the championship tri-fecta, there’ll be no need to hide when walking down the hallway, according to Rogers.

“I can definitely hold my head high now,” Rogers said. “I can’t wait to see that banner up in the gym.”

Game Notes: Nathaniel Wills received the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award. Elwood and Luers combined to set a new 2A record with 22 runs and 20 RBIs.