Members of the Trinity Lutheran baseball team celebrate the championship of the Shawe Memorial Sectional title Monday afternoon. The Cougars won 8-2 for their first sectional title since 2019.
Submitted Photo
Trinity’s Jackson Trueblood releases a pitch during Monday’s game. He had 11 strike outs in the Cougars’ 8-2 win.
Arv Koontz | The Tribune
Trinity Lutheran’s Peyton Pollert follows through on his two-run single in the fifth inning of Monday’s win at Shawe Memorial. Pollert had two hit s and three RBIs to help Trinity win 8-2.
Arv Koontz | The Tribune
Trinity’s Chade Bode (28), Jackson Trueblood (6) and Peyton Pollert (5) head toward the dugout after a play at the plate in the fifth inning of Monday’s game. They combined for five hits, five RBIs and three runs.
Arv Koontz | The Tribune
Trinity’s Nathan Finke squares around to bunt during Monday’s game. Finke had a hit and a walk in the 8-2 win.
Arv Koontz | The Tribune
MADISON — Coach Ben Kleber says if his Trinity Lutheran baseball team continues to hit the ball like it did in the Shawe Memorial Sectional it could go a long way in the tournament.
Monday afternoon the Cougars pounded out 10 hits to whip Shawe 8-2 on the Hilltoppers’ diamond. Trinity advanced in the sectional by defeating Rising Sun 9-7, and Henryville 12-0.
“We put six runs across in the fifth and kind of put some pressure on them and made them do some stuff and they got out of sorts and started throwing the ball around,” Kleber said. “That’s what we’ve been doing all tournament. We wanted to keep that up.”
Trinity’s last baseball sectional title came in 2019, in Kleber’s first year as head coach of the Cougars. Trinity will prepare to face South Central on Saturday in the Mitchell Regional at 3 p.m.
Both teams started out with shaky defense in the first inning to give the other team two runs.
The Hilltoppers bunched three hits, a walk and two Trinity errors to score twice in the top of the first.
“They came out aggressive, hitting the baseball and attacking Jackson (Trueblood),” Kleber said. “I thought it was nice for him to settle down and limit them to two, and then just cruise after that. He did a really good job. I’m really proud of him.”
Trueblood allowed Shawe six hits, three by Jacob Hertz. Trueblood had 11 strike outs and he walked two.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Nathan Finke singled and was replaced by courtesy runner John Harris. Drake Goodpaster was safe on an error. With two outs, Peyton Pollert singled to drive in Harris.
When Shawe tried to make a play on a runner at second, Goodpaster raced home to tie the score.
Both pitcher, Trinity’s Jackson Trueblood and Hertz settled down and recorded zeros over the next three innings.
Trueblood led off the fifth by reaching first base on an error and Finke followed with a walk and was replaced by Harris. Goodpaster hit into a fielder’s choice, but the Hilltoppers were unable to get an out at second base.
Pollert and Chase Bode followed with two-run singles to break the game open, and Blaine Wehmiller singled to add an insurance run, so the Cougars sent 10 batters to the plate and three hits, a walk and took advantage of two Shawe errors to put together one of their best innings of the season.
Pollert and Bode both said they were looking for a pitch in the strike zone that they could hit into the outfield.
Pollert said, “I was just looking for a strike, just put it in play. That was my thought, just stay calm, cool and collected. If you put it into play good things will happen.
“We had only batted around just a couple times during the season. We were very due today. Everything kind of went our way in the fifth.”
“It feels awesome. It’s a long time coming. The hard work finally paid off. We’ve come around. We’re hitting the ball again and everything is finally paying off. Everybody contributed and that is how you win games.”
Bode said, “I just wanted to put the ball in play, try to stay on it, take my time, take a deep breath, focus, forget what happened before.
“We’ve started to pick up the pace, put some hits together, and not leave so many people on base. It was a good team effort.”
Pollert, Bode and Bode Brooks had two hits apiece, Pollert had three RBIs and Chase Bode had two, and Harris and Goodpaster both scored two runs.
Kleber said, “We’re 15-11 after a 1-9 start so you know they turned it around. All the credit to our coaching staff, and the boys, JV and varsity. All year, it didn’t matter what was going on, we were always locked in, we were always trying to get better every day at practice, and every game we played.
“We realized what the ultimate goal was, and I couldn’t be prouder of them for accomplishing it today. The offense is doing well, and it seems like they are seeing the ball. They are battling with two strikes.
“That’s all we talked about all year. Those first two are yours, and that last one is a team strike. They’ve bought into that and shortened up and have tried to put the ball in play and help the team.”
Shawe Memorial Sectional — Championship
Trinity Lutheran 8, Shawe Memorial 2
Trinity hits: 2-Peyton Pollert, Chase Bode, Bode Brooks, 1-Jackson Trueblood, Nathan Finke, Drake Goodpaster, Blaine Wehmiller; 2B- Drake Goodpaster; RBIs-Pollert 3, Bode 2, Wehmiller 1; runs- 2-John Harris, Goodpaster, 1-Trueblood, Pollert, Bode, Wehmiller
Trinity pitching- Trueblood 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 11 K, 2 BB
All-Sectional Team
Trinity Lutheran: Nathan Finke, Peyton Pollert, Jackson Trueblood, Drake Goodpaster
Shawe Memorial: Philip Kahn, Tyler Hill, Jacob Hertz, Ryker Brooks
New Washington: Paul Giltner, Easton Nichols, Darius Lang
Henryville: Hayden Barbour, Brody White, Duston O’Bannon
Crothersville: Lucas Hilton, Logen O’Sullivan
Rising Sun: Luke Kaiser, DJ Williams