INDIANAPOLIS — There was something of a debate about whether senior Steven Hernandez or his twin brother, James, would start on the mound for Washington Township in the Class A state championship game.
Steven Hernandez got the nod Monday — their birthday — and he delivered.
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The left-hander tossed a one-hitter as the Senators topped Shakamak 6-0 at Victory Field, securing the first state championship in school history.
“That guy has no quit in him, his heart,” Washington Township coach Randy Roberts said. “Any coach who has a kid with that tiger in him, that wolverine, he’s a lucky coach.
“I had a huge struggle whether to start Steven or James. They both wanted the ball. Their dad texted me it was World War III over at the house. When you’re playing the biggest game of your life and you want the ball that badly, I went with Steven and told James you have the best of both worlds: ‘Either Steven will take it all the way, or you’ll come in and bring it home.'”
Steven Hernandez wound up taking it all the way for Washington Township (27-7). He struck out four and walked one. He also added another pickoff, removing a runner who reached on one of the Senators’ three errors. At the plate, he walked three times and scored two runs.
Shakamak (19-10) recorded its lone hit when Oscar Pegg rolled a single to right field with two outs in the sixth.
Steven Hernandez said he succeeded by throwing off-speed pitches, especially his curveball, early in counts.
“Roberts actually told me he was leaning toward my brother,” he said. “I figured I would be starting. I threw a lot of the big games.”
James Hernandez, who warmed up, thought he might pitch the seventh after the no-hit bid ended. But he certainly was fine with the turn of events.
“I was ready to come in, but he deserved to close it out,” James Hernandez said.
He helped Washington Township get started, driving in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly to left in the fifth. He also singled and stole a base in each of his first two at-bats.
“I started with an 0-2 count, so I knew I had to choke up and widen my stance a little bit for the outside fastball,” James Hernandez said of his sacrifice fly. “And he dropped the outside fastball, and I took it to left field.”
In the fifth, underscoring Washington Township’s ability to manufacture runs, senior Layne Matson was hit by a pitch with one out, stole second and moved to third when the throw went into center field. He also singled and stole a base in the third.
Washington Township broke open the game with three runs in the sixth, highlighted by sophomore James Kirk’s two-run double to left. The Senators batted around in the inning.
Kirk had the game’s only extra-base hit.
“My mindset was I’m not striking out,” Kirk said. “That’s the only thing I’m trying to do — you can’t strike out in that situation — just put the ball in play. He threw it right down the middle.”
Washington Township added two runs in the seventh on senior Logan Curran’s single to center, putting the finishing touches on a journey that included a 4-1 loss to University in the Class A state final in 2019.
“It sucked, but we knew we’d come back,” James Hernandez said. “We did what we wanted to do.”
Steven Hernandez noted he and his brother essentially were the only two players who experienced that run, so this team was new.
“It’s awesome,” Steven Hernandez said. “We didn’t have last year, and we could’ve been here three in a row — I don’t know.
“Losing that sophomore year was tough, but we wanted to get back here. It takes a special group of guys to win a state championship, and that’s what we have.”
The Hernandez brothers catalyzed that push.
“Two years ago, they made up their minds they were coming back,” Roberts said. “Everyone wants to say they want to get back. But they had a resolve that I don’t think there ever was a doubt in their minds we were coming back. It could’ve easily not happened. But the fact is it happened. They refused to believe anything other than they were coming back.”
In his 25th season, Roberts was eager to share the glory of the breakthrough state title.
“I regret we didn’t do this a lot sooner,” he said. “Twenty-five years of boys who poured their heart and soul into the program just like these guys did — and the fans. So many people. It’s greater for the boys and the community and the fans than for me. I told them before, this is what you’re supposed to do. This is like graduating high school — you’re supposed to do it. I told them (Sunday) night, we were supposed to win this game.”
Notes: Washington Township senior right fielder Bretin Boettcher was named the Mental Attitude Award winner. … According to Indiana High School Athletic Association records, the Senators became the first team to win a state title without hitting a home run in their championship season.
Class A state championship game
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At Victory Field, Indianapolis
Washington Township 6, Shakamak 0
Washington Township 000 013 2 — 6 6 3
Shakamak 000 000 0 — 0 1 1
WP: Steven Hernandez 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO. LP: Peyton Yeryar 5-plus IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO. 2B: (WT) James Kirk.