INDIANAPOLIS — Tyler Peller helped give Andrean a chance.
The junior right fielder dropped a double the opposite way to left field to cut Silver Creek’s lead to one run during the sixth inning of the Class 3A state championship game at Victory Field on Friday night.
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It was part of Peller’s 3-for-3 performance. He had two doubles and two RBIs.
“I just was in the cages a lot this week trying to get dialed in for the biggest game of my life,” he said. “I was seeing the ball really well. I just didn’t let the pressure get to me. I was focused on the ball on every pitch.”
The 59ers couldn’t get over the hump in a 4-2 loss. But for Peller, who transferred from Lake Central, it was a memorable experience — albeit one he doesn’t want to repeat.
“I hate losing more than anything,” he said. “I hate losing more than I love winning. I never want to feel this ever again. Next year, I want to do it for the guys who played this year, all the seniors, because this is my first year here and they’re really great role models. They taught me what Andrean baseball really means.
“But I know we fought hard, and sometimes it just doesn’t go your way. We prepared for this the whole season, and it just sucks. I love these guys like brothers.”
Andrean (28-7-1) has won eight titles, all under coach Dave Pishkur, tied for the most in the state with LaPorte and Lafayette Central Catholic before the other finals Saturday. The 59ers had won their last eight appearances in championship games, with their lone previous runner-up finish coming in 2004 in their initial one.
“They deserved to win,” Pishkur said of the Dragons. “We did not deserve to win. … Execution-wise, they deserved to win.
“It’s unfortunate. You don’t want to lose in the state championship game. But this is a team that probably didn’t belong here. This isn’t a vintage Andrean baseball team. But credit the seniors for their perseverance. … I’m so proud of those guys.”
One of those seniors, Garrett Benko, also helped give Andrean a chance. With the Dragons (26-7) leading 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, the senior right-hander escaped a bases-loaded jam with no outs, a scenario Peller described as “electric.”
“I wasn’t even thinking about the runners on,” Benko said. “I had to go after every batter, every pitch, with the best I had.
“In the stands, in the dugout, the momentum switched over to us. I really thought we were going to get it done. But they played hard, they didn’t make mistakes and they came out on top.”
Andrean seemed to maintain that momentum in the top of the sixth. Blake Kouder drew a leadoff walk, and Notre Dame commit Mason Barth reached on an error to put runners on the corners with one out. That’s when Peller delivered his run-scoring double to make it 3-2.
But despite having runners on second and third with one out, Andrean couldn’t get another one home, ultimately leaving the bases loaded before Silver Creek added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.
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The 59ers, whose Antonio Barnes received the Mental Attitude Award, also hit into three double plays in the game.
“Joe’s a really good guy,” Pishkur said of Silver Creek coach Joe Decker. “I’m not happy that he won. But I’m happy for him. He’s calling it quits after this year. What a great way to go out, calling it quits and winning a state championship.
“Credit to our guys for battling all year and getting here. And credit that team. They played well. They made the plays.”
The 59ers scored the opening run in the first on Peller’s infield hit after Moises Vazquez started the game with a double.
Benko, a St. Xavier commit, allowed two runs on five hits in four innings in relief of Ivan Mastalski.
“The odd part about our postseason, every guy who started struggled and every guy who we brought in in relief pitched well,” Pishkur said. “It happened in the sectional, it happened in the semistate, it happened in the state. Our starter didn’t have it, and our reliever was lights-out.
“Ivan is a better pitcher. Benko has better stuff. When you get a report and you know how to pitch guys, you want somebody who can throw to their weaknesses. He didn’t do it for two innings. He was up in the zone, missing his spots. They weren’t missing barrels. So this time we had to go with the guy with the stuff. He did well.”
Benko tried to keep the result in perspective.
“It’s a big deal to come here,” he said. “It’s amazing. The boys battled all year. In the end, we were here. It didn’t end the way we wanted to, but we were here.”