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Taylor Glaze pitched his way out of a fifth inning, second-and-third, one-out jam – it just took him more than two hours to do so. Glaze and the Lafayette Central Catholic Knights survived a lengthy rain delay to knock off the Tecumseh Braves, 4-2, Friday night at Victory Field in Indianapolis, and win their second consecutive state championship.

Austin Munn’s fourth-inning single turned out to be the game-winner for the Knights (27-7), as it plated two runs and gave Tim Bordenet’s team a 4-1 lead that it never relinquished. The hit, one of two on the night for Munn, was a rare one for the Knights with runners on base, as the team stranded at least 1 runner in every inning and 14 total in the game.

Glaze was sparkling on the mound on both sides of the rain delay. The senior gave up just 6 hits and 3 walks in the complete game; one of the two runs he surrendered was earned, and 2 of his 6 strikeouts came with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth after play resumed.

It was the fourth Class A baseball state championship in the last seven years for the Knights, who defeated Vincennes Rivet 14-1 in the 2009 title game. Glaze was also the winning pitcher in last year’s game.

Starting pitcher Adam Westerman took the loss for the Braves (22-11), as he gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in 2 2/3 innings. Reliever Alex Oliver kept the game close by giving up just 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks over the final 4 1/3 innings. Logan Greenwell and Adam Westerman led Tecumseh at the plate; both players notched two hits, and Greenwell scored on a Reed Drysdale error in the third inning.

Dave Duncan’s Tecumseh team, which won the state title in 2003, was making its fourth appearance in the state finals.

ADAM WESTERMAN OF TECUMSEH NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD RECIPIENT
Following the game, Tecumseh High School’s Adam Westerman was named the winner of the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award for Class A Baseball by the IHSAA Executive Committee.

The award is annually presented to an outstanding senior participant in each state championship game who has best demonstrated excellence in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in baseball. The award is named in honor of the late L.V. Phillips, who served as the second commissioner of the IHSAA from 1945-62.

Westerman graduated fifth in his senior class of 82 students, served as class president and was a member of the Chemistry Club, Future Farmers of America, the Academic Team and the National Honor Society.

In four years of varsity baseball, he maintained a career batting average of .410. This season, he held a 6-1 record and 2.83 ERA as a pitcher. Westerman also played basketball and tennis all four years.

He is the son of Scott and Amy Westerman of Tennyson, Ind.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the proud corporate partner of all IHSAA state tournaments, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Tecumseh High School in the name of Westerman.