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Tecumseh, who defeated defending champion Whiting (3-1) in a marathon semifinal game on Friday that lasted a record-setting 17 innings and finished near 1:00 in the morning.   The Braves picked up where they left off less than twelve hours earlier and were crowned class A champions with a 4-1 victory over Indianapolis Lutheran on Saturday.

Tecumseh wasted no time as they plated 3 runs on 4 hits in the home half of the 1st inning. Two bunt singles by junior’s Teri Newmaster and Ali Nord, a double by senior Audra Sanders and single by fellow senior Megan Froman provided all the offense Tecumseh would need as Sanders scattered 4 hits struck out 8 Lutheran batters to improve her record to 22-4 on the year. Sanders set a state finals strikeout record by fanning 38 Whiting batters on Friday. Junior Morgan Lewis of Lutheran took the loss but had an impressive 7 strikeouts on the day. She ends the season with a record of 11-4.

The three-run, four-hit, first inning for Tecumseh tied a record for the most hits in a class A inning.  In 2005, Clinton Prairie had four hits in both the 3rd and 6th innings against North Daviess.

The Saints threatened in the 2nd inning with runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out, but Sanders would strike out the next 2 batters she faced. Lutheran’s lone run came in the 3rd when Lewis doubled to score sophomore Jensen Pritt who had singled up the middle and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Amanda Korb.

Tecumseh would add an additional run in the 4th on a single by freshman Kara Snow which drove in sophomore Jaylen Buse who was inserted as a pinch-runner.

Lutheran, led by 1st year coach Nikki Wixson, finished the season at 20-5. The Saints were making their 4th appearance in the championship game winning it all in 2004 and 2007. In 2001, they were runner up to Forest Park.

This was Tecumseh’s 1st softball state title, having been runners-up the previous two years as well as in 2003. Coach Gordon Wood’s squad finished the season 29-4-1 in his 3rd year at the southern Indiana school.

The 17 inning semifinal game on Friday night at Hamilton Southeastern High School was a state finals record for the longest game.  The previous mark of 15 innings occurred three times – once in a 2002 semifinal game when Clarksville outlasted Riverton Parke, 2-1; and twice in the state championship game when Penn defeated Decatur Central 1-0 in 1999; and in 2004, when Nikki Wixson, current Lutheran head coach, pitched the Saints past Union (Dugger) 2-1.

AUDRA SANDERS OF TECUMSEH NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Audra Sanders of Tecumseh High School was recognized by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s recipient of the Mental Attitude Award in Class A softball.

Sanders finished as the valedictorian of her senior class and is highly involved in numerous clubs and activities in both her school and community including; National Honor Society, Beta Club, Chemistry Club, and the Tribe & Students Who Care Club.  She is also a member of her church youth group.

Athletically, Audra has excelled in softball and has been a tremendous asset to Tecumseh’s softball program. She was All-Conference and All-State for three years in softball, is the State record holder in career strikeouts with1, 252, and has taken her team to the state finals tournament three years in a row.  Sanders also participated in swimming for three years.

In the fall, Audra plans to attend Ball State University.

She is the daughter of Mike and Barbara Sanders.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Tecumseh High School in the name of Audra Sanders.