By the final game, when I stepped into that pitcher’ s circle, I remember thinking, all of the training, the hard work, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the highs and lows of the season had led to that very moment. And what a moment it was.”
The semifinal game against Harrison( West Lafayette) had fans on the edge of their seats. New Albany secured a 1-0 victory, advancing to the finals in a nail-biter that set the stage for the championship. But the final game was anti-climactic, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 13-1 victory, taking home the state title.
“ The teams were so competitive and it felt so much more intense. I’ m sure it was because we had never faced any of our( state) opponents,” said Jenkins.“ I had never been a starting pitcher on such a big stage and I felt that. Winning the first two games by only one run was exhausting, physically, mentally and emotionally for me. By the final game, when I stepped into that pitcher’ s circle, I remember thinking, all of the training, the hard work, the blood, the sweat, the tears, the highs and lows of the season had led to that very moment. And what a moment it was.”
Wendy Schickel Kaiser, the junior right fielder who batted second in the lineup, led the offensive charge in the championship game. Kaiser set a single-class record with four hits in the final game, scoring three runs and collecting four RBIs, also both state records.
“ We had great pitching, and we played together for so long— we really got along well,” said Kaiser.“ The team chemistry was incredible. We also had fantastic coaching. They worked with every player, and we all felt important.”
PAGE NO. 30 NEWS AND TRIBUNE SPORTS MAGAZINE