Look boys , I just want you to take a second and look to see how many people are here to support you .
plays ( in the field ) – that ’ s how we ’ re going to win games . That ’ s the reason why the score is what it is .”
Huett went 1-for-1 with a tone-setting triple to start the game . He also walked twice , stole three bases and scored three runs .
Beyl , who became the Pioneers ’ “ Mr . June ” due to his clutch play in the final few weeks of the season , was 1-for-3 with a double and a team-high three runs batted in while touching home twice .
In addition to his no-hitter on the mound , Jackson helped his own cause by going 1-for-3 and scoring a run .
Kruer , the team ’ s vocal and emotional leader , had a pair of RBIs .
Sophomore third baseman Blake Straub , one of the new starters who also won seven games on the mound , tallied two RBIs .
the team ’ s designated hitter , had an RBI and scored a run .
Sophomore first baseman Lucas Mauk , who also came up big toward the end of the season , added a hit and an RBI .
Senior second baseman Brian Wall , a three-sport standout , had a hit and scored a run .
Finally junior shortstop Foster Nash , who didn ’ t bat , was solid in the field with a pair of assists .
“ We had everybody producing ,” Watson said .
And that , in turn , produced Providence ’ s third state title .
“ Special , that ’ s what I would describe it as ,” Watson said . “ Special and
deserving , because this team deserves everything that it gets . I told them before the game … we just sat here in circles and looked out and I said , ‘ Look boys , I just want you to take a second and look to see how many people are here to support you . This isn ’ t just because of me . It ’ s not just because of one player . It ’ s because we ’ re a team and it ’ s the Providence community , really the whole Southern Indiana community that we have , that comes and supports us .’ We were at the spot where you couldn ’ t go any further , so win or lose we were just ready to enjoy this day . But man did we come out swinging , and Gavin throwing . When you ’ ve got a kid throwing like that , it makes it a pretty stress-free game .”
It also left early April as an afterthought .
Sophomore catcher Lincoln Kruer , who beat out senior Connor Sad for the starting job as the team ’ s backstop after the two shared duties in 2023 , paced Providence at the plate with a pair of hits .
Sad , who settled into his new role as
PROVIDENCE CATCHER LINCOLN KRUER SQUEEZES A BALL AT THE PLATE AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON JUNE 15 .
TOP LEFT : CONNOR SAD ROUNDS THIRD BASE IN THE CLARKSVILLE SECTIONAL FINAL . TOP RIGHT : LUCAS MAUK TAKES A LEAD OFF OF SECOND IN THE STATE FINAL . BOTTOM CENTER : PROVIDENCE CATCHER LINCOLN KRUER SQUEEZES THE BALL AT THE PLATE IN THE STATE FINAL JUNE 15 .
8 PROVIDENCE PIONEERS | BASEBALL | IHSAA CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPS 2024 NEWS AND TRIBUNE