‘That’s why you do it’: Tri-West had fun, earned 2nd title chance but falls to New Prairie
WEST LAFAYETTE — The Tri-West High School softball team’s focus this spring was on having fun. A way to help alleviate the pressure of the championship expectations that many ascribed to this group, the 2023 Bruins took time before each game to remember when they were that 8-10-year-old girl who on Saturday morning went to the ballpark with her pink batting helmet, black-and-pink mitt and pink batting gloves, and just loved the game.
"All year we said we want to play like that little girl played, just for the fun of it," coach Mike Miller said.
As the team gathered in left field Friday night following another heartbreaking loss in the Class 3A state championship game, this one by the score of 4-2 to New Prairie, Miller told his players to close their eyes and to imagine that little girl once more. "Do you remember her? Do you know how happy you just made her?
"That's why you do it, to have fun," he continued. "You are champions. … I love each and every one of you."
It wasn't supposed to end like this. Not for this Tri-West team. Led by Oklahoma commit Audrey Lowry in the circle plus a well-balanced lineup fueled by their seniors (plus Lowry) and a "singles win games" mentality, the Bruins collected 27 wins against a schedule that included the likes of 4A powers Roncalli and Center Grove, and successfully navigated a stacked South bracket to book a return trip to Purdue's Bittinger Stadium. It was an impressive and, in retrospect, somewhat unprecedented accomplishment considering the level of talent around the state.
Tri-West (27-6) — which lost a legendary pitchers' duel in extra innings to South Bend Saint Joseph last year — had not only the pieces, but also the experience necessary to break through for the program's first state championship since 2013.
But it met its match against the Cougars (31-5), whose sophomore ace, Ava Geyer, outdueled Lowry, and whose lineup capitalized on a trio of sixth-inning errors to take a lead it would not relinquish.
"We're going to be sad for a little bit," Miller said, "but you know what? When we think about it, the accomplishments we've had — not everybody gets a second chance and we got it."
The teams traded runs in the first (New Prairie's Makayla Collins’ home run; Lowry sacrifice fly), then Sullivan's RBI single to left in the third was matched by one to center from Emily Mrozinski an inning later, leaving the score at 2-2.
Disaster struck in the sixth inning.
Abby Robakowksi, who holds the state's single-season home run record (23), reached on a hard hit ball that was misplayed at third base, then advanced two bases on an errant pick-off attempt following a dropped third strike.
Tri-West appeared to have Robakowski dead to rights at the plate when Geyer's bunt went directly to a hard-charging Sullivan, but miscommunication between the Fort Wayne commit and catcher Kendall Williams resulted in the ball popping free and Robakowski scoring the go-ahead run.
"We thought (Geyer) was going to bunt, she did and we miscommunicated a little. But it's part of the game," said Miller, whose team surrendered an RBI single to Mrozinski two batters later. "New Prairie was a good team and they never quit charging. My hat's off to them."
Sullivan and Lowry were a combined 3-for-4, while the rest of the lineup was 1-for-17 after Lainey Price grounded out to start the bottom of the seventh.
But with their season on the line, the Tri-West bats sprung to life with back-to-back singles by Nicole Matthews and Williams, putting the tying run aboard with only one out and Sullivan and Lowry due up.
Geyer was up to the challenge, striking out Tri-West's two best hitters to end the game.
The unflappable sophomore allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits with three walks and nine strikeouts. Her Tri-West counterpart, Lowry, surrendered four runs (two earned) on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.
"We fought," Miller said. "Seventh inning, we were in the heart of the lineup and I'm thinking one hit and we're back in it. But they're a very good team. (Geyer) pitched great."
As the Bruins returned to the dugout to gather their things and New Prairie celebrated across the way, Miller took one final opportunity to reflect on his team's accomplishments over the past two seasons.
"I think it's great," he said of the team's back-to-back finals appearances. "Nobody knows how hard it is to do it, the pressure they felt to do it. Nobody has really said congratulations to them yet, and I hope about tomorrow maybe they start looking at what their compliments should have been."
