INDIANAPOLIS — Terry Gobert needed little time to pinpoint what the legacy of this group should be.
The legendary coach saw it in April with the team struggling. He witnessed it with the season on the line in the sectional. And it was evident in the seventh inning at Victory Field. It’s a shared characteristic of every team since 1988.
Jasper baseball never quits. It’s why the Wildcats were playing for a championship. It’s why they nearly won too.
No. 1 Andrean defeated No. 7 Jasper 4-3 in the IHSAA Class 3A state championship on June 20. The Wildcats had the bases loaded in the final inning ― Mason Barth recorded a strikeout to earn the 59ers their ninth title in program history.
“This team came out of nowhere,” Gobert said. “I’m as proud of this team as any of the six that have won. You go position-by-position and athletic ability compared to our guys. The way they battled was just amazing.”
Jasper (28-7) doesn’t reach Victory Field in a different timeline. The Wildcats were 6-5 on April 22. They trailed in the final inning of the sectional opener against Vincennes Lincoln. But seemingly every time, Jasper made the big play it is accustomed to making.
The feeling was there again in the seventh inning against Andrean.
The Wildcats had two on with two outs when Brayden Giesler hit a ground ball to second base. The throw went wide left and rolled into the dugout. One run scored but Jack Levin was called back to third instead of awarded home plate. Andrean (31-3) elected to intentionally walk Braxton Brosmer, which led to the final out on the next at-bat.
Even when down to its final strike, Jasper believed victory was there for the taking. Because that’s how this program is taught starting in little league. They are never out of it until the final out. This is the Wildcats’ fifth state runner-up finish since the IHSAA went to classes in 1998.
“We trusted that someone was going to come up big,” Giesler said. “We had our chances, and it just didn’t happen tonight. I had full confidence in them this whole year. Started out 6-5, it’s hard to stay together as a group. To make it to Victory Field after that start is amazing.”
What did irk Jasper was how close it truly was to state championship number seven. The Wildcats had a 2-0 lead through five innings. The recipe was similar to many past winners ― pitching and production from unsung members of the roster. Jack Levin had seven strikeouts before he was pulled in the sixth. Jett Springer hit an RBI triple over the left fielder’s head and scored on a sacrifice fly in the second.
But if Jasper is known for punishing mistakes from opponents, so is Andrean. Two runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly and single through the right side. The go-ahead runs in the seventh via three hit-by-pitches and a bases loaded walk.
“We flat handed it to them,” Gobert said. “That’s what is disappointing. I’m not taking anything away from Andrean. Give them credit. They took advantage. We thought we’d win if we didn’t give them anything. Levin was outstanding.”
Indiana recruit Ivan Mastalski allowed no earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of relief for Andrean with seven strikeouts. Levin was equally as strong with five hits given up in 5 2/3 innings on 103 pitches. The junior worked around multiple early jams including the bases loaded in the second.
Jasper only had two hits in the state championship ― Brosmer had a single in the third. But one of the Wildcats’ constant calling cards is manufacturing production out of little. They were 90 feet from tying in the game. Jasper graduates seven seniors, including four starters.
Brosmer was named the Class 3A Mental Attitude Award winner, the 11th in program history.
“I feel for them because they really wanted this thing,” Gobert said. “They had a chance to do it. I’ll take this ball club any time. There’s a reason we had a Mental Attitude Award winner. It says a lot about the kids we have in our program year in and year out.”
Not many programs are afforded the opportunity to compete for a state championship. Jasper continuously proves to be the exception to the rule. This was its 11th state championship game appearance, tied with Andrean for second most in IHSAA history. Every graduating class under Gobert has advanced to this point in the tournament since he took over.
This group matched the legacy of the Wildcats’ past. And that was the message following another trip to Victory Field.
“It’s hard to cry, because you’re just blessed to get up here,” Giesler said. “Not everybody can do it. In that last inning, I thought we had it. Sometimes, it just doesn’t go your way. You have to deal with it. Part of life.”
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Jasper baseball continued its program legacy despite IHSAA Class 3A championship loss
Reporting by Kyle Sokeland, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
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