INDIANAPOLIS | She didn’t know it before, but Andrean coach Brooke Baker-Runyon became the first person to play in a softball state championship game and also coach in one.
Well, she’s also the first to win one as both, too.
“It just feels more accomplished because I get to pay it forward to the young girls in the area and hopefully one day they pay it forward,” Baker-Runyon said.
The first-year coach played for Lake Central and led the Indians to the championship game her sophomore, junior and senior seasons from 2001-03. The team won in ’02.
“This is more fun because I like to see the girls celebrate and know that I was a part of that,” she said.
Closing in on records: Brenna Boyle tied the record for most doubles in a state championship game with two.
Nikki Steinbach finished with 11 strikeouts, just three strikeouts shy of the record for most strikeouts in the final game.
The 59ers nine runs finished one shy of the record for most runs in a game by a team in the championship game.
With 12 hits on the day, the 59ers finished three shy of the state championship game record.
Superstitious patriots: The National Anthem was sung only once on Saturday, before the Class A game.
But the Andrean softball team did its own rendition without the music before its game.
“They did sing the national anthem,” Baker-Runyon said. “They love that part of the game. They’re just die-hard Americans.”
Steinbach said that Savy Kinsella, Johnee Rodish, Brenna Boyle, Kaitlin Barajas, Maddi Lesch and Kaitlyn Bridgeman are all actually just very superstitious.
“They always sing the national anthem,” Steinbach said. “They’re really superstitious, so they do everything the same.”
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