New Prairie baseball advances to state finals

 

KOKOMO, Ind. -- A three-run homer and great pitching propelled the Cougars past a tough Twin Lakes team.

Sophomore Reed Robinson opened the game up for New Prairie with a three-run shot over the fence in right field to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.

“I was sitting on that curveball, and I just got a little out in front of it. But I told my coaches and my teammates like we got this, like we see this all the time. So, just being able to sit back and work the at-bat and keep falling pitches off, getting my pitch right there, a hanging curveball that I sat back on trust in my hands and just annihilated it. I told Coach Schellinger, looked him dead in the eyes, and it was 1-2, and I said, I got this coach. And he's like, alright,” Sophomore Reed Robinson said about his three-run homer.

Joe Kinney, similar to Tyson Greenwood in game one of semi-state, pitched 6.1 innings and controlled the Indians offensive production. But not before giving up a three-run inside the park home-run, off a fly ball to right field, that was lost in the air.

“Life is incredible. I couldn't be more grateful and have more gratitude towards my family and everyone who has ever supported us and really, that's what Tyson and I have been saying towards each other. Do it for the community. And yeah, I mean, we showed up and showed out? So it was great," he said.

Nevertheless, New Prairie went into the bottom of the 6th with their heads high tied 4-4.

From there, Carson Young scored the go ahead 5-4 lead, followed by Colin Wind making it a 6-4 ball game, off a sac fly from Jordan Davis.

In the top of the 7th, Tyson Greenwood closed the game for the Cougars, punching their title to the first state title in program history.

“It's just hitting right now, to be honest, like, I still can't believe it. I mean, we still get another week of baseball and obviously been grinding for this. I mean, this whole season. I mean, since my freshman year, since all these guys just freshman year all these seniors and they wish they'd been working all to this,” Robinson added.