CONVERSE, Ind. — Eli Cooper, holding a four-run lead in the fifth inning, loaded the bases with one out when assistant coach Trey Ball walked to the mound.
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger got to the regional championship because of its offense, and Eli was in his opponent's head. But the Saints, finally with momentum, looked poised for a comeback, and Ball knew it.
The Trojans shortly huddled on the bump before Eli, unfazed by the tenseness of the New Castle crowd, quickly and calmly got a strikeout and popup to escape the frame.
"(Ball) said just know your stuff and know that your defense will work for you and you know that you will succeed," Eli said.