Only a sophomore, Lake Central pitcher Owen Kopercinski is just getting started. With a Class 4A state title.
INDIANAPOLIS — Lake Central sophomore left-hander Owen Kopercinski reached to his right to snag a scorching liner.
Kopercinski juggled a comebacker, remained composed and fired to first base to record the out.
From any perspective, it was Kopercinski’s night. He spun a three-hitter to record his first varsity shutout in his first seven-inning varsity outing as the Indians topped No. 10 Bloomington South 4-0 in the Class 4A state championship game at Victory Field on Saturday.
Lake Central (28-8), which added to the state title won by the school’s softball team a week earlier, secured its second state championship in three seasons and third overall.
But by defeating Bloomington South (25-7) this time around, the Indians completed a remarkable resurgence, winning 14 straight games and 20 of 22 after starting the season with an 8-6 record.
Kopercinski allowed a leadoff double and a two-out walk in the first but avoided any damage. He retired 12 straight batters from the first to the fifth innings, and he finished with six strikeouts and two walks. He also emerged unscathed with runners on the corners with two outs in the fifth.
After a two-out walk in the sixth, Lake Central coach Mike Swartzentruber made a mound visit and elected to stick with Kopercinski, who responded with an inning-ending strikeout and a fist pump.
Kopercinski then worked a perfect seventh.
The Indians scored two runs in the first, getting an RBI single from junior shortstop Parker Robinson, an Oklahoma recruit who hit another RBI single in the sixth after junior designated hitter Isaac Ochoa tripled. Senior right fielder Andrew Brower also drove in two runs, one each in the first and fifth innings.
