State champions Delphi boys 10 & under all-stars won the Indiana Town and Country State Championship Monday night, defeating Nappanee in the title contest. This is the third year in a row for these players to earn this the state title. Team members are (left to right): 1st row Coy Cronk, Elliott Atkinson, Peyton Wagner, Brenton Hawn, Jerrek Perry, Mason Lane. 2nd row Ostin Clark, Kolby Myer, Jason Sterrett, Garrett Johnson, Cody Lewis, Mathew Randle, Hayes Cronk. 3rd row Coaching staff Steve Myer, Nick Cronk, David Hawn, and Jeff Johnson, and Riley Lane, team bat girl. After returning to Delphi, the team celebrated with a ride on the Delphi Tri-Township fire trucks and a pizza party. Photo provided It is a true rarity of competitive athletics for a team to repeat as champions in any sport, but it is even more of an improbable feat for a team to do it a third time.

With nearly flawless defense, timely hitting and a stellar pitching performance, the Delphi Junior League baseball team (10-year-olds-&-under) did just that, winning a third-straight Town & Country Baseball State championship with a thrilling 31 victory over Nappanee Monday night at Frankton.

Delphi (25-1) entered the game from the undefeated winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament, needing to win just one of two potential games in order to secure the title.

A second game was not needed as Delphi took the opener in a quickly played game that took just over an hour to complete - testimony to both teams' excellent pitching and defense.

Delphi pitcher Ostin Clark was superb on the mound, taking a shutout into the final inning en route to a complete game, while allowing only three hits, no earned runs and striking out four. With Delphi's stingy defense behind him, making all the routine plays mixed with some spectacular ones, Clark would allow only four Nappanee hitter's to reach base safely.

But with Nappanee's Tyler Cleveland hurling a fine game in his own right, Delphi needed to find some offense - and finally did so, breaking a scoreless tie in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Following Jason Sterrett's single to right-center and Garrett Johnson's perfectly executed bunt, Cody Lewis came through with a clutch 2-out double to the left field corner, scoring both Sterrett and Johnson with what would prove to be the gamewinning runs.

Delphi added an insurance run in the 5th when Brent Hawn blooped a single into short left, took 2nd on an overthrow and scored on Clark's sharply-hit single to left-center.

Nappanee rallied to put a run on the board in the 6th, but it would not matter as Delphi retired the side on the consecutive infield grounders to seal the victory.

"We couldn't be prouder of our boys," Delphi head coach Nick Cronk said. "This team just has that special 'IT' that we talk about in athletic competition."

"Whatever that 'IT' is - whether a combination of competitive desire, heart, a will to win or just plain guts - this team has it, and continues to show it whenever they take the field."

"I do know that a lot of our success can be directly attributed to the parents, and the support they receive at home and from our fans," a choked-up Cronk said. "I told the kids that they had a lot to be thankful for, and it begins with the parents."

Delphi advanced to the championship with wins in the state finals over Rochester (7-5 final score) and North Webster (20-4) on Saturday, before defeating Nappanee 7-5 on Sunday that originally sent them to the loser's bracket of the doubleelimination tournament.

In addition to the state championship, Delphi swept the district and semi-state championships, as well as the county tournament and the Hamilton Southeastern Invitational.

Along with Cronk, David Hawn, Steve Myer and Jeff Johnson coached Delphi.

The team started their baseball season on March 18, playing in several games against travel teams from throughout the state, compiling a 14-4 record in those early games.

The past three state championship teams, coached by this coaching staff, now have compiled a three-year combined record of 66-3 in postseason tournament play.