(from Local Legends II The Tecumseh softball program is another example of how a handful

of good people can transform a so-so situation into a competitive bunch who can compete
consistently with the best in the land. Its hard to find a scrappier bunch than the Lady Braves,
and their journey to statewide recognition was epic!)

Tecumseh Softball Can Play with the Best

As the girls began their semi-final at 9:00 p.m. on Friday night, little did they know
what was in store. What they did know was that they had a daunting task in front of them as they
faced a strong Whiting team led by a young lady that Coach Wood believed was the best player
in the state. Mel Dumezich was an Under Armour All-American who had pitched her team to
State championships in 06 and 08 and had been named the Gatorade Indiana Player of the
Year. The 58 star recorded 350 strikeouts in 2009 and was hitting .561 with tremendous
power. After high school, she would go on to play major college ball at Texas A&M, finishing
19-3 as a pitcher in 2011.
But on this Friday evening, she would face a hurler who would match her pitch for pitch
and a talented group of young ladies with destiny on their side.

With his team teetering on the precipice between victory and defeat, Coach Wood took
some advice and reached into his bag of tricks. It seems that Mike Sanders, Audras father and
Gordons assistant, approached Gordon and uttered the words You do desperate things in
desperate times. Get her in a rundown.

The Lady Braves prayers for a miracle had been answered, but no one could have
expected what the rest of the night would bring.

With a two-run cushion, Audra Sanders took care of the rest, shutting down Whiting 1-23 with Mel Dumezich on deck as the game ended. The marathon battle had set several IHSAA
records as the teams left the field at 12:30 a.m. The 17 innings were a record, as were the 70
combined strikeouts and the 38 strikeouts by Sanders.
The game was dubbed a fairy tale by Coach Wood, but now the question became:
How will the team handle the emotions and get ready for the finals that were only a few hours
away?.

It would stand to reason that the Braves opponent in the finals, a well-rested Indianapolis
Lutheran, probably figured that a victory was assured. But Tecumseh would have plenty to say
about that, and they would leave nothing to chance. A highly superstitious bunch, the girls
decided not to change into one of the two clean sets of uniforms they had brought. Instead, they
would wear the same dark blue uniforms from the Friday nights game. And strict orders were
given that no one was to wash them.