SELMA, Ind. — Daxton Dudley shook off his catcher's call for a curveball, opting instead to blow by the batter for an emphatic final out.
Holding an eight-run lead, the Wapahani baseball junior's confidence was boosted after his offense broke the tie in the top of the seventh inning. So he let the heat go for strike three, capping the Raiders' 11-3 regional championship victory over host Carroll (Flora) on Saturday as his teammates rushed the mound in celebration.
"I just wanted to throw my fastball in that moment. I wanted to get the last out myself," Daxton said.