By RICHARD TORRES
For The Reporter
NOBLESVILLE – The third time wasn’t the charm for the Fishers Tigers.
Back in the Class 4A Sectional 8 championship for a third consecutive year and seventh time in nine seasons, the Tigers (16-14) were primed to end their five-year title drought.
However, the red-hot Zionsville Eagles (16-14) had other plans at Noblesville’s Dunker Field on Monday night.
The Eagles built a 3-0 lead after the first inning and added another run in the bottom of the second to break a 3-3 tie, while left-handed pitchers Davis Moore and Ayden Keith stymied the Tigers en route to a 4-3 victory.
The win secured Zionsville’s 16th sectional title all time and first since 2022.
For the Tigers, who vanquished defending sectional champion Westfield in a walk-off, 12-inning semifinal on Friday, 8-7, the loss spoiled their hopes of a fourth title overall.
“It’s super frustrating. Finally got over Westfield in the sectional, and then I think we’ve lost twice to Zionsville and twice to Westfield since we last won it in 2021. Four of the last five we’ve lost in the sectional championship, so yeah, ready to not do that,” Fishers coach Matthew Cherry said.
Fishers came up short against Westfield in the 2024 and 2025 sectional finals.
Against Zionsville, the Tigers’ grit nearly pushed them over the hump with two runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh before a strikeout concluded the game.
“They didn’t quit,” Cherry said. “They fought to the end. They never quit, even to the last pitch.”
Zionsville plated three runs in the top of the first beginning with an RBI single by senior Reid Zittel (2-for-3).
The next two scored on an errant pick off throw to third base that trickled away, as lefty starter Owen Lukac attempted to snipe senior Tyler Hughes for the third out.
“I think he got caught in between not throwing it and throwing it, and it kind of just got away from him,” Cherry said.
Zionsville’s batters attacked early, logging four hits in the first and drawing one walk against Lukac, who previously held the Eagles to eight hits and two earned runs while striking out seven during Fishers’ regular-season, 6-5, win on April 9.
“That’s the second time they’d seen him,” Cherry said. “He had a couple of pitches that we thought were borderline and didn’t get, and they just kept finding barrels. They’ve been hot early. If you read our scouting reports, they’re going to score in the first two innings, and then they won’t score again until the end. It’s kind of what happened.”
Lukac (1.0 IP, 2 ER, BB, 4 hits) was relieved by left-handed junior Austin Conley, who served as the stopper.
Through 5.0 innings, Conley scattered four hits, struck out eight and walked one while retiring 13 of the final 16 batters faced after Zionsville pulled ahead 4-3 in the second.
Conley earned the win against Westfield on Friday.
“It was kind of similar to Westfield. Not much different. For me, I just trust all my guys out there,” Conley said. “And then, just trusting myself.”
Conley struck out seven Eagles in the final four innings and stranded three baserunners.
The Tigers’ bats came to life in the top of the second, tying the game 3-3 by opening the inning with a single from senior David Pina (1-for-3), a walk and consecutive hit by pitches to load the bases.
Fishers loaded the bases in four at-bats against Davis Moore (5.2 IP, 2 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 strikeouts, 105 pitches).
A hit by pitch brought home a run before freshman Henry Cherry, who logged the walk-off walk in the semifinals, drove in two with a one-out single.
“We answered right back, and (Conley) gave up the one run on a great piece of hitting by Camden Moore, but other than that, he kept us in the game,” Cherry said.
Zionsville’s wheel defense halted the rally.
Fishers attempted to draw the defense by showing bunt with the bases-loaded and two outs, but junior shortstop Brayden Ring cut towards third base and recorded a key unassisted third out on a grounder.
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