By Pete Cava 

INDIANAPOLIS – The South Spencer Rebels overcame a record-setting strikeout performance by Northfield's Ryan Keaffaber, winning 3-2 to deny the Norsemen a second straight IHSAA Class 2A title. 

South Spencer right-hander Brandon Lehr went all the way, doling out four hits and withstanding a last-ditch rally by Northfield (29-4). 

"They were defending champions," said Rebels coach Brian Kuester.  "They have one of the best pitchers in the state.  We just had to keep battling, battling.  They had some of their best hitters up at the plate in the seventh inning." 

South Spencer (23-8) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second.  Malin Webb clubbed a one-out triple to left off Keaffaber, who fanned the next batter.  But Chandler Roberts, the Rebels' nine-hole hitter, drilled a single up the middle that plated Webb. 

The Norsemen answered with a run in the bottom of the second.  Andy Roser led off with a towering drive to left that fell for a triple and raced home on Lehr's wild pitch. 

Keaffaber, the Indiana-State bound lefty, and Lehr, South Spencer's 5-foot-9 senior, allowed no more runs until the top of the fifth. 

Lehr worked Keaffaber for a base on balls to open the inning.  Tyler Schneider and Charleston Roberts followed with perfectly-placed bunt hits that filled the bases.  Keaffaber fanned the next two batters, but Ryan Duvall poked a single into short left field that scored two runs for a 3-1 South Spencer lead.  

With their backs to the wall in the bottom of the seventh, Northfield put runners at first and third with no outs.  Keaffaber reached first on an error and went to third on Andy Roser's single up the middle.  One out later, Shane Vigar's single cut the deficit to 3-2.  Roser stopped at second on the play. 

Lehr got Andy Maggart to pop up for the second out and retired Drake Richter on a fly to center, giving South Spencer its first state crown since 2011.

The title was the third for the Rebels, who also won in 2007.  "Our kids had a lot of heart," Coach Kuester said.  "All our kids rose up defensively and made the plays when they needed to make them.  We got a key hit when we had to have it.  Brandon wound up with six victories in the tournament." 

Keaffaber, who received the Class 2A L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude Award, finished with 14 strikeouts for a 2A championship record.  He was two short of the Dillon Peters' 16 Ks in the 2010 4A title contest. 

"He was amazing," Kuester said.  "We prepared more for his curve ball, but his fastball was his out pitch today.  He pitched a tremendous game."

The time of the contest was one hour, 49 minutes.