<p>When the final strike was recorded, Indian Creek’s players and fans celebrated as though they’d won something far bigger than a county semifinal baseball game.</p>
<p>It was hard to blame them.</p>
<p>Dustin Sprong had three hits and came on in relief to smother Center Grove’s final comeback bid in the final inning as the Braves held on for a 7-5 victory over the host Trojans on Friday.</p>
<p>Indian Creek (17-3) will take on Franklin for the championship; the date and site for that game have yet to be determined.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
<p>"This was huge," Sprong said. "It’s our biggest win of the season."</p>
<p>The Braves came out aggressively and put the Trojans on their heels right away with a three-run first inning. Jared DeHart drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on a one-out single by Sprong and came in when Dawson Read reached on an error. Read then stole second to put runners at second and third, and Cody Grider delivered a two-out base hit up the middle to score them both.</p>
<p>Center Grove (14-8) got one run back in the bottom of the inning when Eli Lawyer-Smith beat out an infield hit with the bases loaded and two out, but the Braves countered in the top of the second with a two-run double by Dawson Read to make it 5-1 and chase Trojan starter Jacob Johnson.</p>
<p>"We know that they’re one of the best hitting teams in the state," Sprong said, "and if we don’t put those runs up, we’re probably down."</p>
<p>Corey Daffron singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second to get Center Grove back within three, but Indian Creek again responded in its next at-bat when DeHart doubled and scored on a Sprong base hit.</p>
<p>Wyatt Phillips tacked on an insurance run in the sixth when he reached on a one-out single, took second on a wild pitch and scored when Sprong’s third hit of the day was misplayed in left field.</p>
<p>The Trojans made a late charge against Braves starter Trevor Ankney in the bottom of the sixth, using a Kyle Winkler sacrifice fly and RBI singles from Michael Wyman and Ryan Sauter to get within two at 7-5. But Sprong came in and struck out the side in the seventh, working around a two-out walk to finish it off.</p>
<p>Ankney earned the win with six workmanlike innings, striking out seven and fighting his way out of a couple of perilous situations with minimal damage before the big Center Grove sixth.</p>
<p>"I thought he battled," Indian Creek coach Steve Mirizzi said of Ankney. "He definitely didn’t have his best stuff, but he was good enough tonight."</p>
<p>The victory provided yet another shot of confidence to a Braves team that hadn’t been lacking in that department at all.</p>
<p>"We’re going to get that county championship," Sprong said. "Center Grove was our toughest competition in this tournament, so it should be ours."</p>
<p>DeHart and Devyn Parr each had two hits for the Braves. Daffron led the Trojans with three hits, while Bryce Eblin reached base in all four of his plate appearances.</p>
