In those rare instances when Valparaiso junior shortstop Trent Gill makes an error, he joked that he still thinks he might have to run a lap.

Gill said that thought goes back to the days when he and his older brother Ty would practice with their father, Troy.

“My dad would have us take ground balls at the side of the house, and the first one to make an error would have to run a lap around the house,” Gill said. “Everything was competitive.”

That’s the foundation upon which the 6-foot-1, 175-pound Gill has built his reputation as a baseball player. He has committed just four errors this season, which will reach its conclusion when Valparaiso (25-5) plays Evansville North (25-8) in the Class 4A state championship game at Victory Field in Indianapolis at 7 p.m. Saturday.

After senior pitchers Caden Crowell and Trevor Fenters allowed a total of one run on one hit during two semistate wins over the weekend, Gill and the Vikings have an opportunity to win their first state title. Expect his defense to be a factor.

“He makes very difficult plays the routine,” Valparaiso coach Todd Evans said. “He’s been battle-tested, so he has a coolness about himself, even when there’s runners on base or there’s a tying run about to score.”

Gill, who committed to Indiana in December of his freshman year, arrived with high expectations and hasn’t disappointed. He’s already a third-year starter.

Gill’s contributions have come in all facets of the game. When he gets on base, he doesn’t stay there long. He has batted around .300 and scored at least 30 runs each year. This season, he has a .545 on-base percentage, 30 walks and 30 steals, all career bests and team highs.

Gill’s defensive numbers have steadily trended upward too. His fielding percentage has improved from .885 in his freshman season to .911 in his sophomore season to .954 this season.

It’s worth noting this is also Gill’s third season playing alongside junior second baseman DJ Malloy.“We weren’t as close in our freshman year, but I’d say we’re inseparable now,” Gill said. “We’re talking the whole game about where we’re going to be, and we always know where the other is before plays happen.

“Being comfortable with that guy makes the game so much easier.”

Malloy, who has a team-high .403 batting average, agreed with Gill.

“Once we get each other’s attention, we don’t have to say too much,” Malloy said. “It all just seems more effortless because we’ve been doing it in practice and in games.”

Malloy may be Gill’s current fielding partner, but he wasn’t the first. That was Gill’s older brother Ty, a 2021 Valparaiso graduate who just finished his career at Purdue by hitting .292 in 51 games, including 39 starts.

Gill said he was often on the losing end of Wiffle ball games against his brother when they were growing up.

“It’s definitely where I get my competitiveness from,” Gill said.

Gill continued to play against older kids during his freshman season, when he was 5-11 and 145 pounds. As he grew, he made an effort to get stronger like them.

“Seeing some of those older kids — the juniors and the seniors — I wanted to be as big as they were and hit the ball as hard as they were,” he said. “This offseason, I was getting in the gym every single day, putting the right stuff in my body and getting in the cages as much as I possibly could.”

Gills teammates have noticed.

“He just works so much,” Malloy said. “That’s what stands out about him — his work ethic.”

For Gill, this season certainly stands out. Valparaiso hadn’t even won a regional title before this year.

“It’s been kind of surreal,” he said. “I was just thinking that I don’t even remember the texts I got after the last game because I was just so happy for my teammates and my coaches. I can’t wait for this Saturday.”

Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.