INDIANAPOLIS — As Valparaiso senior left-hander Caden Crowell made his way around Victory Field, a massive trophy in his hands, he exclaimed, “No way! This is actually sick!”

Crowell, a Notre Dame recruit and likely Major League Baseball draft pick, seemed to be having almost as much fun during the Class 4A state championship game as he was after it.

He was laughing and smiling during a dominant performance.

“I thrive on the high-pressure environments, and I try to channel it into a positive way,” Crowell said. “A lot of people say they get nervous, but I don’t like to say nerves. I like to say I’m hype for the game. I use that nervous energy and channel it into adrenaline. I enjoy going out there and performing on the big stage.”

Crowell lived up to those words during Valparaiso’s 5-0 victory over Evansville North.

He pitched a two-hitter and went 4-for-4 with a run-scoring double in the first inning for the Vikings (26-5), who added their first state title in the sport to their inaugural regional and semistate titles.

Crowell tied the 4A state final records for both hits allowed as a pitcher, last accomplished in 2004, and for hits as a batter, last accomplished in 2001.

Crowell struck out eight and walked two. He surrendered a two-out double off the left-field wall in the fourth inning and a one-out single in the seventh.

“I came into this game with as much confidence in myself as I could have,” Crowell said. “I knew that if I went out there and performed to the best of my abilities, there’s no one who can hang with my stuff. So I just went out there and did my thing and had my guys behind me to do their job.”

Crowell recorded a strikeout to close out the win against Evansville North (25-9), a fitting ending for his Valparaiso career.

“When he was walking out the last inning, I said, ‘We’ve been dreaming about this our whole lives,’” Valparaiso coach Todd Evans said. “He kind of gave me a ‘hell yeah.’

“I said, ‘I’m not coming to get you.’ He said, ‘You won’t have to.’ Suffice it to say, I didn’t have to go get him. It was awesome.”

Indeed, Crowell savored that final out.

“It was awesome,” he said. “That was something we’ve always dreamed of. Those 13 seniors, those are my guys. Those are teammates I’ve had forever. We’ve always had this goal in mind. We’ve always wanted to win this together, and to finally be able to do it, it’s an accomplishment.”

Crowell, who pitched a no-hitter against Fort Wayne Snider in the semistate semifinals, entered the state championship game with a 7-0 record, a 0.29 ERA, 89 strikeouts and nine walks in 48 innings. He had allowed just three runs — two earned — all season.

So when the Vikings scored two runs in the first inning, they were well on their way to their history-making title.

Senior first baseman Trevor Fenters, an Indiana State recruit, had two hits, including a triple off the base of the left-field wall to drive in the first run. Junior second baseman DJ Malloy also had two hits, a two-run single in the third and a run-scoring single in the fifth.

“I saw the ball really well,” Malloy said. “I noticed the breakers. I noticed fastballs. I felt really comfortable. That’s what led to my success.”

Watching Crowell, Malloy has seen only success.

“Since I came in here as a freshman, he’s been lights out,” Malloy said. “He’s always been so good. I knew he could just throw strikes, and I knew he trusts his defense. That’s why he has so much success. He’s going to dominate at the next level and every level he goes to.”

Valparaiso became the second straight Duneland Athletic Conference team to win the 4A state title, following Lake Central last season.

The title is particularly special for Evans, who had surgery for a brain tumor almost two years ago.

“It just puts things in perspective,” he said. “Baseball is just a game. At the end of the day, these young men will go on to live productive lives. Right now, this is the moment they’re going to remember for a long time. I’m going to remember it for a long time. It’s just a little reset. It gets us to enjoy this right now.

“I don’t know, in another six months, you never know what’s going to happen. Right now, I’m here. It’s awesome.”

Crowell expressed his appreciation of Evans.

“He’s come through a lot,” Crowell said. “One thing we’ve had in our mind, especially after last year when we got bounced and in the offseason, this is just a dream come true for him. I’m just happy I was able to make it a reality for him.”