New Trier has been a model of consistency in the high school baseball world. Coming into the May 28 regional final against Niles North, the Trevians had won 11 regionals since the turn of the century.

They picked up No. 12 behind a masterful pitching performance by senior Ben Brecht, defeating the Vikings, 5-3, to win the Class 4A Niles West Regional.

“I came out in the first inning and don’t think I had my best stuff at first,” Brecht said. “But warm weather, humidity, I got loose really fast and as I kept pitching, I kept improving and ended up pitching a really efficient game.”

Last year’s extra-inning regional final loss to Fenwick snapped a streak of six straight regional crowns, but New Trier coach Mike Napoleon said it wasn’t even on the team’s mind.

“You know we never really talked about last year going into this year,” Napoleon said. “It was just a matter of winning each game as you go on. It’s a seven-game winning streak until the end and now we’ve got two in-a-row, so that’s where we’re at.”

After giving up a single to the first hitter of the game, Brecht retired the next nine Vikings, including a stretch of five consecutive strikeouts, three of which came in the second inning.

“I was locating my fastball,” Brecht said. “It all stems about locating my fastball, because if I can’t do that, I’m not going to be effective.”

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