Just one run separated the New Palestine softball team from an undefeated season.

But as coachEd Marcumreflects on another state championship campaign, he suspects that 1-0 loss at Anderson Highland on May 5 was a good thing.

“If we don’t lose that game,” he said, "I’m not so sure we wouldn’t have lost another game somewhere along the way.

“It kind of refocused us. It took some of the pressure off of going undefeated, at least that’s what some of the players told me. That was not a goal we set for the season, so I never considered it, but they did.”

The Dragons (30-1) won their second consecutive state title and third in the past six seasons by beating Andrean 10-0 Saturday in the Class 3A championship game at Ben Davis.

PitcherSara Evansagreed the loss to Anderson Highland turned out to be a positive.

“It hurt, especially when we knew we didn’t play as well as we could that game,” said Evans, who won the Indiana High School Athletic Association’s Mental Attitude Award for Class 3A. “But we came together and realized that the pressure is off.”

All state titles are impressive, but New Palestine officials might want to move this year’s trophy to the front of the display case.

The Dragons were ranked No. 1 in 3A the entire season. They beat 4A state champion Center Grove 1-0 during the regular season. They also beat Elyria, which won the state title in Ohio’s large-school class, 4-3 on April 17.

“That says a lot about our program and about how well this team performed throughout the season,” Marcum said.

Plus, New Palestine became just the second team to repeat as state softball champs. Martinsville won Class 4A titles in 2005 and ’06.

“Obviously, both years are great, but this year was probably better,” said third basemanMichelle Marcum, the coach’s daughter. “It’s really rare to have teams win back-to-back state titles.”

Evans again was one of the state’s top pitchers. Ed Marcum said this team wasn’t quite as strong offensively as last year’s team. But whenever it needed a big inning, it seemed to get it.

The Dragons erased a five-run deficit with a six-run seventh inning against Roncalli en route to a 7-6 victory in the regional final June 6.

Saturday, they led 1-0 before scoring nine runs in the bottom of the fourth, then held Andrean scoreless the next inning to win by the 10-run rule.

“It was just a team that would explode for big innings,” Marcum said. “We would go along and not score and not score, then have a big inning. We’ve done that all year.”

New Palestine likely will be in the mix for another state title next season. Evans, first basemanJamie Storyand center fielderAlysha Zimmermanare the only starters lost to graduation.

Marcum is confident he has a capable replacement for Evans in his daughter, who will move over to the mound from third base.Lauren Schroeder, the designated player most of this season, will step in at third.

“Michelle is a control pitcher,” Marcum said. “She’s not going to dominate with all the strikeouts like Sara did, but she’s very effective.”

Scecina’s trip to the state finals wasn’t quite as satisfying. The top-ranked Crusaders, the only ranked team left in the 2A field, lost 3-0 Friday to eventual state champion Madison-Grant.

“You’ve got to have some breaks to win a state title,” said Scecina coachTom Moorman. “We hit some line drives that were right at people, and they made a couple of nice plays, too.”

Scecina (27-5) was playing catch-up all night. Madison-Grant scored a run in the first, got a solo home run fromBonnie Parkerin the fourth and added an unearned run in the sixth.

The Crusaders started eight seniors, so graduation losses were substantial. That doesn’t mean Moorman is thinking next year will be a rebuilding season.

“We’re going to be awfully young,” he said. “We’re going to put a ton of pressure on our sophomores. But it’s a very talented class — and hopefully by tournament time, they’ll be ready to do that job.”