KOKOMO — All coaches talk about getting better with each game.

Fifteen games into the season, the Indians were 6-9.

They barely squeaked through the opening round of the playoffs, needing eight innings to beat Blue River Valley.

Then they topped Monroe Central 9-1 in the sectional semifinal.

And they won the sectional championship with a mercy-rule obliteration.

It only took them another five innings to repeat as regional champions.

The Union City High School baseball team scored three times in four innings Saturday as it rolled to a 12-0, five-inning victory over the Northfield Norsemen at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.

“It feels great,” said UCHS coach Jeff Wendel. “Middle of our year, we hit some rocky roads and it was tough. We just kept pushing. We kept pushing and fighting and clawing and finding ways to get better. And here we are today, right where we thought we’d be at the beginning of the year.”

The Indians’ reward for their regional dominance is a date with top-ranked Kouts (25-6) in the semi-state semifinal at 11 a.m. Saturday hosted by Lafayette Jefferson at Loeb Stadium. No. 4 Clinton Prairie (21-7) and Canterbury (13-8) will meet in the other semi-state semifinal at 2 p.m., with the championship game to follow at 7 p.m.

Union City (13-11) jumped on the Norsemen from the start, as Jayson Connor was hit by a pitch, Luke Collins singled to center field and both advanced on a wild pitch. A Trendon Spence fly ball to center field scored Connor to get the Indians on the board. After Caleb Lutz was hit by a pitch, an error on a grounder by Braydon Huggins plated Collins with the second run. Lutz then scored on a Brennan Hoggatt ground out for a 3-0 lead.

“We can out, put pressure on their pitcher immediately,” said Wendel. “We’ve been swinging the bat well, hitting the ball hard, great approach at the plate. We continued that.”

That run support proved plenty for Connor, who shut down Northfield (14-17). He struck out four batters while blanking the Norsemen on two hits and a walk.

“Jay Connor was on his game,” said Wendel. “He’s a great pitcher. He’s throwing hard, great location. He was dialed in. He dominated them.”

The Indians tacked on three runs apiece in the second, fourth and fifth innings. Collins and Spence keyed the second-inning scoring with back-to-back RBI doubles. After three walks in the fourth inning, Hoggatt and Colton Emrick delivered RBI singles. Two walks, an error and a single by Joseangel Perez-Contreras delivered the runs in the fifth inning.

Connor had one hit but was on base all four times, also reaching on a walk, an error and a hit by pitch. He scored four times.

“They couldn’t get him out at the plate, so he set the tone offensively,” said Wendel. “He set the tone defensively. It starts with him.”

Collins finished 2-for-3 with a double, three runs and two RBIs. Hoggatt drove in three runs and Spence added two RBIs.