OXFORD, Ind. — The opportunity to become a better baseball player was never too far off for Benton Central shortstop Tyler Klemme who grew up playing in the vast farm fields of Benton County.
He only had to turn to his father Matthew whenever he needed someone to play catch with, pitch to or if he needed an arm to help him throw batting practice. No matter the question, his dad was there to answer and be there to help his son grow into one of the best all-around baseball players in the Lafayette area.
"Whenever I needed to work on something, he was there," Klemme said. "Whatever I needed whether it was pitching or hitting, he made the ultimate sacrifice to get to where I am today. I credit my success to him."
Over the course of four seasons, Klemme became one of Benton Central's overall leaders.
During his senior year, Klemme batted .524 with nine doubles, three triples, six home runs and 37 RBIs with 36 runs scored. His effectiveness nearly equaled on the mound with Klemme tossing 57 1/3 innings with 73 strikeouts and a 3.78 ERA.
Klemme led Benton Central to a 17-14 record while helping the Bison capture their first IHSAA sectional championship since 2009 and has been rewarded with being voted the 2024 Journal & Courier Small Schools Player of the Year.
"It definitely means a lot," Klemme said. "There's definitely been a lot of hard work behind the scenes. I'm just proud that I was able to represent my school in a good way."
Four years ago, Klemme was a freshman and unsure what to expect when he tried out for the varsity team under then-first-year head coach Jarrett Hammel.
Hammel saw Klemme's work ethic and potential from the first workout. Klemme became a four-year starter and was a career .407 hitter.
"Coming in with a new coach as a freshman wasn’t sure how I’d be able to do it with a new coach," Klemme said. But Hammel gave me an opportunity and there wasn't favoritism towards seniors. He wanted the best players on field. Gave me a shot to be a big part of the team's success."
Benton Central had its share of highs and lows over the course of the fast-moving season that lasted just over three months. An opening season sweep against Rensselaer Central was followed by a five-game losing streak, which included getting swept by Hoosier Conference rival Central Catholic and a 19-5 loss to Borden.
Klemme and Benton Central opened the season 2-5 in its first seven games.
"I would say accountability has always been part of Benton Central's culture," Klemme said. "We adapted and we held each other accountable. Game time we are going to hold each other accountable and do things the right way.”
The Bison ultimately adjusted and finished the year winning six of seven games before falling in the IHSAA Class 2A Regional Championship to Rochester.
Now Klemme is heading off to college to play baseball at Taylor University — a new challenge for Klemme but not an unfamiliar one.
"It's going to be almost a reset," Klemme said. "I'm going to be playing against guys who are 22 and 23 years old. The best player gets to be a job and I'm going to compete for that spot to start my career. The challenge of getting to start is going to continue to encourage me to put in the work."
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached atehanson@gannett.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
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