Peoria Heights baseball players hoist their prize — a Class 1A state championship trophy — following Saturday’s 6-2 title game victory over Vaymeyer on at Dozer Park. (Photo courtesy Tim Alexander)

This trophy merits a special place of honor at Peoria Heights High School.

The Patriots’ baseball team captured a Class 1A championship on Saturday at Dozer Park in Peoria. In the process they became the first team ever to win a state championship in school history.

And Peoria Heights (24-5) did it on their first try at state with a two-game state finals sweep.

Left hander Blake Begner (6-0) allowed just one run on six hits, threw 106 pitches and struck out 10 in the 6-2 title game victory over Vaymeyer.

Shortstop Rylee Miller went 1-for-2 with three RBIs, leadoff batter Tyler Gregory was 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Trevor Heath pitched a one-run ninth in the Patriots’ 10th straight victory.

Peoria Heights scored twice in the first inning, added a single run in the fifth and three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

The Patriots advanced to the title game with a 4-3 state semifinal victory over Goreville as Begner went 2-for-4 and scored a run while right fielder Anthony Whittenburg was 1-for-4 with a three-run double in a decisive four-run fifth.

Gregory (9-0) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six. Begner entered with one out in the seventh and earned the save.