Daily Reporter staff reports
FORTVILLE — The Mt. Vernon Marauders wanted to find their rhythm in their sectional opener Wednesday, and they achieved it in the first inning.
The Marauders erupted for 11 runs in the top of the first and never looked back as they run-ruled Indianapolis Arsenal Tech 17-0 in the first round of the Mt. Vernon Sectional.
Coach Ryan Carr’s Class 4A Marauders (17-8) will now face No. 3 Cathedral (20-4) at 10 a.m. on Monday in the Sectional 10 semifinals. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. the same day.
Against Tech, 11 different Marauders contributed to the team’s 14-hit onslaught, led by Wyatt Vestal, Cole Cain and Braydon Augustinovicz with two RBIs each.
Vestal went 1-for-1 with a double. Augustinovicz was 1-for-2 while Cole Cain went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles.
Sam McNeely was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI, and Brandon Turner finished 2-for-2 with an RBI. Ryan Beck and Turner both recorded triples.
The Marauders added three runs in the second and three more in the third and fourth innings in the victory.
Kennedy Parker and Caleb Rush combined for a no-hitter. Parker improved to 5-2 on the season, striking out six through two innings for the win. Rush racked up nine strikeouts in three innings of relief.
Travis Mason and Noah Powell each had a stolen base in the win.
Royals push past Tigers
The Eastern Hancock Royals broke a 3-3 tie with a one-run fifth and held on to advance past Triton Central on Wednesday night.The Class 2A Royals move onto the sectional semifinals at 5 p.m. on Saturday against either Indianapolis Broad Ripple or Irvington Preparatory Academy.
The Royals (14-10) won their third straight after knocking off Triton Central in the quarterfinals as they posted five crucial hits at Heritage Christian.
Addison True, who was 1-for-2, drove in the team’s lone RBI. Garek Ferguson was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Devin Denny, Dwight Duzan and Tom Barton all finished 1-for-3. Denny and Payton Wilkinson scored the teams other two runs.
The Royals took a 3-0 lead after the top of the third inning, but the Tigers responded with a three-run rally in the bottom half of the frame.
Clayton White settled down the final four innings, pitching a complete game with three strikeouts to secure the win. He limited the Tigers to four hits and two walks while being charged with two earned runs. White is 7-1 on the season with 32 strikeouts in 54.0 innings pitched.
