Staff Report
The Eastern Hancock baseball team clawed back against rival Knightstown on Saturday, but it fell just short of a sweep, losing 6-5 to their top rival after winning the first 6-3.
The Royals trailed 2-1 after two innings in Game 2, but they scored two in the bottom of the fourth to pull ahead 3-2.
A four-run fifth frame by the Panthers swung the momentum until the Royals scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh.
The Royals scored five runs on four hits compared to Knightstown’s 12 hits.
Instead, the Royals utilized patience, drawing 11 walks, including a team-high three by Jarett Lewis. Andrew Knoblock led the Royals by going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, a home run and four RBIs.
The Royals used a six-run fourth inning to take a commanding lead en route to their win in the first game.
The lineup produced 12 hits, including doubles from Clayton White, Addison True and Levi Majority to win.
Lewis went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while White was 2-for-3 with an RBI. A.J. Muegge was 2-for-4 along with True. Majority had two RBIs. White earned the win, pitching seven innings with seven strikeouts.
Tennis
Marauders win own invite
The Mt. Vernon girls tennis team scored 50 points to win their own eight-team invitational Saturday.
Marion was second at 42 and Lebanon was third at 24. New Palestine finished fourth with 19 points.
Mt. Vernon’s Olivia Spicer went 3-0 to win the No. 2 singles title. Kaleigh Helm was 3-0 at No. 3 singles to win her division. The No. 2 doubles team of Maeve McCafferty and Sophie Willams went 3-0 to win the title.
Alaina Nelson was 2-1 at No. 1 singles to place second. Emily Anakin and Maeve Laughlin went 2-1 for second at No. 1 doubles.
Katie Settergren and Josee King were third at No. 1 doubles for New Palestine.
Golf
Marauders place 7th at invite
The Mt. Vernon boys golf team finished seventh at the Center Grove Invitational on Saturday at Hickory Stick Golf Club.
The Marauders shot a 335. Center Grove won the event with a 299. Columbus North was second at 318.
Mt. Vernon’s Oliver Mast carded a 78 to finish in the top 10. Will Dant fired a 79 for top 12 honors. Xavier Dunham turned in an 84, Max Heitman came in at 94 and Elijah Dunham shot 101.
New Palestine was 10th at the event with a score of 366. Quinn Dobbins led the Dragons with an 87. Blake Barnette and Matt Kelley each shot a 92. Devan Gentry shot 95.
Softball
Marauders split with Olympians
The Mt. Vernon softball team split a doubleheader against Columbus East on Saturday.
The Marauders won 11-5 and lost 6-5 on the road.
In the second game, 6-5, Tori Whyde suffer the tough loss, pitching a complete game. Mt. Vernon led 5-3 until the Olympian scored their go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Morgan Scruggs led the Marauders with two hits and two runs.
MaKenzie Gee paced the Marauders offense in the first game, finishing 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
Sydnee Perry went 2-for-4 and had two RBIs. MaKenzie McCann also had two RBIs. Kaitlyn Nugent went 2-for-3 and pitched a complete game for the win.
Cougars sweep Hornets
The Greenfield-Central Cougars swept past the Beech Grove Hornets on Saturday, 8-1 and 11-1.
The Cougars are now 8-1 on the season. Lexi Rankin threw a complete game, allowing two hits and striking out six in the first game.
Both Maria and Sam Kihega homered for the Cougars and Morganne Denny was 3-for-3 with three runs scored in the 8-1 victory.
In Game 2, Mikayla Durick earned the win, throwing six innings and striking out eight. Michaela Ballman was 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Dragons split at Whiteland
The New Palestine Dragons split two games at Saturday’s Whiteland Tournament.
The Dragons are now 6-1 on the year.
New Palestine lost 2-0 to Jennings County in the first game, but they bounced back with a 16-0 win in six innings against Perry Meridian.
Ashley Prange went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs in the win. Emma Tucher was 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Tatum Biddle was 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI.
Riley Widmann had three RBI and Elisha Barker had two hits and an RBI. Mackenzie Jones earned the win, throwing five innings and striking out three.
Royals split with Tri
The Eastern Hancock Royals split a doubleheader with Tri, winning 10-6 and falling 6-4 in nine innings.
The Royals scored a decisive five runs in the bottom of the sixth to win 10-6 behind a perfect day from Brooke Walden. The senior went 4-for-4 with three runs and five RBIs, a double and two home runs.
Bree Ashby went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Elise Bittinger and Jessi Potts combined to strike out four Tri hitters.
Tri won the other game with a two-run ninth, breaking a 4-4 tie. Micah Black led the Royals going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a home run.
The Royals are 6-1 on the year.
Track & Field
Dragons third at Midwest invite
The New Palestine boys track and field team placed third at the Midwest Prep Invitational on Saturday at Marian University.
The Dragons totaled 43 points, finishing behind Bloom Township of Chicago Heights, Ill. and Columbus North.
The New Palestine girls track team was 15th overall.
Sam Voelz won the 400 meters for the boys team in 48.93. Spencer Corey placed eighth in 51.42. Caleb Eagleson won the 1,600 in 4:25.04. He also was third in the 3,200 at 9:55.99.
Chase Crowder placed seventh at 2:05.36 in the 800. The 4×100 relay team was seventh, the 4×400 group was second and the 4×800 team was fifth.
In the girls meet, Kaylin Casner placed second in the 1,600 at 5:22.18. Jordan Reid was sixth in the 200 at 26.58.
Victoria Crowder and Casner were ninth in the 400 and 800, respectively. The relay teams were ninth in the 4×400 and 4×800.
Royals take second at invite
The Eastern Hancock boys track and field team finished second at the Randolph Southern Invitational on Saturday.
The Royals scored 97 points behind Wapahani’s 101.5. Cambridge City Lincoln was third at 69.5.
Reece Burkhart was first for the Royals in both the discus (131-4) and the shot put (47-4).
Blayze Sarber was first in the 400 meters at 54.95. Devyn Brinson won the 300 hurdles in 45.02. The Royals 4×100 relay team was first in 47.26. The group consisted of Sarber, Kyle Moore, Chase Settergren, and Brinson.
The 4×400 group won in 3:49.98 with a lineup of Brinson, Jayson Bowers, Settergren, and Sarber.
Burkhart was named the event’s Top Field Performer, while Brinson and Alex Herbst of Wapahani earned Co-Top Running Event Performer honors.
Marauders win Patriot Invite
The Mt. Vernon boys track and field team conquered both Terre Haute South and Terre Haute North to win the Patriot Invitational on Saturday.
The Marauders tallied 183 points ahead of Terre Haute South at 128.
Jailin Porter won the 100 meters in 11.58 with Donovan Bigelow in second at 11.59. The duo teamed up and repeated their dominance in the 200 at 23.80 and 24.33, respectively.
Brent Donaldson was fourth in the 400 at 53.95, while Drake Kendrex was fifth at 56.46.
Alex Carver won the 800 in 2:03.93. Reilly Glassing and Ashton Lewis were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Drew Bluethmann won the 1,600 in 4:41.62. Marco Ramirez was fourth. The tandem were third and fifth in the 3,200.
Donaldson was second in the 110 high hurdles in 17.23. Alex Barnett was third at 17.51 and second in the 300 hurdles at 44.69.
The 4×100 relay team of Bigelow, Nathan Casler, Blake Miller and Porter turned in a 41.40 to win the event, though the time is still unconfirmed, according to head coach Bruce Kendall.
Mt. Vernon’s 4×800 relay was second in 8:44.7 and the 4×400 team was runner-up at 3:32.03.
Casler was second in the high jump at 6-2. Damari Gatewood won the long jump at 19-7.
