Daily Reporter staff reports
Eastern Hancock’s baseball team opened their sectional play Wednesday at Heritage Christian, outlasting Triton Central 12-8 in an offensive showcase.
The teams combined for 20 hits, with Eastern Hancock picking up 12 of those in the victory. Two of those provided eight of the Royals runs, as both Easton Fields and Addison True hit grand slams to help power the team to a win.
True went 4 for 4 at the plate, with a double, the grand slam and six RBIs. Fields was 3 for 4 with four RBIs.
Andrew Knoblock got the win, striking out five in three innings. Joey Starrett came on in relief and struck out eight while allowing no hits or runs.
The Royals move on to face Heritage Christian today at 5 p.m.
Dragons roll past Lawrence Central
New Palestine opened sectional play with a dominant pitching performance from Jacob Garrison, holding Lawrence Central to just two hits in an 8-1 win Wednesday at Warren Central.
Garrison pitched six innings, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out 14. Cameron Pitzer came on in relief, allowing no hits and closing out the win.
Colby Jenkins led the Dragons offense with three hits. Pitzer and Jacob Bain each had two. Pitzer and Luke Greene each added two RBIs for New Palestine.
The Dragons take on Lawrence North in the sectional semifinal today at 5:30 p.m.
Softball
Royals season ends with shutout defeat
Eastern Hancock’s season ended in the semifinals of the Triton Central sectional on Wednesday, as the Royals bats couldn’t get going in a 2-0 loss to Knightstown.
The Royals offense, which had averaged more than eight runs and nine hits per game heading into the semifinal, was held to just three hits in the defeat.
Eastern Hancock ends their season at 15-10. Knightstown, which avenged a season-opening 12-8 loss to the Royals, moves on to tonight’s sectional final.
