FISHERS — The Mt. Vernon Marauders are going for it.
After a lost opportunity in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class 4A Marauders are forward focused this spring, and behind their fourth-straight win on Monday night, they’re positioning themselves for a potentially long season.
Senior ace Karlee Franklin (2-1), a Huntington University recruit, pitched a complete-game with 11 strikeouts, and senior Ball State recruit Maddie Taylor blasted a grand slam in the top of the sixth to power Mt. Vernon past No. 18 Hamilton Southeastern, 10-3.
The Marauders’ second road win in seven days marked a rapid turnaround following the program’s 8-5 loss at home to Zionsville on March 30.
Since the opening-day setback, the Marauders (4-1) have amassed 73 runs scored (81 total in five games), and against host HSE, formerly ranked ninth in the state last week, the bats went to work quickly.
A lead-off walk by senior Riley Hasseld set the table in the top of the first for senior Macey Cox’s single, followed up by a two-run RBI single by senior Haley Kissee.
Two outs later, Easton Wampler, a freshman, made it 3-0 with a lined RBI-double to center field.
From there, Franklin took over, facing 31 batters with eight hits scattered across six of her seven innings without a single walk issued.
“It makes me feel really good. It makes me feel like I can settle down and do what I know I can do, focus and play my game really,” Franklin remarked on the early lead. “We knew they were going to be a tough team, so we knew we had to come out hard and strong and do our jobs.”
Franklin maneuvered around, mowed down and breezed past each threat the Royals (3-3) attempted to capitalize on.
The Royals cut the lead 3-1 in the bottom of the second as freshman Alex Kiemeyer drove in junior Taylor Larson, who led off with a double, with a two-out single.
Franklin surrendered another single to junior Sage Peterson, but she induced a fly out to center field to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, HSE senior Daphne Bush led off with a solo home run over the right field wall, but Franklin answered with three consecutive strikeouts. She ended the bottom of the sixth in similar fashion after giving up a single to Bush.
“That ball was moving,” Kirby remarked on Franklin’s performance. “Biggest moment, she gave up a home run, followed by three strikeouts. Huge senior moment. Huge leadership. Never been prouder. She could have crumbled right there, but she chose not to. She said, nope.”
The home run by Bush cut Mt. Vernon’s lead 3-2, but the Marauders followed Franklin’s lead in the top of the fifth.
Cox, who finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored, belted a lead-off home run to increase the Marauders’ advantage 4-2. An RBI-single by senior Molly Buck, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, made it 5-2.
“We learned we had a lot of things to fix (after losing to Zionsville) and, I think, we realized how much we had to mesh together, and now we’ve finally learned how to play together as a team,” Franklin said.
The Marauders’ collectively put the game away in the top of the sixth with a five-run frame that opened with an error to put senior Mia Robbins on first base.
Back-to-back walks by Hasseld and Cox loaded the bases and the Marauders cashed in on two of their three attempts with runners on every bag.
Buck was hit by a pitch with one out to bring home Robbins from third base before Taylor delivered the knockout punch the Marauders needed.
“That made me feel so good. I was getting a little nervous because they were starting to hit, so I was ready to buckle down, and then Maddie came up and hit that huge home run. I felt so much relief,” Franklin said. “I knew we were good after that. I knew I could finish this out and we’re OK.”
Taylor got ahead 1-0 in the count before she launched her second home run in three days — she hit a homer during Mt. Vernon’s 18-1 home win over Lutheran on Saturday — to clear the bases.
Taylor entered the game hitting .600 (9 of 15) and went 1-for-4 against HSE. A transfer from Noblesville where she captained the Millers since her freshman season, she initially crossed the county line last year but had to wait 365 days after the 2020 campaign was canceled.
“This team loves her. They’ve done nothing but accept her and what she brings. At first, I think, it was a little difficult for her. She was so successful at a young age. She had to carry a lot of that weight and expectation, and now it’s really starting to shine through because she knows it not just on her,” Kirby said. “That helps her just relax and play Maddie’s game, which is very helpful.”
The Marauders aren’t a singularly driven team, however, especially at the plate.
Mt. Vernon drew eight walks, including two hit batters, posted 10 hits (three extra-base knocks) and struck out seven times in 39 at-bats.
Hasseld was 2-for-3 with two walks. Kissee went 1-for-3 with a walk. Wampler finished 2-for-4, and Robbins was 1-for-4.
“That’s a very tough hitting lineup to face. You can’t dig a hole starting off. When they put three on the the board in the top of the first that’s a tough hole to get out of, but I thought we competed and hung around there until the grand slam. That sealed it,” HSE head coach Dave Cook said.
The Royals opened the season 3-0 before dropping their last three against quality opponents, which consequently moved them down in the recent ICGSA softball state rankings.
“Our schedule is just brutal, and they’re right there on that schedule. Saturday we faced Roncalli, No. 1 in 4A (lost 11-0). We faced Edgewood, No. 2 in 3A (lost 6-0), and we started a game against Tecumseh, No. 1 in 2A, and we turned around with Mt. Vernon tonight, Zionsville next, which beat Mt. Vernon, and New Pal (4A No. 5) on Thursday and (4A No. 3) Crown Point on Saturday,” Cook said. “I told these girls, no one is going to feel sorry for you. You have Southeastern on your chest.”
The Marauders 10 seniors lived up to Cook’s words, making a statement for themselves in the process.
“Honestly, I just want to go out with a bang. Last year was really hard for all of us, so we just want to go out and do our best,” Franklin said. “Win as much as can because it’s our last time. It’s my last season and the seniors.”
