FORTVILLE — Mt. Vernon senior Molly Buck threw a complete-game shutout and the host Marauders rolled to an 8-0 victory over Bishop Chatard on Thursday night.
The win improved the Class 4A No. 17 Marauders’ season record to 15-5 overall and marked the softball program’s third victory in four games.
The Marauders secured their win early behind a six-run bottom of the first led by singles from Easton Wampler, who drove in a pair, and Riley Hasseld, a home run from Buck and an error on a ball put in play by Mia Robbins.
Mt. Vernon had 15 hits overall, including two-hit performances by Wampler (2-for-4), Drew Fithian (2-for-3), Macey Cox (2-for-4), Maddie Taylor (2-for-4), Hasseld (2-for-4), Shelby Rakosky (2-for-4) and Buck (2-for-4).
Buck finished with a team-high two RBI. Wampler, Robbins, Taylor, Hasseld and Rakosky each drove in one run apiece.
In the circle, Buck scatter five hits over 7.0 innings without walking a single batter. She struck out four.
The Marauders travel to Anderson on Monday with the first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Cougars fall to Tigers
The Class 4A Greenfield-Central softball team lost a tough one on Thursday at home against 3A No. 1 Yorktown, 3-2.
The loss dropped the Cougars’ season record to 12-6 overall and 2-4 in the Hoosier Heritage Conference. Yorktown improved to 16-4 and 3-3 in the HHC.
The visiting Tigers built a 2-0 lead after the first and led 3-0 after the top of the second before the Cougars charged back in the bottom half of the frame to narrow Yorktown’s lead to one run.
A two-run home run by Olivia Roberts in the bottom of the second cut the Cougars’ deficit 3-2, but they couldn’t find the tying run against Tigers’ Alanah Jones and Kaylyn Coahran, who combined for a three-hitter over 7.0 innings.
Megan Wineinger had two hits for the Cougars, while Camille Burelison and Hannah Holden teamed to allow only two earned runs in the game.
Greenfield-Central hosts the Cougar Classic Tournament today, facing Columbus East at 9 a.m., Seymour at noon and Frankton at 2:30 p.m.
Royals cruise to 19 straight
The top-ranked Class 2A Eastern Hancock Royals softball team won its 19th straight game and broke a few more school records in the process on Thursday night.
The Royals (19-1) posted 18 hits, including three home runs and four doubles, to run rule host Anderson 15-3 in six innings.
Kaylee Kline (2-for-4) blasted a pair of home runs with three RBI and Emma Bolding crushed another to increase the Royals’ on-going, single-season homer record to 37.
Bolding finished 1-for-4 with two RBI, while Sammie Bolding went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBI. Brooklyn Willis had two doubles, going 4-for-5 with two RBI. Kaylee Stewart added another double and went 2-for-5 with three RBI.
Maddie Turner earned the win. She allowed three hits, two earned runs, seven walks and struck out six over 6.0 innings.
The Royals broke the program’s single-season runs record during the victory, posting their 257th run scored. The former record was 248 set in 2014.
In addition, Sammie Bolding and Caroline Stapleton both broke the individual single-season runs record, which was set in 2012 at 38. Bolding now has 40 on the year and Stapleton has scored 39 through 20 games.
Tennis
Cougars win on the road
The Greenfield-Central girls tennis team beat host Blue River Valley 4-1 during their regular-season finale on Thursday night.
The Cougars victory marked their seventh consecutive with sectional play approaching.
At No. 1 singles, Zoe Starks rallied back from being down 2-6 after the first set and 1-4 early in the second to win the next five games to even the match 6-4. She completed the comeback in the third set, 6-1.
Jaclyn Layton won at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-4, and Brianna McConnell prevailed at No. 3 singles, 6-4, 6-3.
The Cougars fourth point came at No. 2 doubles with Leah Puckett and Makayla Price winning 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Greenfield-Central concluded the regular season with a record of 9-4 and 4-3 in the HHC.
Marauders blank Trojans
The Mt. Vernon girls tennis team wrapped up its 2021 HHC schedule with a 5-0 win over visiting New Castle on Wednesday.
The victory secured a second-place finish in the HHC for the Marauders, who went 6-1 in conference play this spring. Mt. Vernon is now 12-1 on the season.
Lydia Ruegsegger improved to 16-0 with a stellar 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles. Carly Wilkerson won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 singles, while Hanna Smith won a timely match at No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-1.
The tandem of Lexi Shelton and Ceci Bulmahn rolled at No. 1 doubles, 6-0, 6-1. Maddie Swingle and Anna Hawks won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 doubles.
The Marauders travel to the Franklin Invitational this weekend before hosting Anderson on Monday.
Golf
Dragons split tri-match
The New Palestine golf team split a triangular match Wednesday at Hawk’s Tail. The Dragons shot 177, falling to Columbus North (166) and beating Shelbyville (184).
Matt Barada led the Dragons with a 42. Evan Griffith shot 44, Sammy Chifalo 45 and Braeden Baker 46.
The Dragons are next in action today in the HHC meet at The Players Club in Yorktown along with the Marauders and Cougars.
Baseball
Dragons split with Arabians
The New Palestine baseball team dropped a 5-3 decision Wednesday at home to Pendleton Heights, splitting the teams’ two-game HHC series.
The Dragons’ record moved to 10-12 overall and 5-6 in HHC play.
The Dragons outhit the Arabians 9-8, but a three-run third inning gave the visitors a 4-2 lead. They added another run in the fourth.
Carter Stogsdill led the Dragons’ offense, going 2-for-4 and driving in two runs with a second-inning single. Zayden Stiller and Wes Stiller also each had two hits. Hayden Isaacs, Eli Bruns and Reise Quillen each singled. Quillen also scored in the fourth inning on the front end of a double-steal.
Marauders win second straight
The Mt. Vernon baseball team knocked off visiting Hamilton Heights, 5-2, on Thursday to win its second straight.
Mt. Vernon improved to 17-6 on the season with five more contests remaining before the postseason.
The Marauders built a 2-0 lead with single runs scored in the bottom of the first and third before the Huskies tied it up 2-2 in the top of the fifth.
Mt. Vernon responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame and added an insurance run in the sixth.
The Marauders posted eight hits, including a triple and a double by AJ Swingle and doubles from Payton Bovard and Landon Clark.
Swingle finished 2-for-2 with an RBI, a walk and three runs scored. Clark went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Joel Walton and Jake Stank both drove in runs.
Bovard was 2-for-2, Tyler Sumner went 1-for-3 with a run scored and Hunter Dobbins was 2-for-2 with a walk.
Walton earned the win on the mound, pitching 7.0 innings of five-hit baseball, surrendering two earned runs and walking none. He struck out eight.
The Marauders travel to Carmel on Monday.
