CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Class 2A Eastern Hancock Royals are champions again.
On Thursday night, the fifth-ranked Royals secured their second Mid-Eastern Conference softball title in program history with a 5-0 shutout victory at home against Wes-Del.
The victory marked the team’s 24th consecutive and improved its overall record to 24-1.
Ranked No. 1 in 2A by Maxpreps, the Royals clinched the MEC title with a perfect 8-0 run. Eastern Hancock won it’s first MEC title in 2018-19 with Mid-Hoosier Conference titles also won in 2012-13 and 2014-15.
Sophomore Grace Stapleton led the way against Wes-Del, going 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored, a double, a sacrifice and two RBI.
Kaylee Stewart (1-for-3) and Kaylee Kline (sacrifice fly) each drove in a run apiece, while Caroline Stapleton finished 1-for-4 with a double.
Emily Hodges scored two runs, Sydni Bednarski went 1-for-2 with a run, and Emma Bolding was 1-for-3 with two steals.
The Royals stole nine bases in the game, including a team-high three by Brooklyn Willis, who reached base twice on walks.
Madison Stephens earned the win, pitching a complete-game with six hits allowed, one walk and 13 strikeouts.
Campbell’s homer enough for Dragons
New Palestine’s Lexi Campbell blasted a two-run homer in the first and pitcher Alexa Holman made it stand up Thursday in a 2-1 victory at home over Kokomo.
The Class 4A No. 1 Dragons are now 26-0 on the season.
Alaina Miller led off the first inning with a single and Campbell followed by blasting a one-strike pitch over the center-field fence to give the Dragons a quick 2-0 lead.
Kokomo had baserunners in the first three innings but finally broke through in the sixth after a walk, single and error plated a run and put runners on the corners.
Catcher Aglaia Rudd threw out a baserunner trying to steal to end the threat. Holman then retired the Wildkats in order in the seventh to seal the victory.
The Dragons threatened throughout the game, as they had 11 hits and left 11 runners on base. Miller was 3-for-4, while Sydney Oliver was 3-for-3 with a double. Allie Blum was 2-for-3 with a double. Campbell, Grace Paquette and Vivian Long all had hits.
Holman allowed four hits and struck out seven in a complete-game victory. She did not allow an earned run.
Cougars fall to Greyhounds
The host Greenfield-Central softball team lost 5-1 to Carmel on Thursday night.
Carmel broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the third with four runs, and the lead stood the rest of the way as Greenfield-Central was limited to two hits.
Ellie Ewald plated the lone Cougars run by finishing 1-for-3 with a home run. Olivia Roberts logged the team’s second hit.
The Cougars are now 15-9 on the season.
Golf
Dragons win tri-match
The New Palestine golf team won a three-way match Thursday, shooting 176 to beat Oldenburg Academy (204) and Triton Central (214).
Braeden Baker led the Dragons with a 41. Gus Walling shot 42, Evan Griffith 46, A.J. Williams 47 and Nick Barada 49.
Baseball
Dragons surge to victory
An eight-run first inning powered the New Palestine baseball team to a 13-5 victory Thursday at Greenwood.
Eli Bruns led the first-inning surge with a three-run homer, breaking the game open and giving the Dragons a 7-0 lead.
Carter Stogsdill led off with a single and Wes Stiller followed with a walk. Stogsdill scored on a fielder’s choice. After a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases, Kaiden Kirkwood and Blaine Nunnally each drew bases-loaded walks to plate two more runs.
A wild pitch scored another before Bruns blasted a 3-1 pitch over the left-field fence to give New Palestine a 7-0 lead. The rally continued when Reise Quillen reached on an error and scored on Stogsdill’s double.
Bruns followed with an RBI double in the second to make it 9-0. Maddox Manes then led off the fourth with a solo homer to give the Dragons a 10-3 lead. Nunnally and Bruns each had RBI singles in a three-run sixth to push the edge to 13-5.
The Dragons outhit the Woodmen 11-5. Bruns was 3-for-4 with five RBI. Nunnally was 2-for-2 with three runs and three RBI. Stogsdill was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Wes Stiller, Zayden Stiller, Manes and Luke Legault also had hits.
Christian Deckard got the win in relief for the Dragons, allowing one hit and striking out three over 2.2 innings.
The Dragons are now 12-15 on the season.
