KNIGHTSTOWN — It doesn’t have the drama of a two-out, bottom of the seventh inning, game-winning line drive, but a walk-off win, is just that, a walk-off win.
The Eastern Hancock Royals are making a habit of that.
For the second straight night of the Class 2A Sectional 42 softball tournament at Knightstown High School, the Royals sent everyone home early.
Junior second baseman Kaylee Stewart hit a two-out, fifth-inning, single scoring Grace Stapleton giving the seventh-ranked Royals a 10-0 win over Triton Central in one of Tuesday’s semifinal games. The game ended after the Stewart hit due to the 10-run mercy rule.
On Monday, Brooklyn Willis hit a walk-off, three-run, homer in the sixth inning for a 10-0 triumph over host Knightstown in a first-round contest.
“I think if you can do that you’ve played your game. You did what you came out to do,” Eastern Hancock head coach Terry Stephens said of his team’s ability to end game’s due to the run-rule. “We just had the one home run, so that means we really hit the ball and moved the ball around.”
“I feel like it’s important (to end the game early),” Stewart said. “We started hitting the ball well early. (In the fifth inning) I was just trying to put the ball in play and get it on the ground, just trying to get the runner around to home.”
On Tuesday, the Royals scored three times each in the first, second and fourth innings, before ending the game with one run in the fifth.
The Royals had 11 hits, Stewart had a pair of doubles to go with her game-winner. Each knock was good for an RBI.
Stewart got things going in the first inning, too.
She reached on a one-out error and stole second base. Sammie Bolding followed with a rocket down the third-base line for a run-scoring double. Bolding, after stealing third base, came in to score on a Willis single. Taylor Koch had a two-out single to score Willis — who had stolen both second and third base — and give Eastern Hancock a quick 3-0 lead.
In the second inning, the Royals had four hits, all for extra bases and all coming after two outs. Caroline Stapleton started the parade of Royal runners with a triple. Stewart followed with her first double and Bolding hit the lone EH home run of the night. It was the freshman’s 14th home run of the season. Willis also had a double in the frame.
In the fourth, Caroline Stapleton singled and stole second. Stewart knocked her in with a double. After a walk to Bolding and a wild pitch, Kaylee Kline hit a two-run double.
Along with a big night at the plate, Eastern Hancock had a big night on the bases. The Royals stole six bases and were aggressive after hits by stretching singles into doubles.
“They’re unbelievable at spotting the situation when it’s time to take the next base,” coach Stephens said. “I only gave one steal sign, the rest was them recognizing the play and taking the base when it was there for them.”
“I made an observation that the catcher was taking (more) time to throw the ball and we took advantage of it,” Stewart said, then added with a smile and laugh, “We did have a lot of stolen bases, but he didn’t tell us to steal.”
The Royals were just as productive out in the field. Pitcher Madison Stephens was never in trouble. She gave up just two hits, no walks and had seven strikeouts.
“Defense did their job, no walks and we had just the one error (on a dropped third strike), we can live with that all day long,” coach Stephens said. “That’s exactly what we preach. If we do our defensive side, our offense will take care of itself.”
Eastern Hancock will play for the sectional title and berth into one of the Class 2A regional today against Indianapolis Scecina, a 4-2 winner over Heritage Christian in Tuesday’s opening semifinal game.
The title game is today at 5:30 p.m.
The Royals are looking for the school’s sixth softball sectional crown. They have won three of the last four contested tournaments with championship game victories in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Last year’s season and tournament was canceled due to the pandemic. Other sectional tournament titles came in 2010 and 2013.
“It’s awesome,” Stewart said of playing for the sectional title. “We did it my freshman year and it was fun. The atmosphere (was great). Hopefully we can have another championship.”
Tuesday’s wins was the Royals 26th straight. They are 26-1 after an opening season 4-3 loss to New Palestine. Triton Central dropped to 9-13.
“Our goal was to get to that championship game and see what we can do,” coach Stephens added.
