Eastern Hancock’s Emily Hodges throws against Randolph Southern on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. (Tom Russo/Daily Reporter)
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Losing isn’t a routine the Eastern Hancock Softball team wants to adopt, and the Royals proved it on Tuesday.
The Royals (2-1-1) were coming off their first loss of the season, 15-6, against visiting Indianapolis Bishop Chatard on Thursday, and they bounced back with a 15-hit barrage during their Mid-Eastern Conference opener.
Host Eastern Hancock scored eight runs in the bottom of the first and six more over the next two frames to run-rule MEC foe Randolph Southern 14-0 in five innings.
The Royals had 10 different players record at least one hit, led by Emma Bolding, who finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored, a double, a home run and five RBI.
Caroline Stapleton went 2-for-3 with an RBI, Brooklyn Willis was 2-for-2 with two RBI and Nevaeh Hammons finished 1-for-1 with two RBI. Emily Hodges went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Taylor Koch was perfect at the plate at 3-for-3 with a run scored, while Grace Stapleton, Kaylee Kline, Kaylee Stewart and Sammie Bolding each logged hits.
Stewart, Willis, Sammie Bolding and Caroline Stapleton each stole two bases apiece. Koch swiped three.
Madison Stephens, Tatem Adams and Hodges combined to pitch a no-hitter over five frames, striking out 11 batters. Stephens earned the win, throwing two hitless frames with six strikeouts. Adams had three strikeouts over two innings.
One walk drawn by Randolph Southern (0-3) halted Eastern Hancock’s attempt at a five-inning perfect game.
The Royals travel to Warren Central today before hosting MEC rival Shenandoah on Thursday.
Dragons blank East Central
Three New Palestine pitchers combined to throw a three-hit shutout Tuesday in the Dragons’ 9-0 victory over East Central.
Alexa Holman, Katie Kottlowski and Courtney Study each allowed one hit in the contest, combining for 13 strikeouts and no walks. Holman struck out six over four innings to earn the win. Kottlowski fanned four over two innings, and Study struck out three.
The Dragons (3-0-1) struck quickly, as Alaina Miller walked, stole second and scored on Allie Blum’s single in the first. The Dragons then added six runs on four hits in the second, paced by Sydney Oliver’s two-run single, to go up 7-0.
Miller hit an inside-the-park solo homer in the third and Nyla Lewis drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Blum led a six-hit attack, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Miller was 1-for-2 with three runs. Holman was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Katie Hirschy was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Oliver was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBI. Grace Smith also scored a pair of runs.
Tennis
Cougars sweep Yellow Jackets
The Greenfield-Central girls tennis team improved to 2-1 on the season with a sweep of host Morristown on Tuesday.
The Cougars won each match in straight sets, including three without surrendering a single game.
Zoe Starks won at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-3, and the tandem of Leah Puckett and Allison Lowe were victorious, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 2 doubles.
Jaclyn Layton and Brianna McConnell rolled 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 and 3 singles, respectively.
Hallie Smith and Lauren Chastain won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles.
The Cougars host Warren Central next on Monday before traveling to Lapel on Tuesday, April 19.
Dragons move to 3-0
The New Palestine tennis team improved to 3-0 on the season Tuesday with a 4-1 victory over visiting Triton Central.
Olivia Hasenkamp was first off the court at No. 2 singles, winning 6-0, 6-0. Freshman Kaitlyn Mitchell followed with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 3 singles. Abby Blachly finished a singles sweep with a 6-2, 6-3 victory.
At No. 2 doubles, Bethany Blachly/Lily Haeberle won 6-0, 7-5. Mia Knoop/Jo Harvey dropped a close match in a tiebreaker at No. 1 doubles.
Baseball
Dragons overcome Tigers
The New Palestine baseball team used a five-run fourth inning and a stellar pitching performance from Caleb Davis Tuesday to beat Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Yorktown 5-2.
The road victory improves the Dragons’ record to 3-1 (2-1 HHC). The two teams meet again today at New Palestine to conclude the two-game HHC series.
Luke Legault and Wes Stiller led the fourth inning off with back-to-back singles. Pinch-runner Adam Rickey went to third on Stiller’s single and beat out a throw home when Davis hit a grounder to first.
A walk to Nolan Cox loaded the bases. A wild pitch brought Stiller home, while Ben Morwick – Davis’ courtesy runner – came home by beating out a rundown. Eli Bruns plated another run with a sacrifice fly, while Carter Stogsdill’s single plated the fifth run.
Yorktown scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the frame, but Davis slammed the door from there, allowing just two baserunners.
Stiller and Blaine Nunnally led a six-hit attack. Stiller was 2-for-4 with a run. Nunnally was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Stogsdill was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Legault was 1-for-4.
Davis pitched a complete game one-hitter. He allowed no earned runs, walked two and struck out nine.
Golf
Dragons, Cougars battle Warriors
The New Palestine Dragons finished second and the Greenfield-Central Cougars took third in a tri-meet with Whiteland at Hawk’s Tail on Tuesday.
The Dragons shot 176 compared to Whiteland’s 170, while the Cougars carded a 181.
Josh Alley led the Cougars with a 41, followed by Tyler Young’s 46 and a 47 from both Bryce Hasty and Avery Young.
Braeden Baker paced the Dragons with a 39. Matthew Barada shot a 42. Evan Griffith fired a 46, and Landon Beaty and Alex Cofer both finished with 49s.
Track and Field
Marauders run past Wildcats
The Mt. Vernon boys track and field team outlasted Lawrence North 78-54 in a sectional preview of what may be in late May.
Winning for the Marauders were: Derrick Marble in the 100-meter dash (11.39 seconds), William Morris in the 400-meter run (52.97), Tristan Trevino in the 800 at 1:58.89, Reyce Morgan in the 3,200 at 9:55.73 and George Burhenn in both the high hurdles (15.26) and the intermediate hurdles (40.70). The Marauders also swept the 400.
Also winning were all three Mt. Vernon relay teams with the 4×100 (Marble, Keagan La Belle, Avery Williams, Caden Wildey) in 43.32, the 4×400 (Morris, Burhenn, Andres Langston, Trevino) in 3:30.59 and the 4×800 (Morris, Morgan, Joseph Blagrave, Daylon King) in 8:35.86.
La Belle won the pole vault competition at 14-feet.
