Greenfield-Central’s Olivia Roberts holds her stance while at bat against Mt. Vernon on Friday, April 29, 2022.
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield-Central softball team pushed its winning streak to two straight Monday with another big Hoosier Heritage Conference victory.
The host Cougars improved their season record to 9-4 and 3-1 in the HHC by defeating New Castle, 11-1, in five innings.
The Cougars’ winning streak began with a 3-0 shutout against rival Mt. Vernon on Friday.
Against the visiting Trojans, the Cougars trailed 1-0 after the top half of the fourth inning before the G-C offense erupted with an 11-run response in bottom half of the frame.
G-C posted six hits, drew five walks and utilized three New Castle errors to spark its offense.
Ella Redman finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, two RBI and a double. Faith Butler (1-for-3) hit a home run with three RBI.
Morgan Hornaday, Olivia Roberts, Josie White (1-for-3) and Addison Herrin each drove in one run apiece.
Madysen Herbert earned the win, pitching four innings with three hits allowed, two walks, three strikeouts and one earned run surrendered. Butler threw one frame with a walk, two strikeouts and no runs allowed.
The Cougars host Shenandoah today at 7 p.m. and HHC foe New Palestine on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Dragons rally past Franklin
The New Palestine softball team rallied from a two-run deficit by scoring seven runs in the seventh inning Monday to beat Franklin 10-6.
The Dragons trailed 5-3 going into the seventh, having surrendered five unearned runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Dragons had built an early 3-0 lead as Allie Blum hit a solo homer and Grace Paquette followed with a two-run blast in the first.
Franklin staged a small rally in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff homer and a two-out double, but Katie Kottlowski induced the final out to finish a complete-game victory.
Kottlowski allowed six hits and one earned run in seven innings. She struck out six.
The Dragons’ 12-hit attack was led by Paquette, who was 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Both of her hits – a double and a homer – were for extra bases. Katie Hirschy was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer. Aglaia Rudd was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Sydney Oliver was 2-for-3 with a run. Blum was 1-for-3 with a solo homer and scored twice. Ernstes was 1-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Kottlowski added her solo homer.
The Dragons are now 13-2-1.
Royals win fifth straight
The Eastern Hancock Royals improved to 10-2-1 on the season with a 17-0 run-rule victory over visiting Heritage Christian on Monday.
The victory was Eastern Hancock’s fifth straight.
Kaylee Kline finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, four RBI and two home runs.
The Royals posted two doubles, a triple and four home runs with 18 hits overall.
Brooklyn Willis went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, two RBI, a stolen base and a home run. Sammie Bolding was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, three RBI, two stolen bases and a home run.
Kaylee Stewart was 1-for-2 with a triple. Tatum Adams was 1-for-1 with a double.
Emma Bolding (3-for-3) and Taylor Koch (2-for-3) each drove in one run apiece.
Caroline Stapleton went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a stolen base.
Emily Hodges earned the pitching win, tossing five innings with one hit surrendered, one walk and five strikeouts.
Tennis
New Pal downs Waldron
The New Palestine tennis team had a solid evening Monday, defeating Waldron 4-1.
Olivia Hasenkamp led the Dragons with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 1 singles, being first off the court. Kaitlyn Mitchell quickly followed with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at No. 3 singles. Mia Knoop split sets at No. 2 singles before winning a super-tiebreaker 10-8.
At No. 2 doubles, Bethany Blachly/Lily Haeberle won 6-2, 6-1.
The Dragons improved to 7-2 on the season with the victory.
Royals sweep Panthers
The Eastern Hancock girls tennis team improved to 7-0 on the season with a 5-0 sweep over Knightstown on Monday.
Bianca Di Vittorio won at No. 1 singles 6-0, 6-0. Violette Sagalowicz won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 singles. The Royals earned a forfeit win at No. 3 singles.
The Royals won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2 doubles. The No. 1 doubles team seized the final point with a 6-1, 6-0 win.
Golf
Dragons best rival Marauders
The New Palestine golf team defeated rival Mt. Vernon, 157-162, Monday at Hawk’s Tail.
With the victory, the Dragons earned possession of the traveling trophy contested between the two teams.
Braeden Baker was match medalist with a 36, one of three Dragons below 40. Matthew Barada and Evan Griffith each shot 39s. Landon Beaty and Alex Cofer both shot 41s.
For Mt. Vernon, Nils Erkmanis shot 37, Aaron Arkenau fired a 41, Dylan Dreiman carded a 42 and Sam Bridenthal turned in a 42.
The Dragons are next in action today at the Hancock County Meet at Hawk’s Tail.
Baseball
Dragons rally to beat Warriors
With the New Palestine baseball team down to its final strike, Blaine Nunnally delivered on Monday.
With two runners in scoring position, the junior drilled a base hit to center, plating Brayden Marrow and Wes Stiller and giving the Dragons a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over Warren Central.
The hit capped a three-run rally in the final frame for the Dragons, who are now 10-5 on the season and have won four straight games.
With one out in the seventh and the Dragons trailing 3-1, Zayden Stiller reached on an error. After a strikeout put the Dragons down to their final out, Luke Legault drilled a 1-2 pitch to right for a double, plating a run to draw the Dragons within one.
Marrow came on to pinch run for Legault. Wes Stiller then walked on a 3-2 pitch. The two then stole second and third, putting the winning run in scoring position. That brought up Nunnally, who worked the count full to make him the third straight batter to face the final strike. He then laced the game-winning hit.
Caleb Davis pitched a complete-game victory, allowing seven hits, no earned runs and striking out four.
Six different players had hits for the Dragons. Legault was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Maddox Manes was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Carter Stogsdill was 1-for-3 with a run. Nunnally was 1-for-3 with two RBI. Eli Bruns was 1-for-2 and Ben Morwick 1-for-3.
