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Homers, gems and steals: Vote for IndyStar softball players of the week (Sectionals)

IndyStar will be recognizing the top softball players in Indiana with our players of the week poll.

Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until 3 p.m. TUESDAY.

We may be doing Players of the Week for regionals. Stay tuned for details!

Congratulations to Heritage Christian's Naomi Swisher on being voted Player of the Week for May 13-18! The freshman doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in five more in a 15-2 win over Brebeuf.

Here are this week's nominees.

Insider: Ranking Central Indiana's 15 sectional champions entering regionals

Regionals: Statewide pairings, schedule, scores

Reagan Bauer, Mooresville

Mooresville Pioneers Reagan Bauer (14) rushes from the third base to home Thursday, May 23, 2024, during the IHSAA Class 4A sectional finals at Center Grove Elementary School in Greenwood. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Mooresville Pioneers.
Mooresville Pioneers Reagan Bauer (14) rushes from the third base to home Thursday, May 23, 2024, during the IHSAA Class 4A sectional finals at Center Grove Elementary School in Greenwood. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Mooresville Pioneers.

Bauer pitched a five-inning perfect game with nine strikeouts vs. Martinsville in the sectional quarterfinals, went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs against Bloomington North in the semis, then clocked a couple more hits and scored twice in the championship game vs. Center Grove. The junior batted a career-best .347 with 14 RBIs, 28 runs and 10 doubles.

More: Pios made Center Grove 'earn everything' in sectional final

Morgan Burgess, Gibson Southern

The senior delivered at the plate and in the circle. She totaled four hits, five RBIs (two in the semis vs. Evansville Memorial and three in the final vs. Princeton) and two runs. Burgess also pitched six innings in the sectional semifinal vs. Evansville Memorial, striking out five and allowing only one earned run (two total) on four hits over six innings.

Elise Coleman, Floyd Central

Bedford North Lawrence's Kendall Graves (10) waits for the late throw as Floyd Central's Elise Coleman (25) slides safely into second base. BNL lost to Floyd Central, 12-5, in the sectional semifinal Tuesday, May 23, 2023.
Bedford North Lawrence's Kendall Graves (10) waits for the late throw as Floyd Central's Elise Coleman (25) slides safely into second base. BNL lost to Floyd Central, 12-5, in the sectional semifinal Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

The sophomore homered twice, doubled once, drove in four runs and scored thrice in a 9-1 title-clinching win over Jeffersonville. Coleman also had an RBI single in a 7-4 semifinal win over Jennings County.

Brylie Couch, Triton Central

Triton Central Brylie Couch (45) hits the ball Wednesday, April 17, 2024, during the game at Beech Grove High School in Beech Grove.
Triton Central Brylie Couch (45) hits the ball Wednesday, April 17, 2024, during the game at Beech Grove High School in Beech Grove.

The junior pitched a no-hitter in the semifinals vs. Heritage Christian, racking up 13 strikeouts and issuing only one walk. Couch also had a hit and an RBI, then went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored in the championship game vs. Scecina.

Leilani Forshey, Greenfield-Central

The junior hit her 13th homer of the season and drove in three runs in GC’s semifinal win over Mt. Vernon, then collected three hits and three RBIs in the final vs. New Palestine. Forshey finished the season batting .419 with 31 hits, 34 RBIs, 23 runs scored and 13 home runs.

Holly Garrett, Beech Grove

Beech Grove Hornets Holly Garrett (2) yells in excitement after scoring Wednesday, April 17, 2024, during the game at Beech Grove High School in Beech Grove.
Beech Grove Hornets Holly Garrett (2) yells in excitement after scoring Wednesday, April 17, 2024, during the game at Beech Grove High School in Beech Grove.

Garrett scored twice against Purdue Poly, then delivered in the bottom of the seventh vs. Speedway. With the score tied at 3, the senior ripped a one-out double to left, stole third and came in to score the winning run on a Kylee Robinson base hit. She also had two assists and a putout in the field.

Riley Janda, Center Grove

Center Grove Trojans Riley Janda (8) jogs back to the dugout Thursday, May 23, 2024, during the IHSAA Class 4A sectional finals at Center Grove Elementary School in Greenwood. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Mooresville Pioneers.
Center Grove Trojans Riley Janda (8) jogs back to the dugout Thursday, May 23, 2024, during the IHSAA Class 4A sectional finals at Center Grove Elementary School in Greenwood. The Center Grove Trojans defeated the Mooresville Pioneers.

Janda was held hitless in the semifinals against Bloomington South, but she took off against Mooresville, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a homer. She scored once and recorded four RBIs, giving her the school’s single-season record with 59.

'They're going to go far.' Healthy, confident & hungry Center Grove claims sectional title.

Caitlin LaFerney, Yorktown

Caitlin LaFerney (right)
Caitlin LaFerney (right)

The senior hurler led the Tigers back to regionals. She pitched a two-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and only one walk in a 12-0 win over Centerville (6 innings), then allowed only two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and zero walks in a 4-2 win over Jay County in the final. LaFerney also had three hits and an RBI vs. Centerville.

Emma Luther, New Prairie

New Prairie senior Emma Luther lays down a sacrifice bunt during an IHSAA Class 3A, Sectional 19 quarterfinal game against Riley Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Newton Park in Lakeville.
New Prairie senior Emma Luther lays down a sacrifice bunt during an IHSAA Class 3A, Sectional 19 quarterfinal game against Riley Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Newton Park in Lakeville.

Luther delivered a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the sixth in the sectional championship game vs. Jimtown. She finished the game 1-for-2 with two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. The senior had hits against South Bend Riley and South Bend Washington, with an RBI vs. Riley and a run scored vs. Washington.

Anna Moore, Cathedral

Cathedral Fighting Irish Anna Moore (5) rushes after the ball Saturday, April 13, 2024, during the game at the Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.
Cathedral Fighting Irish Anna Moore (5) rushes after the ball Saturday, April 13, 2024, during the game at the Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

The Purdue commit finished a double shy of the cycle vs. Pike, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, three runs and a couple steals, then matched her hit total vs. Lawrence North with four runs and a couple RBIs. She also cleared two milestones last week, reaching 50 hits and 50 runs for the season.

Sydney Oliver, New Palestine

New Palestine High School senior Sydney Oliver (20) hits for a double during an IHSAA softball game against Zionsville High School, Friday, April 19, 2024, at New Palestine High School. New Palestine won, 6-1.
New Palestine High School senior Sydney Oliver (20) hits for a double during an IHSAA softball game against Zionsville High School, Friday, April 19, 2024, at New Palestine High School. New Palestine won, 6-1.

The senior logged a hit, an RBI and a run scored vs. Muncie Central, then picked up three hits, three RBIs and three runs vs. Pendleton Heights and two hits and two RBIs vs. Greenfield-Central. Oliver, who tripled twice, was also perfect on six chances in the outfield with five putouts, an assist and one highlight-reel double play vs. the Arabians.

'Everyone was spectacular.' New Palestine's flawless fielding highlights semifinal rout

Ava Poulson, Huntington North

The senior twirled two one-hit shutouts to punch the Vikings’ ticket to regional. Poulson issued only one walk in both outings, and struck out 13 vs. Fort Wayne South Side (five innings) and eight vs. Columbia City. She also collected four hits (two triples), four runs and two RBIs at the plate.

Sydney Rainford, North Newton

The junior pitched all 10 innings of Saturday’s sectional championship game vs. Illiana Christian, allowing four unearned runs on five hits with a walk and 12 strikeouts. She also logged a hit, two walks and two steals in the 5-4 win. Rainford pitched a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in the semifinals vs. Hammond Bishop Noll and a five-inning perfect game with 14 strikeouts vs. Whiting in the quarterfinals.

Maddie Rose, Castle

Rose clocked a double and two runs in an 11-1 win over Evansville Reitz, then collected a couple more hits (one homer), three runs scored and four RBIs in a 13-0 rout of Evansville North in the championship game.

Logan Rumble, Penn

Penn's Logan Rumble (10) celebrates a grand slam as she rounds third base during the Elkhart vs. Penn softball sectional championship game Friday, May 24, 2024 at Northridge High School in Middlebury
Penn's Logan Rumble (10) celebrates a grand slam as she rounds third base during the Elkhart vs. Penn softball sectional championship game Friday, May 24, 2024 at Northridge High School in Middlebury

The sophomore helped ensure a stress-free three-game run through sectionals for the defending 4A champions, collecting seven hits, five runs and six RBIs. Her collection of hits included doubles in each game and a grand slam in the final vs. Elkhart.

Paige Stires, Lapel

Lapel High School Bulldogs Taylor Mroz (16), Lapel High School Bulldogs Paige Stires (25) and Lapel High School Bulldogs Ava Everman (18) celebrate after making the final out of the inning against the Eastern Hancock Royals on Friday, May 3, 2024, during the varsity girls softball game at Lapel High School in Lapel, Indiana. The Eastern Hancock Royals defeated the Lapel High School Bulldogs 2-1.

The sophomore played a big role in the Bulldogs’ run to a second consecutive sectional title. She went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in a 2-1 win over Frankton, then collected two more hits and another run scored vs. Alexandria-Monroe.

More: Free of pressure, expectations, Roncalli softball looking to make a name for itself

Hannah Sutton, Avon

Avon's Hannah Sutton poses for a photo Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Indianapolis Star.
Avon's Hannah Sutton poses for a photo Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at the Indianapolis Star.

The senior Murray State commit went 4-for-7 (.571 average) with a couple home runs and five RBIs as Avon won its fourth consecutive sectional title. Sutton accounted for two hits (one homer), three RBIs and a run scored in a 7-1 win over Plainfield in the semifinals.

Grace Swedarsky, Hamilton Southeastern

Swedarsky pitched a two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts vs. Westfield, a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and only one baserunner (hit-by-pitch) in the semifinal vs. Zionsville, then struck out 12 vs. Noblesville to lift Hamilton Southeastern to its first sectional title since 2017.

'The umpires are wowed. I am, too.' Grace Swedarsky tosses no-hitter in sectional semis

More: Grace Swedarsky keeps mowing 'em down, HSE wins first softball sectional title since 2017

Payton Wulf, South Bend St. Joseph

Saint Joseph freshman Payton Wulf runs toward home plate after being congratulated by coach Earl Keith following hitting a home run during the Class 4A, Sectional 3 softball championship game against Mishawaka Friday, May 24, 2024, at Potawatomi Park in South Bend.
Saint Joseph freshman Payton Wulf runs toward home plate after being congratulated by coach Earl Keith following hitting a home run during the Class 4A, Sectional 3 softball championship game against Mishawaka Friday, May 24, 2024, at Potawatomi Park in South Bend.

The freshman shined through the final two rounds of sectionals, collecting three hits and five RBIs. She was excellent vs. Mishawaka in the final, going 2-for-4 with a homer, a run scored and three RBIs.

Izzy Zapp, Noblesville

Noblesville High School freshman Izzy Zapp (17) throws the ball into the infield from right field during a sectional semi-final game against Fishers High School in an IHSAA Softball State Championship Tournament, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Cherry Tree Softball Complex, in Carmel.
Noblesville High School freshman Izzy Zapp (17) throws the ball into the infield from right field during a sectional semi-final game against Fishers High School in an IHSAA Softball State Championship Tournament, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Cherry Tree Softball Complex, in Carmel.

Zapp made her postseason debut with a 5-for-5 performance that included three runs and six RBIs in the Class 4A Sectional 8 semifinals vs. Fishers. She logged another hit against HSE in the final. The freshman finished the year batting .386 with 22 hits, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school softball players of week (Sectionals)