Prep roundup for Thursday, May 2
May 2—Eastern's softball team used a big fifth inning to power past Taylor in Hoosier Heartland Conference action at Greentown on Wednesday. The Comets and Titans were tied 1-1 through four innings. Taylor took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but Eastern took control in the bottom of the frame with six runs.
Emilia Andrews was 2 for 4 with a triple and two runs. Katie Hendricks and Lilli Shrock drove in two runs apiece as the Comets played on the new turf baseball field as part of a softball-baseball doubleheader.
Kenzie DeGraaff made the lead stick with a complete game victory in the pitching circle. DeGraaff gave up seven hits in seven innings but did not walk a batter and only one run was earned. She struck out six.
"We had a slow start, not used to playing on turf — that's the first time we've really been out there since February," Eastern coach Carly Shively said. "It took a little bit of work. In our conference and in our schedule we've got such a wide variety of pitching, but this year I would say if we don't get on top of things right away, we have really good failure recovery and we make the adjustments well, just kept putting the ball in play and it really paid off there in the big six-run inning."
Shively said that the Comets did well at being aggressive on the basepaths and taking advantage of opportunities either from defensive plays or pitches when on offense.
The Comets improved to 8-6 overall and 3-1 in the HHC.
"We've moved things around quite a bit, we've had some people coming off injury playing new spots," Shively said. "This is a different team with different dynamics, but we've got everybody wiling to do anything they need to do to help the team.
"We're being tested a lot more defensively than we have in the last couple of years and we're really coming through that way as well."
WESTERN 6, ROSSVILLE 1
In a clash of two teams ranked No. 2 in their respective classes, Class 3A power Western (15-0) pulled away from Class A Rossville (11-2) at Rossville.
Lucy George threw all seven innings for the win, allowing five hits and an earned run with no walks and nine strikeouts. At the plate for the Panthers, Sienna Stone was 3 for 4 with a run, and Brynley Erb was 2 for 3 with a triple, two RBI and two runs.
"Our first run, Brynley Erb grounds out but scores the run [Kylie Miller scored from third]," Western coach Bart Miller said. "Lexi Dollens on a dropped third strike, she runs. If she doesn't run, they don't throw to first and Sienna Stone doesn't get to third, and Sienna is able to score later on a passed ball. Just girls doing their job when they need to do it.
"Overall, just a great team win, 10 hits overall, and Lucy George in the circle did a fantastic job again."
CASS 5, SW 2, 10 INN.
Cass took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning of the Three Rivers Conference game, but Southwood pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings. After neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, the Kings scored four runs in the top of the 10th.
Cass pitcher Amma Fitzhugh went the distance. She allowed six hits, struck out 13 and walked none.
Hannah Zamora went 4 for 5 to account for half of the Kings' hits and Kami Silcox hit a home run, drove in two runs and scored two runs.
LOGAN 8, KOKOMO 7, 9 INN.
The Berries topped the Kats in a North Central Conference game that saw the teams combine for 27 hits and six errors.
Jordan Thatcher and Taylor Reed had big games for the Kats. Thatcher went 3 for 5 with two triples, two stolen bases and an RBI and Reed was 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBI.
Kokomo (8-7 overall, 2-1 NCC) also had Ava Federspill, Dani Tate and Lilianna Lamberson record two hits apiece. Tate had two stolen bases.
TIPTON 9, NW 8
Tipton built a 9-3 lead through five innings and held off Northwestern's comeback bid to take the 9-8 win and a split of their Hoosier Conference East Division series.
Leah Turffs drove in three runs for Northwestern (3-11 overall, 1-5 HC) and Addy Clark, Tessa Ortman, Bailey Marcus and Kendra Hughes had two hits apiece. Marcus, Hughes and Jayda Shanks scored two runs apiece. Hailey Jordan took the pitching loss.
ROCHESTER 3, MAC 2
After visiting Maconaquah scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make it 2-2, Rochester scored with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to win the TRC game.
Sydney Barns and Kasey Murry had two hits apiece for the Braves and Bailey Carson drove in a run. Blayklee Buman took the hard-luck loss. She went the distance, allowed six hits and two earned runs, struck out nine and walked one.
BASEBALL
NW 10, TIPTON 3
Northwestern completed a sweep of the home-and-away Hoosier Conference East Division series with a win at Tipton a night after winning at Northwestern. The Tigers (9-6, 2-4 HC East) did all their damage in a four-run third inning and a six-run fifth.
Karson Griggs got the win for the Tigers, starting and throwing 4.2 innings with three hits, five walks, three earned runs and eight strikeouts. Landon Begley then entered in relief and finished the game, throwing 2.1 innings with two hits, two walks, no runs and four strikeouts.
At the plate, Cole VanNatter was 3 for 4 for the Tigers, Easton Whaley was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI, and Jonathan Keeney was 2 for 4 with two RBI.
"I just think for us our lineup construction worked out real well," NW coach Ryan Ward said. "Jonathan Keeney bats in the 9 spot for us and then Cole VanNatter and Easton Whaley bat 1-2, so to be able to turn that over and have those guys do their roles in those spots, whether it's stealing bases or base hits, finding ways to get on base, get bunts down, that opened up things for us to score runs.
"And it was good to see Karson Griggs have a quality start for us. I know he hasn't liked his last couple starts in conference, but for him to regroup and throw strikes and get a quality start from him I think will be big moving forward."
WESTERN 5, HH 2
Class 3A co-No. 7-ranked Western beat visiting Hamilton Heights to finish 6-0 in the Hoosier Conference's East Division and earn a spot in the conference's title game.
"I'm proud of this team," Western coach Ryan Berryman said. "Our guys work hard and buy into the team approach. We aren't perfect, but we have had different players rise to the occasion throughout the season and seize their opportunities. Now, we get to compete for back-to-back conference championships [May 10] at home."
Western (13-1 overall) went up 2-0 in the second inning. Heights pulled even in the top of the third, but Western put two more runs on the board in the bottom of the third to take control.
"Our guys had a really good approach at the plate," Berryman said. "Their pitcher [Nathan Hulen] has some velo and a tight slider. We saw him earlier in the season and we got to him late in that game to pull out a 6-3 win. Our plan was to control the game early, and we did that."
The Panthers finished with 12 hits. Cal Berryman went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI, Peyton Kauble was 2 for3 with a double and two RBI and Peyton DeWeese was 2 for 4 with a double. Brady Comer and Kyler Norman had an RBI apiece.
James Paden started and pitched four innings for the win. Paden (4-0) allowed five hits and two runs, struck out four and walked three. Jaxson Trueblood closed with three dominant innings for his third save. He held the Huskies scoreless and hitless, struck out six and walked two.
"I thought James Paden did a nice job battling for us on the mound. He was not feeling well, but gave us everything he had," Ryan Berryman said.
PERU 16, WABASH 6, 5 INN.
Peru jumped to a 12-0 lead after two innings to set the tone in the TRC game.
Led by Matthew Roettger, Peru totaled 11 hits. Roettger went 3 for 3 with a home run, three RBI and three runs. Also for the Bengals, Reis Bellar was 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs, Jaxson Manriquez was 2 for 4 with a double, two RBI and three runs and Lucas Musser was 1 for 2 with a double and three RBI.
Ian Potts pitched a complete game. He allowed five hits and one earned run, struck out six and walked four.
The Bengal Tigers (10-2 overall) lead the conference at 5-0. They are the last unbeaten.
ROCHESTER 3, MAC 2
The Zebras scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to draw even and pushed across another run in the seventh to beat the Braves in a TRC game.
Maconaquah finished with three hits, all by Marcell Sims. He had an RBI single in the third inning and a solo home run for a 2-1 lead in the sixth.
Kaleb Shelton took the loss. He pitched 6.1 innings and struck out nine batters.
GIRLS TENNIS
KOKOMO 4, PERU 0
Keira Andrysiak provided Kokomo's biggest highlight as she won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 3 singles for her first varsity win.
Also for the Kats (10-2), No. 1 singles player Raigan Heflin and the No. 1 doubles team of Mia Federspill and Avi Pollard recorded 6-0, 6-0 wins and No. 2 singles player Ellen Callane won 6-1, 6-0.
EASTERN 5, SW 0
The Comets won each point by straight sets to down Southwood and move to 9-3.
In singles, Emily Princell won the No. 1 match 6-2, 6-2, Morgan Kaiser won the No. 2 match 6-1, 6-1, and Teagan Bedwell won the No. 3 match 6-1, 6-0. In doubles, Julia Salkie and Reagan Princell won the No. 1 contest 6-3, 6-1, and Kenzie Eagle and Emma Budde won the No. 2 matchup 6-2, 6-0.
"Really proud of Teagan Bedwell, who stepped in at 3 singles and got her first varsity win," Eastern coach Pat Rice said. "It was great to get the sweep. We definitely played like a team that's tired and really proud of this group figuring out ways to continue winning."
CASS 3, ROCHESTER 2
The Kings edged the Zebras in a TRC match.
BOYS GOLF
WESTERN 154, KOKOMO 179
The Panthers used terrific balance in winning the match on Kokomo Country Club's front nine.
Brody Hobson fired a 2-over 37 to win medalist and lead Western, Landen Gibbs-Whalen followed with a 38, Brody Fisher shot a 39 and Callen Szerdy shot a 40.
"Pretty good day. Any time you get three dudes in the 30s and one just a shot off, tough to complain," Western coach Blake Conklin said. "Back-to-back solid matches, so starting to come together. [The Howard-Tipton counties meet is] Saturday at our place, so let's hope we can keep shooting some good scores."
NW 156, N. MIAMI 193
The Tigers showed excellent balance in winning the match on Green Acres' back nine.
Brayden Applegate shot a 4-over 38 to win medalist and lead the Tigers, Hudson Whaley and Sammy Shotwell shot 39s and Lucas Miller turned in a 40.
CASS 169, SW 181
Cass topped TRC rival Southwood at Etna Acres G.C. Southwood's Griffin Chambers was the medalist with a 3-over 39.
Garrett Helvie was the low King with a 40. The Kings also counted Michael Myers' 41, Rylan Stoller's 43 and Brody Hillis' 45.
CL. CENTRAL 182, TRI-CENTRAL 200
Isaiah Stryker carded a 45 to lead Tri-Central in the match on the Frankfort Commons' front nine.
Also for the Trojans, Tanner England and Ethan Tragesser shot 51s and Jay Jankoviak shot a 53.
BOYS TRACK
TC 2ND IN MEET
Tri-Central finished second in a triangular meet with Tipton and Elwood.
Luis Jimenez-Vazquez, Tate Strebin and Tyler Gibson had big nights for TC. Individually, Jimenez-Vazquez won the long jump and 800-meter run, Strebin swept shot put and discus and Gibson won the 1,600 run. In addition, Jimenez-Vazquez and Gibson ran legs on the winning 4x800 relay.
TC coach Kerry Williams also noted personal bests by Rasja Diaz (long jump, 18-0), Alex McQueery (3,200 run, 12:36) and Jayden Moretti (300 hurdles, :53.17).
GIRLS TRACK
TC 3RD IN MEET
Tri-Central finished third in a triangular meet with Tipton and Elwood.
The Trojans had a pair of double winners. Jackie Trujillo won the 400 and 200 dashes and Lilly Stewart took first in shot put.
Also for TC, Kaitlyn Maruszewski had a personal best in shot put (27-3) and Delanie Deckard had a personal best in high jump (4-6).
