Softball roundup: Royals roar past Mount Vernon

Hamilton Southeastern used a huge sixth inning to beat Mount Vernon on the road 19-7 on Monday.
The Royals scored at least one run in each inning. Southeastern led 5-0 midway through the third, but the Marauders poured in seven runs in the bottom of that inning, including a grand slam.
Now down 7-5, the Royals added a run in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game, then let loose for nine runs in the sixth. Libby Ratliff hit a double to score Jordan Rager, and that gave HSE the lead. Nicole Lang then smacked a home run to get her and Ratliff home.
Three consecutive singles resulted in four more Royal runs. Nicole Dillow went first, as her hit sent Kaelin Wincek home. Abby Taylor was next, and her infield hit scored Holly Hosfield. Lillian Leiner then cracked a hit into center field to score Ahliza Moore and Dillow. Finally, Ratliff came back around and singled into right field to get Taylor home, and Leiner eventually scored as well. The score was now 16-7, and Southeastern would add three more runs in the seventh.
Leiner had six at-bats in the game, with three hits, five runs scored and five RBIs. Lang totaled four RBIs on 3-of-5 hitting. Rager went 4-for-5 at the plate and Dillow was also 3-for-5. Southeastern totaled 20 hits.
Jaylah Guilliam pitched the complete game, striking out six.
Southeastern is now 3-2 for the season and will travel to New Palestine on Thursday to play the Class 3A No. 1 Dragons.

Huskies drop conference opener
Hamilton Heights dropped its Hoosier Conference opener on Tuesday, falling to Western 12-5 in a home game.
The Panthers scored three runs in the top of the first inning and held the lead from there. The Huskies scored twice in the third inning and one run in each of the next three innings.
Jessica Kaurich and Aliyah Dorsey both had two hits, with Kaurich getting a double. Taylor Ewing and Bayleigh Runner both scored twice.
“We didn’t step on the field ready to play tonight,” said Heights coach Landi Lockwood. “Western is a solid team and took advantage of our lack of focus and errors on routine plays. We were down three after the first inning due to an error and a mental mistake and it continued downhill from there. We had a couple of chances toward the end to get back in the game and couldn’t take advantage of them.”
On Friday, Heights beat Scecina (then ranked No. 6 in Class 3A) 10-9, scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth to clinch the victory.
Five different Huskies had two hits, including Hayleigh Greene, who hit a home run and totaled four RBIs. Adyson Baber hit two doubles, while Jessica Kaurich had one. Taylor Ewing scored three runs. Baber pitched 10 strikeouts in a complete-game win.
Heights will play at Western at 5:30 p.m. today to complete the conference series.

‘Hounds fall to No. 1 Center Grove

Carmel dropped its Metropolitan Conference opener at Center Grove on Tuesday, losing to the Trojans 11-1 in six innings.
The Greyhounds scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning, when Cate Harden got home on an error. But the Class 4A No. 1 Trojans got two runs in the bottom of the inning, then scored six more in the fourth.
Carmel is 1-4 and will play at Noblesville today, with the first pitch at 5:30 p.m.

‘Hawks topped by Lapel

Sheridan fell to Lapel 8-4 in a Monday away game.
The Blackhawks scored once in the top of the first inning, with Lauren Railer getting home on a fielder’s choice by Cassie Vargas. The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the second, but Sheridan responded with a third-inning run; Railer scored on an error.
A two-RBI single put Lapel on top in the bottom of the third, and the Bulldogs added four more runs in the fourth inning and another one in the fifth. Amanda Perry hit a two-RBI double in the sixth inning to score Vargas and Allie Delph, but Sheridan would get no closer.
Vargas and Audrey Reed both hit one double for the Blackhawks as well.
Sheridan is 0-2 for the season and will host Rossville next Tuesday, April 17.