Softball: Hounds get first victory, Royals start week with split

The REPORTER

The Carmel softball team picked up its first win of the season Tuesday, beating Lawrence North 5-1 at Cherry Tree Softball Complex.

Both teams scored one run in the first inning. Jayden Kleiner got the Greyhounds’ run when Avery Klein hit a sacrifice fly. Kleiner then smacked a two-run home run in the third inning, also scoring Emily Proctor.

Carmel added another two runs in the fourth inning. Winni Owens hit a one-out double, then later scored on a steal of home plate. Riley Petrites singled in Katherine Warren to complete the scoring.

Petrites, Kleiner and Owens all had three hits; Owens had a triple in addition to her double. Emily Smith pitched a complete game, striking out seven.

Carmel is 1-8 and hosts Noblesville this evening.

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The Hamilton Southeastern softball team split a pair of games to begin the week.

The Class 4A No. 2 Royals beat Mt. Vernon 5-2 in a Monday home game. Sophia Feher batted in Makena Burlingame in the second inning to start Southeastern’s scoring.

The Royals added two runs in the fourth inning: Maya Valenta got home when Feher reached on an error, then Feher later scored on the same error. In the fifth inning, Kenzie Lee hit a one-out double. Lilly Palmer came in to run for her and was quickly sent home by Kaitlyn Burdick’s right field triple. Burdick scored on Leah Paris’ RBI groundout.

The Marauders scored both of their runs in the sixth inning, but Southeastern took care of business in the seventh inning to get the win. Starting pitcher Natavia Wright got the win, striking out six over six innings, then Kaleah McCarter pitched the seventh.

The Royals hosted Zionsville on Tuesday to begin Hoosier Crossroads Conference play, with the Eagles winning 1-0. Zionsville scored its run on an RBI single in the top of the seventh inning, then star pitched Leah Helton got two strikeouts in the bottom of the inning with an HSE runner at third base.

Addison Richmond had two of the Royals’ five hits, including a double. Grace Swedarsky pitched a complete game, striking out eight against four hits.

The Royals are 6-3 and host New Palestine Thursday in a rematch of last year’s Class 4A state championship game.

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Hamilton Heights lost a Hoosier Conference game at Western 9-6 on Tuesday.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning; the Huskies’ Heather Crays hit a sacrifice fly to score Hailey Hall. The Panthers hit a home run to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

Hall scored again in the third inning when Lily Cash drew a bases-loaded walk, but another Western homer tied the game at 2-2. Heights scored two runs in the top of the fifth, as Kamryn Rhoton and Cash scored on an error.

The Huskies led 4-2, but the Panthers took over after that with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. Heights scored two runs in the top of the seventh: Taya Trosper singled in Melanee Forrester, then McKenzie Jackson batted in Crays.

Forrester and Rhoton both batted 3-for-4 at the plate. Jackson was 2-for-4, including a double. Cash pitched five innings, striking out four.

The Huskies are 3-3 and host Western this evening to complete the conference series.

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Westfield dropped a 15-5, five inning HCC game to Brownsburg on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs scored a run in the top of the first inning, then the Shamrocks answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Sofia Easterhaus scored on a wild pitch, then Chloe Tanner blasted a right field triple to bring in Makayla Watson.

Brownsburg put up three runs in the top of the second, but Westfield responded again with three runs in the bottom of the inning. The ‘Rocks loaded the bases, then Watson hit a sacrifice fly to score Sydney Jordan.

Mackenzie Delph got home on a passed ball, then Ava Kainrath doubled in Easterhaus. The Shamrocks led 5-4, but the Bulldogs scored twice in the third inning, then put up eight runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth.

Westfield is 1-1 in the conference and 2-2 overall. The ‘Rocks host Greenfield-Central this evening.