Rocks upset Millers, win Sectional 8 title

By RICHARD TORRES

For The Reporter

ZIONSVILLE – The last time Westfield’s hitters faced Noblesville’s Addison Retzinger, the Millers’ ace struck out 13 Shamrocks with two unearned runs allowed.

In the rematch, 27 days later, for the Sectional 8 championship in Zionsville on Thursday night, the Class 4A No. 14 Shamrocks (16-10-1) claimed the upper hand – with some help from a new hitting drill.

“We knew the pitcher, and what we did yesterday, Texas Tech drill. I’m not kidding you, we stood on top of a box, and we worked on getting on top of the ball,” Westfield first-year coach Maddie Moore said. “We changed our approach from the last time we played her, and it worked.”

The Shamrocks lost to the Millers and Retzinger, 9-2, during their regular-season Hoosier Crossroads Conference game on May 1.

This time, Westfield struck first with a pair of RBI sac flies in the top of the first and a third in the top of the seventh to win 3-1, marking their second sectional title all time and first since 2023.

“Texas Tech practices on top of a bench, and [assistant coach] Matt [Moore] built one yesterday morning. We just practiced rise ball, seeing the top of the ball, pounding it into the ground,” Westfield senior Makayla Watson said. “If we can put it on the ground and make them have to make a play, then that works best for us.”

The strategy played out from the first at-bat.

Watson (3-for-3, 2 stolen bases) opened the game with a leadoff single. Senior Sofia Easterhaus (1-for-3, RBI, stolen base) followed with another single before senior Reese Mahannah (1-for-2, double, RBI) and sophomore Olivia Sampia belted back-to-back sac flies to put Westfield ahead 2-0.

“I was like, ‘You can hit this kid. You are capable, and you have got to believe it,’” Maddie Moore said.

Retzinger struck out six, walked two and allowed seven hits, but she retired seven in a row after both runs scored for a quality start.

However, HCC champion 4A No. 8 Noblesville (19-7) struggled to respond against Sampia (3.0 IP, 3 hits, 1 strikeout, 2 walks) and junior reliever Mackenzie Delph (4.0 IP, 2 walks, 3 hits, earned run).

“We were trying to get on top of the ball, and we just didn’t do a good job of that,” Millers coach Deke Bullard said. “When they’re throwing up (in the zone) and you’re under the ball, it’s a backspin pop fly. With the wind blowing in, that certainly didn’t help us either.”

Noblesville stranded nine runners on base with six in scoring position, bringing home one in the bottom of the fourth with the bases loaded when senior Haley Schatko (1-for-2, double, RBI) flew out to right field.

Sampia cruised through three frames but exited in the top of the fourth after injuring her hand on a foul ball swing in her second at-bat.

Delph took over in the circle and battled through the bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the fourth. She only allowed two more hits in the final three innings.

“I just tried to stay collected and calm because I know I trust myself and all my pitches, and that’s exactly what I did,” Delph said. “The last game when we played them, I think that actually drove me more to want to win this.”

Familiarity for the Moore family was another element.

Maddie Moore played for Bullard and the Millers until she graduated in 2017. Her father, Matt, was part of the Millers program as well, and both teamed for their bittersweet upset over the defending sectional champions.

“I think it’s just a really cool moment for him and I to be like, we did this together,” Moore said. “It’s just a really cool circle for all of us [on staff]. We used to play each other in high school, and now we’re doing this together.”

The 2026 Shamrocks, which placed sixth in the HCC, did precisely what was needed collectively to quiet the prolific Millers (51 home runs and 193 RBI as a team).