After falling behind in its game with Noblesville, the Carmel softball team blasted through the later innings to score a 13-4 win Wednesday at the Cherry Tree Softball Complex.
The Millers led 3-0 after two innings. In the first inning, Chloe Tragesser got on base with a double, then scored after Ella White doubled into right field. Julia Furiak then batted in White with a left field base hit.
Kyleigh Lowry got the Millers up 3-0 by scoring on an error in the second inning. But the Greyhounds got going in the third inning, scoring five runs.
Megan Nichols and Audrey Hussain both singled to get on base, then were scored after Megan Nichols hit a bunt and reached on error. That brought up Stormy Kotzelnick, and she sent a triple into to right field to score Nichols. Kotzelnick then got home on the throw, putting Carmel up 4-3. Caroline Roop then smacked a double into left field, then was immediately sent home when Sarah Goddard hit a double.
The ‘Hounds added another run in the fourth inning, when Ariana Zdobylak hit a sacrifice bunt that scored Hussain, who led off the inning with a triple. Noblesville answered with a run in the top of the fifth, as White hit a solo home run into left field, keeping the Millers within 6-4.
Carmel then ran through the fifth inning, scoring seven runs. Roop led off with a double, moved to third as the bases were loaded, then scored when Maddie Searles was hit by a pitch. Goddard was sent home after Ella Ohrvall reached on error, then Hussain hit a center field double to score Brooke Bair.
Later, Nichols smacked a base hit into right field, sending Ohrvall and Hussain. Kotzelnick singled home Nichols and Roop’s base hit got Kotzelnick in to score.
“I thought the girls did really well coming out and keeping their energy levels up, even though we got down early,” said Carmel coach Ginger Britton. “And I think that was a difference today that we haven’t seen in the past. So I think as long as they can band together as a team, then hopefully we can push forward and continue to improve.”
Roop and Hussain both were 3-for-4 at the plate, while Kotzelnick and Goddard each had two hits. Cate Harden pitched the complete-game win.
“This is her first day cleared to pitch,” said Britton. “She did a good job up there. She moved the ball around a lot. This is a great team and they made great contact. She’s able to make both sides of the plate and come out on top.”
For the Millers, Tragesser, White, Furiak and Lowry all had two hits.
“We just had a poor performance today,” said Noblesville coach Deke Bullard. “Carmel outplayed us in every aspect of the game and Carmel deserved the victory, and we did not play to our potential our what we can do. At the end of the day, when you make that many mistakes on defense, you’re not going to win a lot of games.”
Noblesville is 2-2 and will compete in the Lawrence North Invitational on Saturday. The Greyhounds are 2-4 and will play at Ben Davis on Monday.
Carmel 13, Noblesville 4
Noblesville AB R H RBI
Abby Brown 4 0 0 0
Chloe Tragesser 4 1 2 0
Ella White 3 2 2 2
Julia Furiak 4 0 2 1
Emily Minett 3 0 1 0
Maddie Taylor 1 0 0 0
Baily Ryan 1 0 0 0
Rylie Newcomer 1 0 0 0
Rylie Moore 3 0 1 0
Kyleigh Lowry 3 1 2 0
Myah Stuckey 2 0 1 0
Lauren DeRolf 1 0 0 0
Alyssa Solomon 0 0 0 0
Totals 30 4 11 3
HR: White. 2B: Tragesser 2, White. SB: Solomon, White.
Noblesville pitching IP R ER H
Taylor 2.1 5 4 5
Ryan 2.1 8 3 7
Kira Thomas 1.1 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Taylor 1. Walks: Ryan 2.
Carmel AB R H RBI
Megan Nichols 4 2 1 2
Stormy Kotzelnick 4 2 2 3
Caroline Roop 4 2 3 1
Sarah Goddard 4 1 2 1
Brooke Bair 2 1 0 0
Maddie Searles 3 0 0 1
Ella Ohrvall 4 1 1 1
Audrey Hussain 4 3 3 1
Ariana Zdobylak 3 1 1 1
Totals 32 13 13 11
3B: Kotzelnick, Hussain. 2B: Roop 2, Goddard, Hussain. SB: Goddard, Nichols. SAC: Zdobylak. HBP: Searles.
Carmel pitching IP R ER H
Cate Harden 7 4 4 11
Strikeouts: Harden 2. Walks: Harden 1.
Score by innings
Noblesville 210 010 0 – 4 11 6
Carmel 005 170 x – 13 13 0
Carmel’s Stormy Kotzelnick batted in three runs for the Greyhounds during their 13-4 win over Noblesville on Wednesday. (Richie Hall)
Noblesville’s Ella White steps up to the plate in the fifth inning, where she would hit a home run for the Millers. (Richie Hall)