Westfield slugs its way past Franklin Central, ends HCC drought

By CRAIG ADKINS
WESTFIELD – The Westfield Shamrocks did something that was long overdue. It had been four seasons (2018) since the ‘Rocks had last won a Hoosier Crossroads Conference softball game.
They opened HCC play on Wednesday with a big win over Franklin Central in grand fashion, belting eight extra-base hits on their way to a 12-2 win in five innings over the visiting Flashes.
“As a team tonight, this is our first conference win in several years and it’s a step in the right direction for us,” said an excited Westfield head coach Brian Revercomb.
After Kalee Roberts led off the game for the Flashes with a double, freshman Chloe Tanner settled in quite comfortably, keeping the ball in the infield and ending the first with a double play.
“Chloe is going to be a key part of our success this year and for the next four years. Her pitching tonight was fantastic,” stated Revercomb on his freshman starter Tanner.
The ‘Rocks got their bats going quick as well in the bottom of the first.
Junior Maggie Roh led off with a walk and was immediately driven home on a two-run home run to center by senior Avery Parker. Another freshman, Sam Breaux, doubled to keep the inning alive and she would later be sent home on an RBI single from Allie Dolenc that gave Westfield a 3-0 lead at the end of the first.
“We’re young, but we have a lot of young talent. It’s super important that we hit well throughout the batting order,” Revercomb continued on his team’s great night at the plate.
“Our conference, top to bottom, is going to be really solid and it’s super important that we get production. I thought we did a nice job throughout the batting order with quality at-bats, nice two-strike hits and really timely hitting tonight,” said a pleased Revercomb with his team’s hitting.
The Flashes were able to get on the board in the top of the second. Brenna Fink led off with a single to left and Kaylee Grayson walked. Jenna Thompson then lined a two-run single to right center, scoring both Fink and Grayson to cut Westfield’s lead to 3-2.
The Shamrocks continued with a big bottom of the second inning.
Roh led off with a triple to the fence in right center. Two batters later, Grace Fanelli launched a two-run bomb deep to left center. Breaux collected a single for her second hit and Natalie Deck joined her by singling. Dolenc found the right center gap and lofted a double that scored Breaux and Deck to lengthen the advantage to 7-2 through two.
“It’s nice to see from a variety of younger, less experienced players that we’re going to count on this year,” Revercomb said of his team’s youth that will play big roles this season.
Westfield put together another big inning in the third that would help put an end to their conference drought.
Senior Mya Hughes and Roh walked consecutively and then senior Avery Parker was hit by a pitch on the back of her head, just below her helmet, loading the bases. Parker was down for five minutes before the athletic trainer and coaches brought her to her feet to an ovation from the crowd. Freshman Avery Banas came in to pinch run for Parker and would stay in the game as a precautionary measure.
“That was a scary moment with Avery, she’s okay. The trainer said she was ok to go back in, but we played it safe. She’s an essential part of our success and has been for four years,” said a concerned Brian Revercomb on one of his senior leader in Parker.
The inning continued as Fanelli roped a two-run double up the middle into center that scored Hughes and Roh. Breaux added a second double and drove in Banas, followed by Ava Kainrath’s RBI-single that scored Breaux and just like that, the ‘Rocks were now leading 11-2.
Chloe Tanner shut down the Flashes in the fourth and fifth to keep the Franklin Central bats silenced. Over the final three innings, she held the visitors to one hit, fanning three on her way to four strikeouts on the night to notch her first career high school pitching win.
The Shamrocks chased the Flashes’ starter Ella Clouse after three innings and threw 104 pitches to record nine outs. She was relieved by Kaylee Buescher in the fourth.
Breaux put an end to this HCC opener as she drilled a walk-off solo shot to center, giving Westfield a 12-2 conference win over the Flashes.
The loss drops Franklin Central to 0-1 (0-1 HCC). The Flashes next play Friday at Martinsville.
Breaux went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a single and a solo home run, while scoring four times to help lead the ‘Rocks offense. Fanelli went 2-of-4 with four runs driven in and scored twice. Parker’s two RBIs and Dolenc went 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs to highlight the win for Westfield.
The ‘Rocks (2-1, 1-0 HCC) stay home today to host Pendleton Heights (0-0) at 5:30 p.m.

WESTFIELD 12, FRANKLIN CENTRAL 2
(5 innings)
Westfield AB R H RBI
Maggie Roh 1 3 1 0
Avery Parker 2 1 1 2
Avery Banas 1 0 0 0
Grace Fanelli 4 2 2 4
Sam Breaux 4 4 4 2
Natalie Deck 2 1 1 0
A Kainrath 2 0 1 1
Allie Dolenc 2 0 2 3
Chloe Tanner 3 0 0 0
M Hughes 2 1 1 0
Totals 23 12 13 12
Score by Innings
Franklin Central 020 00 – 2 4 0
Westfield 344 01 – 12 13 0
HR: Fanelli, Parker, Breaux. 3B: Roh. 2B: Dolenc, Fanelli, Breaux. HBP: Parker.
Westfield pitching IP R ER H
Tanner 5 2 2 4
Strikeouts: Tanner 4. Walks: Tanner 2.