By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – While there are several new faces on this year’s Guerin Catholic softball team, the Golden Eagles are picking up where they left off from last season’s success.
Guerin Catholic had a sensational campaign last year, barreling its way to the Class 3A state championship game with big hitting and dominant pitching. The Golden Eagles are still strong on both ends, and one can use this week’s games as an example.
On Tuesday, Guerin beat Heritage Christian 19-9 in a five-inning Circle City Conference game. The Golden Eagles scored in every inning on their way to victory, pounding out 17 hits. Lucy Kemp and Lillian Everts were both 4-for-4 at the plate, with Everts batting in four runs. Anna Mauch had three hits. Lucy Kemp and her sister Izzy Kemp each hit a triple. Natalie Eiler got the win in the circle, throwing all five innings.
Guerin Catholic had to play another conference game on Wednesday, taking on a very tough Bishop Chatard team. The Trojans scored a run in the first inning, and held GC at bay before the Golden Eagles tied the game in the sixth inning. The two teams battled for another six innings before Chatard scored twice in the 12th inning to win 3-1.
Both teams were able to get their bats going. Guerin Catholic had six hits, with Lucy Kemp getting two. Everts hit a double. Lucy Kemp scored the Golden Eagles’ run, with Mauch batting her in on a right field line drive.
Izzy Kemp pitched a complete game, striking out 14.
It was the first loss of the year for Guerin Catholic, so its record is now 3-1. But first-year head coach Erika Weber was still pleased with the effort and the fight.
“The girls did really well,” said Weber. “They were up in the dugout the entire time and they fought hard. I am not upset with anything they did. They went in there. They tried their hardest. They got bunts down that I asked them, they tried to do small ball. They just didn’t come out on top. They did great.”
The Golden Eagles play at Westfield on Friday.
GUERIN CATHOLIC 19, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 9
(5 innings)
Guerin Catholic AB R H RBI
Lucy Kemp 4 3 4 2
Madi Cain 3 2 1 0
Anna Mauch 4 3 3 3
Izzy Kemp 4 2 2 2
Kirsten Mascari 3 2 0 2
Natalie Eiler 3 2 2 1
Mia Rincon 0 1 0 0
Zoey Bussick 3 1 0 0
Ella Sumski 1 0 0 0
Lillian Everts 4 2 4 4
Olivia Spomer 4 1 1 2
Totals 33 19 17 16
Score by Innings
Heritage Christian 300 24 – 9 10 6
Guerin Catholic 513 37 – 19 17 1
3B: L. Kemp, I. Kemp. 2B: Everts, Mauch, I. Kemp. SB: Mauch. SAC: L. Kemp, Eiler.
GC pitching IP R ER H
Eiler 5 9 8 10
Strikeouts: Eiler 3. Walks: Eiler 6.
BISHOP CHATARD 3, GUERIN CATHOLIC 1
(12 innings)
Guerin Catholic AB R H RBI
Lucy Kemp 5 1 2 0
Madi Cain 4 0 1 0
Anna Mauch 4 0 1 1
Izzy Kemp 5 0 0 0
Kirsten Mascari 5 0 1 0
Natalie Eiler 5 0 0 0
Zoey Bussick 4 0 0 0
Lillian Everts 4 0 1 0
Olivia Spomer 4 0 0 0
Totals 40 1 6 1
Score by Innings
Bishop Chatard 100 000 000 002 – 3 9 1
Guerin Catholic 000 001 000 000 – 1 6 0
2B: Everts. SB: L. Kemp.
GC pitching IP R ER H
I. Kemp 11.2 2 2 7
Strikeouts: I. Kemp 14. Walks: I. Kemp 2.