Millers remain perfect with Carmel Invitational next

By RICH TORRES
NOBLESVILLE – Larry DeSalvo exercised caution when asked if Noblesville’s 12-1 five-inning, run-rule home victory on Wednesday night over Madison-Grant was a near perfect game.
Sure, the Class 4A No. 16 Millers racked up 12 runs in three innings, posted eight extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs and limited the visiting 2A No. 7 Argylls to three baserunners.
But it could have been better, the Millers assistant softball coach emphasized, and it needs to be with a challenging Carmel Invitational ahead later this week.
“I thought the first two innings were good, but then I think we played the scoreboard a little bit,” said DeSalvo, who was filling in for head coach Deke Bullard. “We kind of lost our focus there, and that’s something we have to get better at. If we face a really, really good team, they can flip it on us.”
If the unbeaten Millers (6-0) ever do reach their optimum level, this could be a special year.
In a matchup between two ranked teams, the Millers came out primed, overwhelming the Argylls with 12 hits and six doubles to supply starter Baily Ryan with ample run support.
The junior lefty responded by carrying a perfect game into the top of the fifth. Ryan retired 12 straight and struck out two en route to the win.
Freshman Ella White went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and blasted her fifth home run of the season as seven Millers recorded at least one hit.
“We’ve lost to this team the last two years, so we talked about that,” DeSalvo said. “We’ve really had a nice focus of just executing the small things and kind of stacking one good at-bat after another, and we’ve always preached that hitting is contagious. Once someone gets it started, it seems the dominos began to fall.”
Chloe Tragesser sparked the Millers’ five-run bottom of the first with a one-out double that smacked the center-field fence, which set the tone for the onslaught.
The Millers sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and bested themselves during a six-run second with 10 plate appearances overall, while forcing the Argylls to go to their bullpen early.
Hitting .444 as a team prior to the game, Noblesville upped their average to .457 with its two through seven batters going a combined 11-for-17.
Tragesser went 2-for-3 with a double, while Loyala-Chicago recruit Abby Brown mirrored her teammate. Kyleigh Lowry was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a double, and Emily Minett finished 1-for-2, dropping a two-run single into center field in the first inning with the bases loaded.
Florida State recruit Madison Taylor, a freshman, cleared the bases as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the second with a three-run double after Marian commit Julia Furiak crushed her first home run of the season, plating a pair of runs.
“(Our hitting) is very contagious,” White said. “There’s so much energy in the dugout. When you’re pitcher is playing that well, and pitching that well, you definitely want to come in and score some runs for her.”
White did her part, rocketing two doubles off the outfield wall for a pair of near home runs in the first and second innings.
“It’s very motivating to keep that winning streak alive and to keep it going,” White said. “I like to think every game is as important as the next one. You have to come out with a good attitude, ready to win.”
Ryan was set to go from the first pitch, quieting the Argylls, who collectively had hit .353 this season. She induced Maddi Evans, who leads the team with a .769 batting average, into a pair of putouts and didn’t surrender a hit until Ellie Alcala lined a single into right field in the top of the fifth.
“Baily came out and threw strikes. What was really nice was she was able to get ahead in the count and throw pitches that were to her advantage,” DeSalvo said. “She worked inside and outside and was able to locate up and down, and she had some nice plays behind her defensively.”
Taylor, who is 5-0 this season, finished the inning in relief, striking out one, walking one and allowing a double to Katelyn Shouse. The Argylls scored their lone run on an RBI-groundout to bring Alcala home.
The Millers will carry their unbeaten record into the Carmel Invitational, beginning on Friday against 4A No. 2 Lake Central at 6 p.m. They will face 4A No. 3 Castle on Saturday along with 4A No. 9 Penn.

Noblesville 12, Madison-Grant 1
(5 innings)
Noblesville AB R H RBI
Grace Smith 3 1 0 0
Taylor Sjoholm 1 0 0 0
Chloe Tragesser 3 1 2 1
Ella White 3 3 3 1
Julia Furiak 1 1 1 2
Shea Sterrett 1 1 0 0
Emily Minett 2 2 1 2
Abby Brown 3 1 2 1
Kyleigh Lowry 2 1 2 2
Maggie Hampton 1 1 0 0
Baily Ryan 1 0 0 0
Olivia Stinson 1 0 0 0
Madison Taylor 1 0 1 3
Cheney Gertz 1 0 0 0
Totals 24 12 12 12
Score by innings
Madison-Grant 000 01 – 1 2 2
Noblesville 561 0x – 12 12 0
HR: Furiak, White. 2B: White 2, Tragesser, Brown, Lowry, Taylor. SB: Smith.
Noblesville pitching IP R ER H
Ryan 4 1 1 1
Taylor 1 0 0 1
Strikeouts: Ryan 2, Taylor 1. Walks: Taylor 1.

Noblesville’s Madison Taylor (left) warms up during the last inning of the Millers’ softball game with Madison-Grant on Wendesday. Taylor pitched that final inning; she also hit a three-run double. Also pictured are Chloe Tragesser (center), who was 2-for-3 at the plate, and Ella White, who was 3-for-3 with a home run. (Richie Hall)