Westfield takes down No. 1 Center Grove to start
By RICHIE HALL
The Westfield softball team finished the first week of the season by proving it can play with, and beat, the best teams in the state.
The Shamrocks hosted a round-robin with Center Grove and Penn Saturday, March 28 at the Monon Trail Athletic Facility. Westfield took on the Trojans first and stunned the then-No. 1 ranked team in Class 4A 9-3.
Makayla Watson had two hits, batted in one run and scored one run. (Richie Hall)
Center Grove scored two runs in the top of the second inning, but the Rocks answered with three in the bottom of the inning. Olivia Sampia got Westfield on the board by scoring on a wild pitch, then Makayla Watson tied the game with an RBI single, bringing in Alyssa Ayers, who got on base with a double. Sofia Easterhaus batted in the go-ahead run, scoring Watson with a single.
Freshman Carlynne Schrock led off the bottom of the third inning with a home run, giving the Shamrocks a 4-2 lead. The score stayed at that margin until the top of the sixth, when a Trojans leadoff homer cut that advantage to 4-3.
But Westfield was unbothered. Mac Delph struck out the next batter, then Dylan Todd made a huge catch in right field for the second out. After a walk, Delph got another strikeout to end the inning.
“We’ve been having some struggles with having errors and trying to get back, but we’ve been cleaning that up,” said Todd. “I think we did a really good job today of not making as many errors.”
The Rocks then barreled through the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs. Ayers led off by reaching on an error, then Todd sent her home with a single. Later, Schrock batted in Easterhaus, then a walk to Bella Blakely loaded the bases.
Reese Mahannah scored the next run after Sampia reached on error and kept the bases loaded. Cam Pulice drew a walk to score Schrock, then Ayers was hit by a pitch to score Blakeley.
The inning ended with Westfield ahead 9-3. Center Grove got two on with a single and a walk, but Watson caught the first out, then Easterhaus turned a double play to end the game, throwing to Sydney Jordan for the third out.
“It’s definitely a lot of instinct and training, knowing your situation as well,” said Easterhaus. “Knowing I did have a runner on first and if a ball were to come to me in the air, that I can double her off.”
Easterhaus went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Schrock had two hits. Delph pitched a complete game, striking out seven.
Westfield played Penn in its second game and lost 8-3 to the then-4A No. 4 Kingsmen. Penn led 8-0 after four innings.
The Shamrocks scored twice in the fifth inning. Pulice singled in Sampia for the first run; Sampia led off with a double. Pulice was sent home by an Ayres RBI single; Pulice got another RBI in the sixth inning, batting in Easterhaus.
Sampia also had two hits. Jordan pitched four innings, striking out four.
Westfield is now ranked 13th in this week’s Class 4A coaches poll. Crown Point is ranked No. 1, with Penn at No. 2. Center Grove is sixth. (Other county teams include Noblesville at No. 7, Hamilton Southeastern at No. 11 and Carmel at No. 14).
The Shamrocks are 2-2 and host Franklin Central at 6 p.m. tonight to begin Hoosier Crossroads Conference play.
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