By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The first two rounds of the Class 4A Sectional 8 softball tournament have already produced some big-hitting performances.
The sectional began Monday at Carmel’s Cherry Tree Softball Complex. The Greyhounds hosted Fishers in the opener, and the Tigers cruised to a 12-2 victory.
The Tigers put up three runs in the first inning, including a two-run double by Kendall Jordan. Fishers sprinted to the finish with six runs in the seventh inning. Tori Abel smacked a two-run double in that inning as well. Kate Murray cracked a solo home run in the fifth inning.
Jenna Grubb hit a double as part of a 3-for-5 night, while Adrianne Cook went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in two runs. Hannah Kinder had two hits and two RBIs, with Abel and Brooke Johnson also getting two hits.
Johnson, Taylor Duplessis and Abel all scored two runs. Murray pitched a complete game, striking out six.
The Greyhounds scored one run each in the third and fourth innings. Alex Longstreth hit a third inning sacrifice fly to bring in Katherine Smith, while Winni Owens doubled in Jayden Kleiner in the fourth inning. Smith also hit a double, one of her two hits. Carmel finished its season 9-21.
In the second opening-round game, Hamilton Southeastern exploded in the second inning for a 6-0 victory over defending sectional champion Westfield.
Al. Kiemeyer
The Royals scored all six runs in the bottom of the second. Lani Wyrick hit a left field double to score Ava Kiemeyer and Keira Lodes, then got home on Addy Justice’s RBI fielder’s choice. Later, Alex Kiemeyer blasted a three-run homer, also scoring Justice and Reese Garland.
“I felt really supported by my teammates, so going up to bat I was really calm,” said Alex Kiemeyer. “And then just the energy after the home run was great.”
“They just need that one thing that turns the key a little bit and ignites them,” said HSE coach Emily Pusti. “Ava Kiemeyer getting on and making that good baserunning move, and then Keira following up and getting that bunt. I think those two things just turned that key.”
Justice, Alex Kiemeyer and Sayla Stock all had two hits. Grace Swedarsky was dominant in the pitcher’s circle, striking out 12 and allowing two hits.
Makayla Watson and Reese Mahannah both had one hit for the Shamrocks, who finished their season 12-13.
Tuesday games
Noblesville and Fishers faced off in the first semifinal, and the Millers became the first team to advance to Friday’s championship game with an 18-5 win over the Tigers in six innings.
Noblesville led 12-5 after four innings, then raced to the finish line by scoring six runs in the top of the sixth. Delaney Rundle, Izzy Zapp and Gabby Fowler all had RBI singles, then Addi Emmerson sent a single into left field. Zapp scored, then Fowler and Mack Harvey got home on error.
“It definitely boosts morale,” said Millers coach Deke Bullard. “One of the things we really emphasize in the tournament is the energy in the dugout. You got to keep the energy up whether you’re up or down. When you start going on runs where you get a lot of hits with two outs and are fortunate to get runs drive in, it definitely makes keeping the energy up a lot easier.”
Zapp had a tremendous hitting night, going 5-for-5, batting in six runs and scoring three. Nevaeh Nash was also perfect, hitting 4-for-4 and scoring three runs. Emmerson hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, giving her a total of three RBIs. In all, Noblesville had 20 hits for the game.
Zapp
“I think that playing as a team is the most important part, not just playing for yourself,” said Rundle. “And knowing that if you make a mistake or mess up that the next ball is coming to you and that you’re going to be fine.”
Reese Newsom had three RBIs as well. Rundle scored five runs and had three hits. Lulu Van Beek went five innings for the pitching win, striking out six.
Fishers got a three-run homer from Kendall Jordan in the fourth inning, also scoring Grubb and Johnson. That was one of two hits for Jordan. Taylor Duplessis and Cook each hit a double. Murray struck out five in four innings for the Tigers, who finished their season 13-12.
The Millers are 16-10 and will play Hamilton Southeastern in the championship game. The Royals advanced by beating Zionsville 2-0 in the second semifinal.
Swedarsky threw a no-hitter for Southeastern, striking out 17 and allowing only one runner on base, a hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning.
Lodes singled in the Royals’ first run in the second inning, bringing Maggie Jenkins home. Wyrick scored in the third inning on Garland’s RBI groundout. Lodes had two hits for the game.
Southeastern is 20-4 and plays Noblesville at 6 p.m. Friday for the Sectional 8 championship.