The REPORTER
The Hamilton Southeastern softball team won its season opener on Tuesday, beating Carmel 11-6 at the Royals’ field. It was also the first game of the season for the Greyhounds.
Carmel scored two runs in the top of the first inning, with Ellie Goddard batting in Alex Longstreth. Goddard was sent home by a Mia Fleming double. Southeastern answered with three runs in the bottom of the first: Keira Lodes singled in Jenna Chase and Addy Justice, then Alex Kiemeyer’s single sent Leah Paris home.
The Royals moved ahead 5-2 after adding two runs in the second inning when Paris doubled in Justice and Lani Wyrick. The ‘Hounds got those runs back in the third inning: Goddard’s sacrifice fly scored Longstreth, who led off the inning with a double. Jayden Kleiner stole home plate to get Carmel within 5-4.
But Southeastern surged ahead in the bottom of the third when Wyrick hit a three-run home run to give the Royals an 8-4 lead. Megan Wincek and Emmy Seiferlein also scored.
Payton Law doubled Goddard home in the top of the fifth inning to get Carmel within 8-5, but the Royals got the run back in the bottom of the inning, as Wyrick’s RBI fielder’s choice scored Makena Burlingame.
Reese Garland completed the scoring for HSE in the sixth inning with a two-run home that also brought Paris home. Carmel got a run in the seventh inning when Kleiner scored on Law’s RBI groundout.
Justice, Paris and Garland all had two hits for the Royals. Grace Swedarsky threw a complete game with 14 strikeouts. Longstreth finished with two hits for the ‘Hounds.
Both teams are back in action this evening with 6 p.m. games. Southeastern hosts North Central while Carmel welcomes Westfield to its Cherry Tree Softball Complex.
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Westfield opened its season with a 16-6 victory over Kokomo in a Tuesday home game.
Sofia Easterhaus hit a grand slam for the Shamrocks, with Makayla Watson getting four hits.
Westfield plays at Carmel tonight.
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Noblesville took care of business in its season opener, beating Western Boone 13-3 in a five-inning away game.
The Millers scored three runs in the first inning; Gabby Fowler doubled in Delaney Rundle for the first RBI of the season. Haley Schatko also hit an RBI double. In the third inning, Rundle blasted in an RBI triple and Mack Harvey’s two-RBI double gave the Millers a 7-0 lead.
Noblesville put up six runs in the fourth inning. Rundle sent a double into center field to score two runs, then Schatko later smacked a three-run double. Schatko totaled four RBIs and Rundle was 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in three runs.
Harvey totaled two hits and three runs. Chloe Vetter and Makayla Jacquay both hit one double. Claire Cullen got the pitching win, striking out five.
The Millers play their first home game of the season Thursday, hosting Center Grove.
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Fishers began its season with a 1-0 victory at Tri-West on Tuesday.
The Tigers scored their run in the fourth inning when Kate Murray sent Hailey Trueblood home with an RBI groundout. Fishers was held to two hits by the Bruins’ Audrey Lowry, a double from Kendall Jordan and a single from Jenna Grubb; Lowry had 13 strikeouts.
But Murray did her job for the Tigers in the pitching circle, too. Murray threw 12 strikeouts and allowed only five hits, all of them singles. Neither pitcher gave up a walk.
Fishers plays its first home game of the season this afternoon against McCutcheon.