By Eric Eaton
Hoosier Crossroads Conference Coordinator
PENDLETON – The first three innings of Class 4A fourth-ranked Hamilton Southeastern’s softball game April 25 at 4A No. 9 Pendleton Heights can best be described as missed opportunities for the visitors.
The defending state champion Royals stranded a total of five baserunners during that span and found themselves deadlocked in a scoreless tie with the formerly top-ranked Arabians.
In the fourth inning, however, HSE finally took advantage of its opportunities, scoring three times en route to a 4-0 win in a Friday night battle of Indiana powerhouses. Click
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Ashley Nelson got the fourth-frame rally started for the Royals with a double that scored Caitlin Laughlin. Nelson then scored on an RBI single by Jenna Abraham, who would later crossed the plate herself on an Arabians’ error to make the score 3-0.
The three-run lead was more than enough for Southeastern starting pitcher Taylor Rager. Utilizing a paralyzing changeup, the sophomore pitched a complete-game two-hitter and struck out six in helping the Royals to improve to 13-1.
Seven Hamilton Southeastern batters recorded hits in the game, but junior Devin Dearing was the only one to have a multiple-hit game. Dearing went 2 for 4 against the Arabians and drove in the team’s final run in the seventh inning when Rager scored on her single.
Pendleton Heights’ biggest threat of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning, when the Arabians had two baserunners reach safely with just one out. Rager buckled down, though, forcing a groundout and strikeout to get the Royals out of their only real trouble.
Pendleton Heights’ junior pitcher Lainie Dishroon took the loss, surrendering two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work. Casey Jamerson and Halee Myers had the only two hits of the game for the Arabians, who dropped to 14-4 on the season.
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