Lofty Center Grove has a 15-2 record with the help of seniors, from left, Payton Shimansky, Ashlynn Wolff, Haley Fuhr, Samantha Bruce, and Maggie Lee. The Trojans have been ranked 4A No. 1 by MaxPreps and No. 2 by the state coaches. They are coming off a split in the Russ Milligan Classic.
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTO BY AL STILLEY)
By Al Stilley
Editor
Center Grove’s eight-game winning streak was endangered April 19 by visiting Franklin Central.
This was an upset in the making, although the Trojans starting lineup was less experienced than FCHS, coached by Kathy Stricker whose Flashes were primed for an upset. Determined FC tied it at 5-5 in the top of the seventh, then led 6-5 in the top of the eighth, only to see the Trojans push across two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Mae Munson, who led off with an infield single, scored on a throwing error to first and junior Kynadee Warner scored the winning run on freshman Brynn Meyer’s drive to left field.
“This shows that we can persevere and win together,” CG senior catcher Payton Shimansky said. “Everyone figured out that we were in pressure situations and came through. This was a growing moment for us.”
That last comment seemed strange from a senior on a 13-1 team at the time with an eight-game winning streak. But the Trojans started only two seniors and two juniors with three sophomores and one freshman and relied upon two freshmen in the circle.
The Trojans were ranked No. 1 in 4A by MaxPreps and No. 2 by the state coaches, but they are so young even with five seniors on the roster.
The Trojans easily could be the cardiac corps. They went on the road Thursday and defeated 4A No. 4 Avon, 11-10 with Hannah Haberstroh getting three hits and three RBI.
Then Saturday at their own Russ Milligan Classic, 4A No. 3 Columbus North ended the Trojans’ win streak at nine with a 7-4 win, scoring six runs in the last two innings. The Trojans recovered though in the second game by edging Bedford North Lawrence, 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth.
Looking back on the thriller against Franklin Central, CG coach Alyssa Coleman offered, “For a while they were hitting around us and we weren’t playing up to our standards. We kept it together and rallied through.”
To the Flashes credit, they kept coming back. They led 1-0 and 4-3 and tied it in the seventh on back-to-back doubles that scored Ella Clouse and then in the eighth on another Clouse RBI that drove in Roberts who led off with a walk.
The Flashes were 4-8 but also compete in the rugged Hoosier Crossroads Conference and could loom as a threat in the upcoming Marion County tourney.
They were hampered by four miscues; four of the Trojans seven runs were unearned.
Clouse, a senior, had four hits and drove in two runs; freshman Audrina Yorn had three hits and two RBI; and yearling Sarah Miller had two hits. Each team had 14 hits.
“This is the type game that prepares us,” Coleman said of the back-and-forth duel. “Our pitchers let the defense work behind them. Our energy throughout the game is what’s expected.”
The Trojans then faced three top-five teams in two days and also visited 4A No. 1 Roncalli Monday with a 17-hit attack, Roncalli thumped Center Grove, 17-0, as Abbey Hofmann and Lauren Marsicek each homered.
In another key game April 19, undefeated Beech Grove fell to host Triton Central 2-1, ending the Hornets’ season-opening 11-game winning streak. The Hornets recovered from the loss by defeating visiting North Central 3-2 Thursday and winless Lawrence Central 21-3 Saturday. BG rattled off 25 hits against the Bears with Malone “Mo” Moore and Lillianna Jansen each driving in five runs.
Roncalli (9-2-1) extended its winning streak Saturday to six games by defeating Tecumseh 10-0 as Keagan Rothrock threw a no-hitter and struck out nine in the first game of the Carmel Classic but fell in the second game to Penn, 13-3.
Editor
Center Grove’s eight-game winning streak was endangered April 19 by visiting Franklin Central.
This was an upset in the making, although the Trojans starting lineup was less experienced than FCHS, coached by Kathy Stricker whose Flashes were primed for an upset. Determined FC tied it at 5-5 in the top of the seventh, then led 6-5 in the top of the eighth, only to see the Trojans push across two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Mae Munson, who led off with an infield single, scored on a throwing error to first and junior Kynadee Warner scored the winning run on freshman Brynn Meyer’s drive to left field.
“This shows that we can persevere and win together,” CG senior catcher Payton Shimansky said. “Everyone figured out that we were in pressure situations and came through. This was a growing moment for us.”
That last comment seemed strange from a senior on a 13-1 team at the time with an eight-game winning streak. But the Trojans started only two seniors and two juniors with three sophomores and one freshman and relied upon two freshmen in the circle.
The Trojans were ranked No. 1 in 4A by MaxPreps and No. 2 by the state coaches, but they are so young even with five seniors on the roster.
The Trojans easily could be the cardiac corps. They went on the road Thursday and defeated 4A No. 4 Avon, 11-10 with Hannah Haberstroh getting three hits and three RBI.
Then Saturday at their own Russ Milligan Classic, 4A No. 3 Columbus North ended the Trojans’ win streak at nine with a 7-4 win, scoring six runs in the last two innings. The Trojans recovered though in the second game by edging Bedford North Lawrence, 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth.
Looking back on the thriller against Franklin Central, CG coach Alyssa Coleman offered, “For a while they were hitting around us and we weren’t playing up to our standards. We kept it together and rallied through.”
To the Flashes credit, they kept coming back. They led 1-0 and 4-3 and tied it in the seventh on back-to-back doubles that scored Ella Clouse and then in the eighth on another Clouse RBI that drove in Roberts who led off with a walk.
The Flashes were 4-8 but also compete in the rugged Hoosier Crossroads Conference and could loom as a threat in the upcoming Marion County tourney.
They were hampered by four miscues; four of the Trojans seven runs were unearned.
Clouse, a senior, had four hits and drove in two runs; freshman Audrina Yorn had three hits and two RBI; and yearling Sarah Miller had two hits. Each team had 14 hits.
“This is the type game that prepares us,” Coleman said of the back-and-forth duel. “Our pitchers let the defense work behind them. Our energy throughout the game is what’s expected.”
The Trojans then faced three top-five teams in two days and also visited 4A No. 1 Roncalli Monday with a 17-hit attack, Roncalli thumped Center Grove, 17-0, as Abbey Hofmann and Lauren Marsicek each homered.
In another key game April 19, undefeated Beech Grove fell to host Triton Central 2-1, ending the Hornets’ season-opening 11-game winning streak. The Hornets recovered from the loss by defeating visiting North Central 3-2 Thursday and winless Lawrence Central 21-3 Saturday. BG rattled off 25 hits against the Bears with Malone “Mo” Moore and Lillianna Jansen each driving in five runs.
Roncalli (9-2-1) extended its winning streak Saturday to six games by defeating Tecumseh 10-0 as Keagan Rothrock threw a no-hitter and struck out nine in the first game of the Carmel Classic but fell in the second game to Penn, 13-3.
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