Decatur Central freshman Kylie Vaseloff fires a pitch while third baseman Kylee Hyatt defends her position in the Marion County Tournament quarterfinal game against Brebeuf at Ben Davis May 9. Vaseloff pitched a one-hitter as the Hawks won 15-1 in five innings.  ​​(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY STEVE PAGE.)

By Steve Page
Correspondent

Thanks in part to rain delays of the county tourney, Decatur Central ended a run of five games in four days Thursday at Martinsville with a 6-3 triumph that clinched third place in the Mid-State.
Freshman Hannah Harper and junior Ella Phillps each slammed home runs against the Artesians while pitcher Kylie Eads struck out 11 batters.

The Hawks won four games during that stretch, losing only to nationally No. 1-ranked Roncalli in the Marion County championship game May 10 on the road.

The string of games began May 9 at Ben Davis as the Hawks continued their county tourney march. Six seniors were able to enjoy their final prom May 7 after postponing their quarterfinal tourney game against Brebeuf to Monday. The Hawks won 15-1 and the right to meet Ben Davis in the tourney twin-bill that night.
Freshman pitcher Kylie Vaseloff, making just the fourth start of her varsity career, limited Brebeuf to one hit. She was backed with a 15-hit attack in the five-inning game. Vaselof struck out eight batters, reached base twice and scored two runs.

Then against the host Giants, senior pitcher Kylie Eads held Ben Davis to three hits and struck out 13 btters as the Hawks won, 11-0. One night later, they fell at Roncalli, 6-0 in the championship game.

“We wanted to give Kylie (Eads) a break,” Vaseloff said. “My fastballs, screwballs and risers were working. My teammates are really supportive. Kylie really helps me out a lot.”

Leadoff batter Jazlynn Stewart (3 for 3) and second baseman Sydney Hazelwood (4 for 4), both sophomores, enjoyed perfect days at the plate against Brebeuf.

With Eads on the mound, it was more of the same against Ben Davis. She retired the first 11 Giants and allowed only three hits. Eads hit a solo home run in the third and Alexis Garrison hit a two-run shot over the leftfield fence in the fifth two of the 14 hits banged out by the Hawks.

“It was nice, having prom and getting to play,” Eads said after facing the Giants. “My riser, screwball and fastball (worked). A lot outside, getting them to chase off the plate.”

In the doubleheader, the Hawks hit over .500 (29 for 57). Stewart finished 6-for-8, scored five runs and drove in two. Sydney Hazelwood was 5-for-6, scored three runs and drove in three. Eads was 3-for-5, scored two runs and drove in two. Laci Boggs was 4-for-8, with two runs scored and three RBI.

On May 11, the Hawks shut out Martinsville at Dick Collins Field. Eads struck out 12 and allowed only three hits. The Hawks broke open a 1-0 game with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Then the Hawks traveled to Martinsville for another win May 12 for an 8-4 league record and a 14-8 overall record and, finally, a break in the schedule.

​Kylie Eads, a Decatur Central senior, fires a strike during the Marion County Tournament semifinal game against host Ben Davis. Eads blanked the Giants on three hits, struck out 12 batters and hit a home run as the Hawks won 11-0 in six innings.

​Jazlynn Stewart, a Decatur Central sophomore, drills a single in the Marion County quarterfinal against Brebeuf. Stewart went 4-for-4 in the game and 6-for-8 in the two tournament games.

​Decatur Central sophomore Sydney Hazelwood makes contact for a single in the Marion County quarterfinal against Brebeuf. Hazelwood finished the two games with five hits in six at-bats.

 ​Roncalli players are all smiles as they hoist the Marion County Tournament trophy after defeating Decatur Central 6-0.   ​​(SOUTHSIDER VOICE PHOTOS BY STEVE PAGE)

By Al Stilley
Editor

Roncalli junior Abbey Hofmann knew the pitch she would see when the Royals slugger stepped up to the plate in the sixth inning against determined Decatur Central last week in the County tourney championship game.

Hofmann, a rightfielder, was up against Hawks senior pitcher Kylie Eads, one of the top hurlers in the state.
“I knew my second at-bat (a ground-out RBI) was a strike right down the middle; first pitch strike,” Hofmann recalled. “So I was ready for the pitch; I was looking for it.”

With the Royals holding a slim 2-0 lead, Hofmann slammed Eads’ pitch over the leftfield fence that scored Kate Lehner from third and Lyla Blackwell from second for a comforting 5-0 lead.

Hofmann’s blast coupled with junior pitcher Keagan Rothrock’s one-hitter and 17 strike outs propelled the Royals to their fifth countY title, all under veteran coach Dave Lauck. The reigning 4A state champions had atoned for the missing jewel, the county championship, last season when they were defeated by Franklin Central, 1-0 in the semifinal round.

Hofmann said, “DC is a great team, but we didn’t win county last year, so we really wanted to win this one.”
The Hawks and Eads also earned Lauck’s praise after the Royals were pushed to a seven-inning game for the first time since shutting out Penn, 6-0, at Carmel as Rothrock struck out all 21 batters.

“She (Eads) is a strong pitcher and she kept us off-balance at the plate,” Lauck said. “We struggled to police things together. Any time when Lyla and Cate are on base, we have to get them in.”

The Royals first three hitters put their bats on the ball as shortstop Lauren Marsicek made a diving catch of Jazlynn Stewart’s line drive, Morgan Boswell reached first on a rare Royals infield throwing error, and Laci Boggs popped up to third.

After that, Rothrock struck out 11 straight Hawks before Kylee Hyatt flied out to centerfielder Blackwell in the fifth. 

“We definitely knew it would be a tougher game than we had played for a while,” Rothrock said. “They’re definitely a good team, so we knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

The Royals scored in the first when Blackwell scampered home from first on an infield throwing error and on Hofmann’s outfield fly that scored Blackwell from third. Roncalli capped its scoring with Courtney Keller’s solo home run in the sixth.

Hawks coach Don Ivey admitted, “We gave them that run on an error. Earlier in the season, we would have been frustrated, but we buckled down and played pretty well with our pitching and defense.

Ivey continued, “We kept them to a lower score than they’re used to. Our pitching coach (Micaela Strykowski) called a good game, and Eads hit her spots.”

Roncalli capped its scoring with Courtney Keller’s first home run of the season in the sixth.

SECTIONALS NEXT

The IHSAA playoffs begin Monday with Southside teams competing in sectionls at Franklin Central, Plainfield, Mooresville, Chatard and Lutheran. Roncalli is the defending 4A state champions.
The schedule:
At Franklin Central (4A, Sect. 11) - Monday, 5:30 p.m., Southport vs. New Palestine; 7:30 p.m., Warren Central vs. Roncalli. Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Perry Meridian vs. G1 winner; Franklin Central vs. G2 winner. Wednesday, 7 p.m., championship.
At Plainfield (4A, Sect. 12) - Monday, 6 p.m., TH North at Plainfield; 8 p.m., Avon vs. TH North. Tuesday, 6 p.m., Brownsburg vs. G1 winner; 8 p.m., Decatur Central vs. G2 winner. Wednesday, 7 p.m., championship.
At Mooresville (4A, Sect. 13) - Monday, 6 p.m., Mooresville vs. Center Grove; 7:30 p.m., Franklin vs. Greenwood. Tuesday, 6 p.m., Martinsville vs. G1 winner; 7:30 p.m., Whiteland vs. G2 winner. Wednesday, 7 p.m., championship.
At Bishop Chatard (3A, Sect. 27) - Monday, 5 p.m., Chatard vs. Beech Grove; Tuesday, 5 p.m., Cathedral vs. Herron; Wednesday, 5 p.m., Christel House Manual vs. G1 winner; Thursday, 5 p.m., championship.
At Lutheran (1A, Sect. 59) - Monday, 5:30 p.m., Lutheran vs. Edinburg; Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Greenwood Christian vs. Morristown; Wednesday, Waldron vs. G1 winner; Thursday, 5:30 p.m., championship.
Admission: $6 per person. 
Sectional winners advance to regionals Tuesday, May 31.
Info: ihsaa.org.

Roncalli players, coaches and family celebrate their fifth Marion County Tournament championship after winning on their home field on May 10.