Pairings
have been released for the 4A softball sectionals and it truly a mixed bag for
HCC teams. Here is a quick look at how the draw works out at sectionals
involving league teams.
At Harrison,
the draw definitely worked in favor of the favorites. The host Raiders and
McCutcheon drew into opposite sides of the bracket. Harrison is currently 16-3
and ranked in the state’s top ten. McCutcheon is only 11-9 but let us not
forget—it is McCutcheon. Harrison will open versus the winner of the Kokomo
and Logansport affair while McCutcheon starts against a struggling Lafayette
Jeff squad.
Things didn’t
work out nearly so well for the HCC teams in the Fishers Sectional. They all drew
each other, at least everyone except Westfield and the Shamrocks didn’t catch
any breaks. Highly regarded Hamilton Southeastern drew neighborhood rival
Fishers in the opening round and Noblesville got paired with Zionsville. When
the HCC invitational ends, Westfield will tangle with some place called
Carmel—Ooops. On paper, it looks like Noblesville may have gotten the best of
the draw, but nobody has reason to be real happy.
Avon, which
has flirted with the #1 ranking all season, opens at home versus Decatur
Central. Brownsburg drew into the other bracket and will start with the winner
of the Ben Davis vs. Pike tilt. Look for Avon to advance in this one.
We are in
the home stretch of the regular season on the diamonds and the HCC office has
released the latest statistical summary. Here is a look at a number of areas.
HCC STANDINGS, SEASON RECORDS, and
CONTEST RESULTS
HCC
Place
School
HCC
Overall
RESULTS FROM April 27th
–May 9th
1st
Brownsburg
9-3
16-3
Lafayette Jeff (W
14-7) & (L 3-5); Avon (W 14-4) & (W
8-3); Westfield
(L 0-13) & (W 1-0); Jasper (W 2-1)
1st
Westfield
9-3
13-3
Western (W 17-2); HSE (W 13-3) & (L 1-5); Zionsville (W 11-4) & (W 13-3);
Brownsburg (W 13-0); & (L 0-1)
3rd
Noblesville
8-4
14-7
Avon (W 15-5) & (L 3-4); McCutcheon
(W 4-2) & (W 10-0); Lafayette
Jeff (L 0-4) & W 3-2)
4th
Hamilton
Southeastern
7-5
15-7
Terre Haute North (W 7-0);Westfield
(L 3-13) & (W 5-1); Lafayette Jeff (W 9-6) & (W 4-1); Zionsville (L
1-2) & (W 6-5)
4th
McCutcheon
7-5
11-8
Fishes (W 6-0)
& (W 10-6); Noblesville (L 2-4) & (L 0-10); Harrison (W 3-2) & (L
3-4); Kokomo (W 10-0)
6th
Avon
6-9
9-8
Noblesville (L
6-16) & (W 4-3); Brownsburg (L 4-14) & L 3-8); Fishers (W 4-2) &
(W 9-8); Westfield
(L 3-11)
7th
Lafayette Jeff
5-7
9-7
Brownsburg (W 14-7)
& (W 5-3); HSE (L 6-9) & (L 1-4)
The Class 4A third-ranked Brownsburg Bulldogs split their season baseball series with Lafayette Jefferson May 8-9 to stay atop the Hoosier Crossroads Conference standings.
On Friday evening at Loeb Stadium in Lafayette, the Bronchos took Round 1 by a 5-3 count. John Ripke lasted 6 1/3 innings despite surrendering 10 hits and walks to earn the victory. The Bulldogs left 12 runners on base in the loss.
Saturday, the Bulldogs hosted the Bronchos at Mary Beth Rose Park. Senior catcher Tucker Barnhart started the scoring in the first inning by hitting his third home run, a three-run shot. Ben Blystone followed up with his fourth homer in the second to stake starter Matt Duncan to a 5-0 lead.
Duncan faltered in the third, however, when Sean McDonald opened the frame with a sharp double to left-center and second baseman Tyler Robins followed with a two-run homer. Two batters later, Al Clark followed with another two-run shot. All in all, the first seven Bronchos to come to the plate scored in the seven-run frame.
Duncan calmed down after the third, not allowing another Broncho to advance past second base. Brownsburg tied the game with single runs in the fourth and fifth, setting the stage for the decisive sixth inning.
With the top of the order due up, the Bulldogs staged a seven-run inning rampage of their own. Of the 12 Bulldogs to come to the plate in the inning, 11 reached base in the 14-7 win.
The Bulldogs (16-3, 9-3) remain in first place in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference with nine games remaining.
BROWNSBURG – The Brownsburg Bulldogs split their season series
with the Lafayette Jeff Bronchos on Friday and Saturday to stay atop the
Hoosier Crossroads Conference. Friday evening at Loeb Stadium in
Lafayette, the Bronchos took Round 1: 5-3. John Ripke lasted 6 1/3
innings despite surrendering 10 hits and walks to earn the
victory. The Bulldogs left 12 runners on base in the
loss.
Saturday, the Bulldogs hosted the Bronchos at Mary Beth Rose
Park. Senior catcher Tucker Barnhart started the Bulldogs scoring in the
first by hitting his third hom run, a three run shot. Ben Blystone
followed up with his fourth home run in the second inning to stake starter
Matt Duncan to a 5-0 lead.
Duncan faltered in the third,
however. Sean McDonald opened the frame with a sharp double to left
center. Sophomore second baseman Tyler Robins followed with a two-run
homer. Two batters later, Al Clark followed with another two-run
shot. All in all, the first seven Bronchos to come to the plate scored
in the seven-run frame. Duncan calmed down after the third, not allowing
another Broncho to advance past second base.
Brownsburg tied the game
with with single runs in the fourth and fifth setting the stage for the
decisive sixth inning. With the top of the order due up, the Bulldogs
staged a seven-run inning rampage of their own. All in all, of the 12
Bulldogs to come to the plate, 11 reached base.
The Bulldogs (16-3,
9-3) remain in first place in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference with nine
games remaining.
No. 11 Hamilton Southeastern captured the 2009 Hoosier Crossroads Conference Tournament by the smallest of margins May 9 at Lafayette Jefferson, defeating 12th-ranked Zionsville by one team point based on the Royals’ clutch third-place finish at No. 2 doubles.
Despite winning but one individual crown, HSE’s 46 team points were just enough to slip past Zionsville. The Eagles boasted individual championships at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles, but HSE answered by making the finals in four of the meet’s five events, including all three singles matches.
Westfield (No. 2 singles) and Avon (No. 1 singles) were the meet’s other title winners.
“They played like champions today!” said Hamilton Southeastern coach David Willingham. “They battled a strong Zionsville team in a close semifinals before avenging their only loss of the season by defeating Noblesville in the finals to finish first.
“They seemed to be on a mission today, and I have to give a lot of the credit to (assistant) coach (Becky) Ragsdale and the way she helped to inspire them during the finals.”
Senior Devon Strand and junior Lina Goens won the lone championship for the Royals at No. 1 doubles. But it was the clutch third-place performance by the No. 2 doubles tandem of Stephanie Iden and Elise Hanusheck that clinched the team victory.
“I was most proud of the way Elise and Stephanie came back after their tough loss in the semis,” Willingham said. “It is always hard to come right back out on the court after a loss and play. They did a fantastic job!”
Carol Hsu (No. 1 singles), Kristie Hsu (No. 2 singles), and Shelly Tang (No. 3 singles), along with Strand and Goens, earned All-HCC honors for HSE, which will face its biggest challenge of the season May 13 in hosting third-ranked Carmel on “Senior Night.”
Team scores 1. #11 Hamilton Southeastern 46 2. #12 Zionsville 45 3. Brownsburg 34 4. Harrison (West Lafayette) 31 5. Westfield 30 6. Noblesville 29 7. Avon 28 8. Fishers 15 9. Lafayette Jefferson 13 10. McCutcheon 9
The Hoosier
Crossroads Conference continues to indicate it will be a factor come tourney
time. The league has two teams in the top five and another just outside the top
ten in the latest statewide poll. Avon comes in second immediately followed by
Hamilton Southeastern in third. The Lafayette Jeff Bronchos are #11 this week.
Here is a look at the complete poll.
1. Indianapolis Cathedral (13)
2. Avon (1)
3. Hamilton Southeastern (1)
4. Chesterton
5. Brebeuf
6. Yorktown
7. Carmel
8. Providence
9. Norwell
10. Evansville Central
11. Terre Haute South
12. Lafayette Jefferson
13. Evansville North
14. Mishawaka Marian
15. Bloomington North
16. Lebanon
17. Roncalli
18. Homestead
19. Warren Central
20. Bedford North Lawrence
21. Northridge
22. Floyd Central
23. DeKalb
24. Wawasee
25. Zionsville
26. Castle
27. Fort Wayne Canterbury
28. Goshen
29. Center Grove
29. Evansville Memorial
31. LaPorte
Processing your request, Please wait....
