Preseason ALL-USA softball Super Team: What would your team mascot be?
The question: If you owned a sports team, what would the mascot be?
Folks, one thing is abundantly clear this softball season, at least at the Class 4A level: No one really knows anything, and it’s more than likely the state tournament landscape will look entirely different by the start of sectionals.
So, here comes the weekly exercise where we try to rank the 15-best teams in Central Indiana… and watch as those rankings are basically shredded over the following week.
Homers, gems and steals: Vote for IndyStar softball players of the week (April 22-27)
1. Roncalli (14-1)
Last week: 1
Bennie Leffler hit a grand slam, Natalie Summers homered, stole two bases and accounted for four runs (two RBIs and two scored herself) and Carley Keller scored a pair of hits as Roncalli knocked off Center Grove, 7-3. Avery Clark allowed just three runs (two earned) on four hits over seven innings. That bit I wrote last week about the importance of Roncalli’s defense? Clark did not strike anyone out; the Royals were nearly flawless behind her (one error).
2. Cathedral (16-2)
LW: 4
The Irish posted a 10-0 shutout of Lawrence North in a potential sectional preview bout, then cruised by Connersville and secured a 4-0 win over Avon with a two-hit shutout by Sidney Feczko. They were scheduled to play Roncalli on Monday (rained out), but have Carmel and the City tournament coming up later this week.
3. New Palestine (10-0)
LW: 9
The Dragons raced out to a 12-0 lead over Center Grove, then fought off a sixth-inning rally to pull out a 14-9 win. Paige Ernstes drove in five runs and posted three hits in the win, while Katie Hirschy homered and drove in three runs. Big game Wednesday at Roncalli. Of note: Coach Ed Marcum enters the week with 498 career wins. New Pal was scheduled to travel to Franklin on Monday.
4. Center Grove (11-6)
LW: 3
Riley Janda and Sydney Herrmann were bright spots in the New Palestine loss, both driving in three runs a piece. CG got right with a 13-0 win over Columbus East, that saw Brynn Meyer go 4-for-4 with three runs, Hannah Haberstroh homer (second of her career) and drive in three runs as part of a 3-for-3 performance, and Janda post a pair of hits. Riley Fuhr pitched a two-hit shutout.
5. Mooresville (14-2)
LW: 5
The Pios swept a home-and-home conference vs. Franklin. Sophia Culp put the ball in play and reached on an error to score the tying run in the sixth inning of game one, then Madison Poulson brought in the go-ahead run on a fielders choice. This is a five-game week for Mooresville, with conference foe Plainfield, Westfield and Cascade lined up next week.
6. Hamilton Southeastern (12-3)
LW: 8
Nice little two-game swing for the Royals who held on for a 1-0 victory over Fishers and won at Pendleton Heights, 3-1. The Mudsock game was decided in the first inning, with Lani Wyrick leading off with a single, then coming around to score on a Jenna Chase groundout. The Tigers had the tying run at third in the second inning and the go-ahead runner at second in the fifth, but were unable to crack Grace Swedarsky, who spun a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and a walk. HSE has a couple more tests with Noblesville and Brownsburg; Monday’s game vs. Zionsville was postponed.
7. Pendleton Heights (11-7)
LW: 2
Noblesville, Hamilton Southeastern and Zionsville all scored wins off the Arabians last week. Four runs on seven hits against Noblesville, one run on three hits vs. Hamilton Southeastern (held the Royals to only three runs … but also committed four errors) and 10 runs on four hits vs. Zionsville. Ari Rector is batting nearly .500 and Katelin Goodwin is at .464.
8. Tri-West (13-5)
LW: 7
Emma Frye drove in the winning run at the top of the seventh vs. Carmel, but the Tri-West bats weren’t able to generate enough run support against Westfield, with Audrey Lowry’s eight-K outing spoiled by the Rocks, 4-2.
9. Fishers (11-6-1)
LW: 5
After missing on multiple opportunities against HSE (more a testament to Swedarsky than anything else), the Tigers scored three runs at the bottom of the seventh to beat Mt. Vernon, 6-5. Jenna Grubb and Hailey Kinder both had two hits, Brooke Johnson had two hits plus two RBIs and Azstryd Alexander had two RBIs. Fishers followed with a 4-0 shutout of Zionsville.
10. Cascade (12-1)
LW: 12
Losses by the bigger schools ahead of them, plus wins over Triton Central, 3A’s Beech Grove and South Putnam move the Cadets into the top-10. Lacie Godby, Grace Gray and Tara Gruca are all batting .450 or better, and Cascade boasts a .965 fielding percentage (12 errors on 343 total chances). Lutheran on Tuesday should provide an interesting test, as will Plainfield next Monday.
11. Noblesville (10-7)
LW: 13
Flip-flop-flip go the Millers, who are back at No. 11. They lost an 18-16 marathon to New Palestine (the line score is something else), but snapped a five-game losing streak with wins over Westfield, Pendleton Heights, Decatur Central and Plainfield. Momentum is fleeting, especially in 4A, but the Millers are on better footing entering the final five-game stretch of their season. Noblesville vs. Hamilton Southeastern on Tuesday.
12. Lapel (11-3)
LW: 15
Sure, we’ll bump up the Bulldogs. Why not? They took a 7-3 lead over 4A’s North Central entering the bottom of the seventh, but surrendered four runs and lost in nine innings. That unfortunate plot twist not withstanding, it was a solid performance by sophomore Paige Stires, who went 3-for-5 at the plate with a homer and two runs. Freshman Ava Zdanowski allowed seven runs over 6.2 innings, but struck out 11 and only allowed two walks.
13. Brownsburg (8-7)
LW: 11
The Bulldogs took a 7-3 lead over Avon into the bottom of the fifth, but surrendered nine unanswered runs and lost, 12-7. Izzy Neal and Ashley Sylvia both posted three hits for Brownsburg, which bounced back with a blowout win over Ben Davis. Hamilton Southeastern looms on Friday.
14. Zionsville (8-4)
LW: 14
The Eagles bounced back from a 4-0 loss to Fishers with a come-from-behind over Pendleton Heights. They scored three in the fourth, six in the fifth and three more in the sixth to pull away for a 12-4 win. Leah Helton and Sylvia Mudis both posted four hits, with Mudis driving in six runs, doubling twice and homering.
More: Zionsville softball ‘going in the right direction,’ will follow sophomore ace’s lead.
15. Beech Grove (13-4)
LW: 15
The Hornets offset the loss to Hamilton Heights with a one-run win over Hamilton Heights, wherein they broke a 7-7 tie with a run in the top of the seventh. The Moore sisters, Harper and Malone, both recorded three hits, with Malone adding three RBIs and two runs scored. Lapel on Monday (barring a rainout) followed by the Marion County tournament this weekend.
RV: Westfield (8-7)
LW: 10
Friday’s win over Tri-West snapped a two-game losing streak (seven of nine) for the Rocks, whose victory was preceded by an 8-5 setback vs. Noblesville and 3-2 setback vs. Yorktown. The Yorktown game was tied entering the seventh, when the Tigers scratched across the go-ahead run vs. sophomore Shea Vohs. This week is challenging: Lawrence North, Zionsville, Center Grove and Mt. Vernon.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.
