Class 2A, No. 3 Eastern Hancock ends Triton Central's softball season with regional championship win

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FAIRLAND – Triton Central quickly fell behind Class 2A, No. 3 Eastern Hancock Tuesday and never found its offensive rhythm in a 14-0 loss in the regional championship game.

The Tigers managed just two singles and six walks off Eastern Hancock pitchers Kenna Stewart and Tatem Adams. On the flip side, Eastern Hancock senior Sammie Bolding blasted a pair of home runs and drove in seven runs to advance the Royals to Saturday’s Forest Park Semistate.

Eastern Hancock (26-2) will face Brownstown Central (18-11) in the second semifinal Saturday at 1p.m. In the semistate opener, No. 1 Cascade (27-2) will face No. 13 North Posey (19-7). The semistate championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Bolding, a Toledo commit, smashed a two-run home run in the top of the first inning off Triton Central starting pitcher Brylie Couch.

The Royals added two more runs in the second on a wild pitch and an error. A Brooklyn Willis walk forced in a run in the third and Bolding followed with a single that scored two more to make it 7-0.

Stewart racked up seven strikeouts in four innings of work, walked three and allowed singles to Jayda McKee and Madi Peterson. Adams pitched the final three innings and walked three but did not allow a hit or a run.

“The biggest issue we had was we couldn’t get hits and when we did get a hit, we just stalled out,” said Triton Central head coach Aaron Pyle. “It’s very hard to win or get any type of runs when you get a hit here and then go four or five batters before you get another hit.”

Lillian Fillippinie took over in the pitcher’s circle in the fourth inning for Triton Central and set down nine straight batters before a defensive collapse in the seventh inning.

The Royals led 7-0 going into the seventh then took advantage of three Triton Central errors before Bolding cleared the fence for a second time to close out her night with three hits, a walk and two runs scored.

Triton Central (16-9) was seeking a repeat regional championship with just two seniors in the lineup. The Tigers struggled early in the season, had a solid run in the middle of the season but could not produce the same regional magic they created in 2023.

“Bringing back the whole starting lineup, we had high expectations,” said Pyle. “We wanted to be sectional champs, regional champs and get back to semistate. We started off slow and then we hit a good stretch in the middle and … things happen.”

Of Triton Central’s nine losses this season, seven came to programs that won sectional titles. The other two losses came to Class 4A programs at Greenfield-Central and Shelbyville.

Outfielders Hailey Harris and Jadyn Capps were the only 2024 graduates on the roster meaning Triton Central will have another opportunity for a strong postseason run in 2025 with a veteran roster.

“I’ve already had some girls ask me if we are doing anything over the summer,” said Pyle. “I told them to take the summer off and get some rest and we will start back up when school starts and hit it hard and come out stronger than what we did this year and make another run for it.”

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