Prep Report: Shelbyville softball's offense struggles in pair of losses to state-ranked opponents

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To capture a third-straight sectional championship, Shelbyville softball must find ways to score runs against quality pitchers. That was evident Friday and Saturday as Pendleton Heights’ Shelby Messer and Mooresville’s Zoey Kugelman limited the Golden Bears to 11 hits and one run over 14 innings which resulted in a pair of losses.

On Friday, two Pendleton Heights’ errors allowed Shelbyville an early 1-0 lead but the Golden Bears failed to score again and lost 2-1.

A leadoff triple by Skylar Baldwin led to Class 4A, No. 13 Pendleton Heights’ first run off Cheyenne Eads.

In the fifth, Cassie Hayes’ leadoff grounder spun by Shelbyville first baseman Sydney Brown. Ari Rector followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Hayes to third and she later scored on a wild pitch for what proved to be the game-winning run.

Eads drew a one-out walk in the seventh and Anna Shearer kept the inning alive with a two-out single before Messer induced Gracie Crafton to fly out and end the game.

The loss dropped Shelbyville into a third-place tie in the Hoosier Heritage Conference behind 4A No. 3 New Palestine (14-1, 5-0 HHC) and the Arabians (14-7, 3-0 HHC). Shelbyville and Yorktown are both 3-2 in the conference standings.

On Saturday, Shelbyville traveled to Mooresville to the site of its final game of the 2023 season – a 4-1 regional championship game loss.

Kugelman scattered five Shelbyville hits and benefitted from a pair of inning-ending double plays to defeat the Golden Bears 3-0.

All three Mooresville runs came in the fifth inning when the Shelbyville defense failed to catch two fly balls. Mooresville improved to 17-3.

Eads allowed nine hits and struck out eight Pioneers in the loss. She dropped to 12-6 this season with an earned run average of 1.53 over 100.2 innings of work. She has 165 strikeouts.

The toughest part of Shelbyville’s schedule continues Tuesday at home against 4A No. 6 Roncalli (16-2). The Golden Bears are 12-7.

In other prep events:

Boys golf

Batesville Invitational

At Hillcrest Country Club Saturday, all five Corydon Central golfers shot below 80 to capture the team title at 307. Madison was runner-up at 310.

Shelbyville placed seventh at 331. Jake Garrison led the Golden Bears with a 77. Also competing were Logan Tobian (84), Logan Reinhart (84), Brock Wischmeyer (86) and Ethan Hughes (91).

Madison’s Henry Ashley was the medalist at 71.

Girls tennis

New Palestine 5, Shelbyville 0

At Shelbyville Friday, the visiting Dragons improved to 7-2 (4-1 HHC) with a sweep of the Golden Bears (5-10, 2-3 HHC).

New Palestine won all three singles matches and the No. 2 doubles match in straight sets.

At No. 1 doubles, Josephine Harvey and Emily Appleby defeated Sydney Baker and Sophie Asher, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.

Boys volleyball

Purdue Polytechnic Invitational

Shelbyville finished 2-1 Saturday with its only loss to Irvington Prep (8-13).

In a 25-18, 25-15 win over Crawfordsville, Layne Pogue had a team-high six kills. Corbin Deck and Nathan Singzon each finished with 11 digs. Jayion Grice collected 15 assists.

The Golden Bears are 8-13 this season and close out their regular-season schedule Tuesday at Martinsville (9-11).

Track and field

Indiana Crossroads Conference Meet

At Beech Grove Friday, Triton Central senior Brayden Wilkins won the 200-meter dash and was runner-up in the 100 and long jump.

Wilkins crossed the finish line in the 200 in 22.40 to score one of Triton Central’s two event wins. He finished second in the 100 (11.01) and long jump (21 feet, three inches).

Wilkins also teamed with Zeke Robertson, Cash Compton and Braden Brown to finish third in the 400 relay in 44.72.

Robertson won the 300 hurdles in 40.91.

Also scoring top-three finishes for Triton Central were Landon Slone (53.48 in 400) and Ethan Cales (16.63 in 110 hurdles).

Cascade won the team title with 95 points. Triton Central finished fourth at 72.5.

Vivian Blye was Triton Central’s only top-three finisher in the girls meet. Blye placed third in the 100 (13.25) and 200 (28.21).

Monrovia won the team title with 206 points. Triton Central finished seventh at 19.33.

Cougar Chase Invitational

At Greenfield-Central Friday, Shelbyville had three individuals capture top-three finishes.

Sonora O’Connor placed third in the 100 hurdles (17.63) and 300 hurdles (49.2).

O’Connor joined with Cyanne St. Bernard, Ava Wilson and Alyna Castanon to finish second in the 1,600 relay (4:18.54).

Christian Powell was runner-up in the 200 (23.07). Ethan Lambert also produced a runner-up finish in the discus (158-0).

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