Shelbyville softball slips past Columbus North

Shelbyville and Columbus North have staged some epic battles in recent seasons, including several sectional clashes.

No longer in the same classification or sectional, the two teams renewed a regular-season rivalry Thursday at Shelbyville.

The Golden Bears managed just four hits, but three came in the fifth inning to push the game-winning runs across the plate.

A Julie Garrison leadoff single and stolen base was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Addison Wooten and a run-scoring groundout from Anna Shearer to tie the game at 1-all.

Destiney Johnson tripled and scored on a wild pitch which secured a 2-1 victory and improved the Golden Bears to 4-1 this season.

Gracie Crafton (4-1) allowed four hits and struck out nine.

Columbus North (1-3) scored its only run in the third inning when leadoff hitter Morgan Jarvis tripled and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Summer Williams.

Payton Morris did not allow a Shelbyville hit through four innings and struck out four before giving way to Bailee Scruggs, who took the loss.

Shelbyville heads to Evansville today to compete in the second annual Castle Invitational which features 24 teams from three states including a pair of defending Indiana state champions.

The Golden Bears have two pool games today at 6 p.m. (EST) against defending Class 4A state champion Hamilton Southeastern (2-1) and 8 p.m. (EST) against Edwardsville (Illinois), who is 8-2 this season.

Shelbyville will play two more games Saturday. Those opponents from either Pool A (Castle, Zionsville and Cascade), Pool C (Henderson County (Ky.), Floyd Central and Eastern Hancock) or Pool D (Penn, Saint Charles North (Ill.) and Avon) will be determined once pool play is complete.

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