Softball Sectional Preview: Shelbyville, Triton Central looking to repeat as sectional champs

softball-sectional-preview-shelbyville-triton-central-looking-to-repeat-as-sectional-champs

Shelbyville softball’s quest for a program-record third-straight sectional championship begins tonight at Columbus East High School – host site for Class 4A, Sectional 14.

The Golden Bears (15-10) take on Columbus North (12-11) in the second quarterfinal game tonight. In the opener at 6 p.m., the host Olympians (11-5) battle Franklin (12-13).

Monday’s winners return Tuesday to meet teams that received a bye into the semifinal round. The Columbus East-Franklin winner advances to face Whiteland (11-12). A win by Shelbyville sets up a semifinal contest with East Central (17-9).

The sectional championship is scheduled for Thursday.

Shelbyville and Columbus North, winners of the last six Sectional 14 titles, staged a unique battle on May 10, knowing they would meet again 10 days later. Neither head coach utilized their expected sectional starting pitcher and the Bull Dogs won a slugfest, 15-7.

Senior Cheyenne Eads (photo) has pitched 79% of the Golden Bears’ innings this season and is 15-8 with a 1.53 earned run average and 209 strikeouts in 128 innings.

Columbus North is expected to counter with sophomore Bailey Scruggs (8-5, 4.07 ERA).

Shelbyville is 3-1 against the sectional field this season. A win over Columbus North sets up a second meeting with East Central, who lost to the Golden Bears 2-1 in eight innings on April 27.

The Sectional 14 champion will host the Sectional 13 champion in a one-game regional on May 28. Sectional 13 features No. 6 Mooresville and No. 11 Center Grove.

Heritage Christian Sectional

Triton Central captured its second sectional championship and first regional title in 2023 with no seniors on the roster. That experience did not translate to a fast start in 2024 with early losses to Class 2A, No. 3 Eastern Hancock, 2A No. 1 Cascade, Class A, No. 11 Indianapolis Lutheran and 4A schools Greenfield-Central and Shelbyville.

The Tigers finally started rolling and put together a 10-game win streak before suffering back-to-back losses to 4A No. 3 New Palestine and Bethesda Christian to close out the regular-season schedule.

Triton Central (14-8) received a bye into the Heritage Christian Sectional semifinal round and will face either Park Tudor or Heritage Christian (12-9) on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

In the other half of the bracket, Christel House (7-9) opens against Indianapolis Scecina (7-10) today with the winner advancing to Tuesday’s semifinal matchup with Irvington Prep (5-8).

The Sectional 42 champion will host the Sectional 41 champion in a regional championship game on May 28. Sectional 41 includes Eastern Hancock, Shenandoah and Union County.

Indianapolis Lutheran Sectional

Morristown (8-10) opens Class A, Sectional 59 today against Edinburgh (8-11). The Lancers defeated the Yellow Jackets twice during the regular season – 11-8 and 12-7.

In the second semifinal game of the four team sectional on Tuesday, Lutheran (15-9) takes on Greenwood Christian (5-9).

Morristown is seeking its first sectional championship.

North Decatur Sectional

Waldron (5-10) opens Class A, Sectional 60 today against Jac-Cen-Del (6-14). The two teams have not played this season.

The winner advances to Tuesday’s semifinal round to meet Oldenburg Academy (2-14).

The first semifinal contest is tonight following the Waldron game between North Decatur (9-9) and South Decatur (2-16).

Waldron is seeking its first sectional championship.

The North Decatur Sectional champion will host the Indianapolis Lutheran Sectional champion on May 28 in the regional championship.

Misty Weaver photo

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