New Palestine had its share of close games over the course of the 31-game season. The Dragons put together two 15-game winning streaks, with only a 1-0 loss to Anderson Highland in between to break up the dominance.
New Palestine earned a trip to the state tournament by virtue of a storybook 7-6 comeback over Roncalli in the regional. The Dragons then retired the first 18 Bellmont batters and allowed only one hit in a 2-0 win in semifinals.
Saturday’s win over Andrean in the 3A finals was one of a surprising nature, however, as New Palestine clung to a 1-0 lead until it poured on a record nine runs in the fourth inning. The Dragons allowed only one hit as they secured their second straight title with a 10-0 win in five innings.
“We knew they were a good team, but if we put up a couple of runs early we thought we’d be in good shape,” New Palestine head coach Ed Marcum said. “I never thought we’d put up nine in the fourth, though. We were really explosive.”
Junior catcher Michelle Marcum knocked in the initial run on a single in the first inning and junior right fielder Sydni Phelan went 3-for-3, including a double that accounted for three of her four RBI. Junior designated player Lauren Schroeder also had a three-run double and senior pitcher Sara Evans struck out seven, winning the 3A mental attitude award and bringing her record this year to 27-1.
Evans, who tallied 269 strikeouts to only seven walks, was a key component to three championship teams, the first coming as a freshman in 2004.
New Palestine ended its season at 30-1, with wins over previously unbeaten Roncalli, 4A state champion Center Grove, and the Ohio Division I state champion.
“Sarah’s been great her whole career and we’ve always been able to depend on her,” Marcum said. “We had a great defense and played a tough schedule, which really helped prepare us for the state tourney.”
The Dragons will return their top four hitters in 2010.
4A Softball: Center Grove earns record fifth state title
Pitchers Sarah Franklin and Emily Gwaltney combined for a one-hitter against West Lafayette Harrison as Center Grove took home its record fifth 4A state championship with a 2-0 win.
The Trojans were ranked first in the Indiana Coaches’ Association preseason poll but finished the season No. 4. Center Grove (33-3) walked through its sectional, then took care of business by beating No. 1 Avon and No. 3 Carmel in the regional.
The Trojans remarkable run into the state tournament continued with 2-1 win over Lowell in eight innings, the result of a gutsy base running call by head coach Russ Milligan.
Brittney Shaner hit a blooper into right-center, and Miligan waved home Katherine Belsito from first. Belsito slid under the catcher’s tag and gave the Trojans the win.
Center Grove proceeded to win the state final game handily, the experience of its seven senior starters laying the groundwork for the Trojans’ 26th shutout of the year.
Center Grove scored both of its runs in the third inning, as Sarah Alberico led off with a double and was brought home by senior catcher Sydney Miller. Gwaltney knocked-in Miller on a single.
Harrison (25-8) got to the title game by beating Floyd Central 5-1. The softball championship was Center Grove’s fourth on the year, preceded by football, boys tennis, and the individual girls cross-country championships.
1A Softball: Pitcher leads Tecumseh to title
Tecumseh faced Lutheran in the 1A softball state championship game, a team that had not suffered a loss to a team in that classification all season.
That changed when pitcher Audra Sanders made her second impressive appearance on the mound less than 12 hours after the finish of Friday’s semifinal game.
Against Whiting in the semis, Sanders pitched a 17-inning complete game win, tallying a staggering record 38 strikeouts in the process. The Braves won 3-1, but her team needed another strong performance to overtake Lutheran. Sanders showed up again, allowing only four hits while striking out eight and recording no walks as Tecumseh won 4-1.
Lutheran had just come off of a 12-hit, nine-run performance against Cowan in the semifinal game on Friday.
The Braves had reached the championship game each of the past two season but were shutout both times. This time, the Braves started early, with Sanders hitting a two-run double and Megan Froman knocking an RBI single in the first inning off Lutheran star Morgan Lewis, who entered the game with a 0.53 ERA.
Kara Snow also contributed a one-run single in the fourth inning. Lewis knocked in her team’s only run with a double in the third.
Tecumseh ended the season at 29-4-1, the Braves’ only losses coming at the hands of 4A top-five teams Carmel (twice) and champion Center Grove, along with 3A No. 3 Gibson Southern.
2A Softball: Madison-Grant stuns Scecina for title
Unranked Madison-Grant rode pitcher Sara Webster’s arm to a surprising 3-0 victory over 2A No. 1 Scecina in the semifinal game on Friday, allowing only two hits as the Crusaders fell short of their second title in three years.
Webster threw her second shutout in as many days, allowing just five hits and striking out seven as the Argylls captured their first title with a 1-0 win over Linton-Stockton.
Shelby Wells drove in the only run of the game on a single in the fifth inning, propelling Madison-Grant to a 24-6 record on the year.