Softball Recap: Hammond Central Beats Gary West Side for Their Fourth Straight Victory

After losing to Gary West Side the last time they met, Hammond Central decided to demonstrate that turnabout is fair play. The Wolves put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 17-7 victory on Tuesday. Winning may never get old, but the Wolves sure are getting used to it with their fourth in a row.

Evalyse Pabey was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over five innings while giving up six earned runs off six hits. Pabey was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played.

Jocelyn Yepez

Runs

04/22/25 vs Gary West Side	2
04/11/25 @ Lake Station Edison	1
04/09/25 vs Hammond Academy of Science & Tech	1
05/01/24 vs Marquette Catholic	2

In other batting news, Prisilla Cornejo and Jocelyn Yepez did most of the damage at the plate: Cornejo got on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI, while Yepez got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one home run, three stolen bases, and two runs. That's the most runs Yepez has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Johanna Harper, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases and two runs.

Hammond Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .771. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Hammond Central pushed their record up to 5-3 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 21.0 runs over those games. As for Gary West Side, they are on a five-game losing streak (dating back to last season) that has dropped them down to 0-4.

Looking ahead, Hammond Central will challenge Thornwood at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Gary West Side, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Calumet New Tech at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Cougars are facing the Warriors at the right time seeing as the Warriors are stuck on a three-game losing streak.