The Carmel Greyhounds will take on the Lake Central Indians in a tournament on Friday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Carmel took a 14-run loss the last time they faced off against Pendleton Heights, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Greyhounds sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 win over the Arabians on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Greyhounds have posted against the Arabians since April 19, 2017.
Emily Smith
| 04/23/25 @ Pendleton Heights | 1 |
| 04/22/25 vs North Central | 0 |
| 04/16/25 vs Noblesville | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs Lawrence North | 1 |
Emily Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and six unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jayden Kleiner was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Ellie Goddard, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, Lake Central waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Vikings. The result was nothing new for the Indians, who have now won nine matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Lake Central also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Jada Lewis gave up only one earned run on six hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Lexi Iwema and MaKayla Van Vossen did most of the damage at the plate: Iwema went 3-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Van Vossen went 2-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs Van Vossen has posted over her last 13 games. Kate Renschen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Lake Central hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Valparaiso struck out 11 times.
Lake Central's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 14-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Carmel, their win ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-10.
Carmel suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to Lake Central in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Greyhounds have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
