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SOUTHMONT SOFTBALL SECTIONAL: Tiger Cub trample over Cougars, set to face Wildcats Tuesday
NEW MARKET — Ali Hassler was dominant on the mound as Greencastle knocked out the defending champion North Putnam Cougars in the opening round of IHSAA Softball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 at Southmont Monday night.
The Tiger Cubs picked up the 9-0 win as Hassler threw a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts, giving up only a seventh inning, one-out double to Camryn Riggle.
Greencastle broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the fourth inning and would not have needed the extra runs. The loss ended the season for the Cougars with a 6-19 record, while Greencastle will advance to the semifinals against South Vermillion on Tuesday night and improved their record to 12-9.
“Ali was outstanding tonight. After coming here last year and struggling she was dominant in the circle. She let them know she was ready to go, she was really focused,” Greencastle head coach Amy Coons said.
The first two innings ended in under 15 minutes as neither team could get a baserunner with Camryn Riggle matching Hassler. Both teams got runners in the third inning without being able to get them around to score.
Greencastle had infield singles by Hayley Owens and Allie Beaman but stranded them. Bailee Pride reached base on a Greencastle error in the bottom of the inning but she would be left at second base and the game went to the fourth inning with no score by either team.
Greencastle found its offense in the top of the fourth inning. Emma West led the inning off with a solo home run, atoning for her earlier error in the field.
“Emma told me after that home run that she got it back for us and she did,” Coons said.
Hassler would later drill a two-out double and score on a Sarah Simmerman single. Simmerman would then score as Owens reached on a Cougar error and the Cubs led 3-0 after four innings.
A quiet fifth inning led to a big sixth inning by Greencastle. Simmerman would reach base on a walk, Makenzie Creviston would get a base hit and then Owens would load the bases, setting up Allie Beaman for a bases-clearing double. Beaman would then score on a West RBI single to left as Greencastle led 7-0 after six innings.
“Camryn pitched a game that she was keeping us in it, but they finally caught up with her,” North Putnam head coach Kerry Roussey said.
The Cubs offense was not quite done. They picked up two more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Simmerman would single to lead off the inning and Beaman would pick up another big hit, this time a two-run home run to set the lead at 9-0 going into the bottom of the inning.
“We struggled at the plate against South Putnam in the last game. We went to the cages and got to work. They really swung the bats well,” Coons said.
The only drama left was whether Hassler would finish off the no-hitter. Riggle would break up that no-hitter but was stranded at second as Hassler would strike out the last two batters of the game to set the final score at 9-0.
“(Ali) was dominant tonight. She is a really good pitcher, and she seems to even take it up some when she faces us,” Roussey said of Greencastle’s sophomore hurler.
Beaman led the Greencastle offense with three hits and five RBIs. West also had a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs.
“Hopefully, we can stay focused tomorrow. We did not get to play South Vermillion this year, but they are always good. We will see how tomorrow goes,” Coons said of the semifinal game.
Greencastle 000 304 2 — 9 13 1
North Putnam 000 000 0 — 0 1 3
WP – Hassler 7.0. LP Cam. Riggle 7.0
2B – Beaman, Simmerman, Hassler (GHS), Cam. Riggle (NP)
HR – West, Beaman (GHS)
RBI – Beaman 5, West 2, Simmerman 1, Owens 1 (GHS).