Indy Star

 

By Nat Newell

 

Spring break came at a bad time for the Fishers High School softball team.

The Tigers were 4-1 when a week's vacation and then bad weather kept them off the field for more than two weeks. Saturday, in their first game since April 1, the Tigers were swept in a doubleheader by Southport, 4-0 and 2-1. Fishers begins a telling stretch of schedule by traveling to Class 4A No. 6 Noblesville at 5 p.m. today.

"We were playing well (before spring break)," said coach Mark Pierson. "I'm hoping things change (after Saturday), we get back in a groove and get the bats going (again). One of the things I've told my girls all season is that (Noblesville) will want a piece of us. We weren't supposed to beat them last year, so I expect to face a motivated team. If we're not ready to compete, we'll be in trouble."

Fishers travels to the Union County Tournament beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, hosts defending 4A state champion McCutcheon on Tuesday and No. 2 Avon on Wednesday, then travels to Mount Vernon on Thursday.

The Tigers have been led offensively by Allie Foley (three home runs) and Kasey Powell, and the team has hit over .400.

Stacie Rawnsley continues to pitch well, and Kaitlyn Rexroat stepped in for the second game of the Southport doubleheader after Rawnsley took a line drive off her forearm in the first game. Rawnsley was expected to pitch this week.

Kelsey Long has adapted quickly to playing center field, making several diving catches.

"I think everybody was playing well going into spring break," Pierson said. "Coming back, our bats went soft (scoring one run in two games against Southport after averaging 10.0 prior to the break), and defensively we've played OK, but we can play better. I'm happy with the effort. We'll see what we can do in the next couple of weeks during this tough stretch.

"We'll see where we are."