By Kevin Leibrock

Hendricks County Flyer

Taking on two Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference opponents in two days proved to be a tough task for the Brownsburg softball team.

After dropping a 9-2 decision to unbeaten Ben Davis the night before, the Bulldogs hosted Class 4A No. 1 Center Grove on Thursday.

The Trojans needed five innings to secure a 15-3 victory.

Brownsburg coach Alyssa Huffman admitted that recent opponents have been tough, but said playing back-to-back nights did not faze her squad.

"It shouldn't be a factor," Huffman said. "If anything it can help us get into a rhythm. If the girls are mentally prepared it's something we can handle."

Center Grove (7-1) scored early and often.

Stacy Eiler got the Trojans on the board in the top of the first, when she doubled to center field to score Natalie Lalich. Anna Gunderson followed with a 2-RBI triple, then reached home herself on a wild pitch to open up a 4-0 lead for Center Grove.

Brownsburg couldn't answer in the bottom of the frame.

Eiler tacked on three more runs in the top of the second, doubling past first base to make it 7-0.

Huffman said she expected the visitors' sharp performance.

"We always know going into a game against Center Grove that they're going to play well," Huffman said. "They're going to hit, they're going to field, and we've got to do our part to compete."

Center Grove threatened to invoke the 10-run rule in the top of the fourth when it went ahead 10-0 on RBI at-bats from Kimmy Sullivan and Brooklyn LaMar.

But Brownsburg didn't go down quietly.

Krystal Shirrell singled to short in the bottom of the fourth to bring in Shayne Zoller. The next batter, Taylor Hadley, made it 10-2 with a sacrifice RBI to the mound.

Center Grove put the game out of reach in the next frame, when Lalich crushed a three-run homer to right field.

Tori Martin recorded an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to pull the Bulldogs to within 15-3, but they were unable to extend the game.

"There were some girls who stepped up," Huffman said. "When it looked like we wouldn't be hitting because we hadn't hit all game, we were able to get some runs. But it was just too much to overcome when we hadn't hit along the way."

 

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