May 27—The softball squads from Northwestern and Western are on a collision course after both won lopsided semifinals in the Class 3A Twin Lakes Sectional on Wednesday night.
No. 5 Northwestern opened the day’s action with a 12-2 six-inning victory over Twin Lakes that ended in walk-off fashion. With two on in the bottom of the frame and Northwestern holding a seven-run lead, Northwestern’s Ady Altman belted a three-run homer to put the Tigers up double figures and trigger the 10-run rule.
“That was actually the second time she did it [hit a walk-off] and it was good to end the game that way,” NW coach Chris Walker said.
Twin Lakes opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first but Northwestern took the lead for good with a four-run third inning, highlighted by Morgan Walker’s three-run homer. Northwestern (23-6) added a run in the fourth and scored seven runs in the sixth.
Altman added a double to her day at the plate. Ellie Boyer had a single and a triple, Kate Graves doubled, and Jaci Elson had two singles.
Jaylyn Harrison threw all six innings with no walks, three hits and no earned runs while striking out two for the win.
“They started out slow, like typical, and had a few errors early and then they got it together and started hitting the ball and played a lot better on defense,” Walker said. “Jaylyn pitched very well again.”
The championship game is at 6 p.m. today.
WESTERN 9, BC 1
Chloe Linn pitched a complete game to lead the Panthers past the No. 6 Bison in the Twin Lakes Sectional’s second semifinal. Linn held Benton Central to four hits and struck out seven.
Emily King, Chloe Hunt and Kinzie Conaway had two singles apiece for the Panthers and Morgan Ousley had a double.
The Western victory avenged a loss to BC in the championship game of the Hoosier Conference. The Panthers (16-12) broke Wednesday’s game open with eight runs in the fourth inning. Jo Glaze’s single to right ignited the rally.
“Jo came in to hit in Sadie Harding’s spot in the lineup when Sadie had to leave the game due to an injury in the top of the first,” Western coach Chris Tuberty said.
Harding is the Panthers’ top hitter.
M-G 8, EASTERN 2
Madison-Grant overturned a regular-season loss to No. 9 Eastern by ousting the Comets in the semifinal round of the Class 2A Tipton Sectional.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning, but Madison-Grant went up with a single run in the top of the third, then added three in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the seventh to end the Comets’ season at 25-6.
M-G will face Oak Hill in the championship at 6 p.m. today. Oak Hill topped Tipton 11-1 in Wednesday’s other semifinal. The Blue Devils end their season 3-19.
GIRLS TENNIS
PERU 3, BREMEN 2
Peru kept its season rolling with a victory over Bremen in the championship match of the Plymouth Regional. The match came down to a three-setter at No. 2 doubles before the Bengal Tigers prevailed.
Next for Peru is a date with Carmel in the opening round of the LaPorte Semistate at noon Peru time (11 a.m. Central) on Saturday. Carmel rolled through Harrison 5-0 to win the Kokomo Regional title on Wednesday.