BY MATT KOESTERS AND KEVIN HARRIS
sports@newsandtribune.com
CLARKSVILLE —
The bats were red hot for the home team as the host Providence baseball team took down Eastern Pekin on Tuesday, 17-2.
“(It was) a good performance tonight by the offense ... and we had solid hitting up and down the lineup,” said Providence coach Scott Hornung. “It was a good night for the Pioneers.”
Andrew Hunt had an excellent all-around day for the Pioneers. In addition to recording his first pitching win of the season, Hunt helped his own cause with a double and a triple.
George Knott knocked two doubles in the victorious effort.
Providence put up crooked numbers in each of the four innings it came to the plate. After scoring three runs in the first and two in the second, the Pioneers scored seven runs in the third inning to ice the game. Five more runs in the fourth weren’t even needed to force the 10-run rule.
Providence (3-1) travels to Crawford County today.
• Henryville falls at Orleans: Henryville’s losing streak extended to four games with a 9-4 loss at Orleans on Tuesday.
Henryville coach Jeff Schroeder said his team’s early-season struggles have nothing to do with the recent tornadoes that destroyed large portions of his team’s high school.
“Our struggles the first four games come down to the fact that we only have four kids who have put in any time at all in the offseason, working to get better,” Schroeder said. “I’m at that field virtually every day, all summer, all fall, and I’ve only had three or four kids come up and work to get better. The rest of them don’t pick up a ball until March, and we’re seeing the results of that now. The other teams have gotten better.
“We were 16-11 last year and lost one starter, and here we’re sitting 0-4 right now.”
Henryville (0-4) hosts Crothersville on Friday.
• New Albany downs Southern: New Albany scored seven runs in the first inning and coasted to a 7-1 victory at Southern (Ky.) Tuesday.
Tucker Marcum and Eric Burnett each drove in two runs in the contest. Burnett, Jordan Striegel and Logan Striegel each had two hits in the game.
Four New Albany pitchers made appearances on the mound, combining for eight strikeouts and four hits allowed.
New Albany (5-0) hosts Seymour on Saturday.
• Borden falls to Corydon: Borden couldn’t muster enough offense to overcome a four-run Corydon sixth inning, falling to the hosts 6-4 on Monday.
The Panthers held a narrow 2-1 lead through 5 1/2, thanks to the efforts of starting pitcher Kyle Kruer, Borden coach Brian Agnew said.
“(Kyle’s) just a freshman, and Corydon’s a really good team,” Agnew said. “He kept them off balance and did a great job of keeping us in the game.”
Offensively, Sam Beckort led the effort for Borden, going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Brian McGee scored a Borden run during his 2-for-4 day.
Borden (0-2) travels to Bedford North Lawrence Friday.
SOFTBALL
• Floyd Central edges Jennings County: Floyd Central survived a sloppy defensive performance to get a 6-5 home victory over rival Jennings County on Tuesday.
Caroline Cato got the win for Floyd Central. She went 6 1/3 innings and did not allow an earned run. However, Jennings County capitalized on five Floyd Central miscues.
Alex Engleman got the save for the Highlanders, getting two outs on just three pitches to close out the game.
Kallie Krammes was 2-for-3 at the plate wih a run batted in, a run scored and a walk, while Morgan Harper was 2-for-3.
Floyd Central (7-0) travels to Columbus East on Thursday.
• Silver Creek knocks off Corydon: Silver Creek had a hot day at the plate to down Corydon Central at home on Tuesday, 14-5.
Kelsey Sierota went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double. Brooke Barnett was also 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and three runs scored.
Heather Knight, Tiphany Harper and Sydney Ledwedge each had two RBI.
Shayla Cravens got her first win of the season, allowing four runs in the first inning before settling down the rest of the way.
Silver Creek (2-0) travels to New Albany today.
• New Albany blows out Madison: Fresh off the heels of a 7-4 win over North Harrison on Monday, New Albany continued its winning ways with a 9-1 victory over Madison on Tuesday.
Abby Litkenhous went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice, a double and three RBI. Jamie Witten also had a double, as did Hannah Veit. Both players had two hits in the contest.
McKennzie Gill recorded her first win of the season, allowing just one earned run while striking out four.
New Albany (2-0) hosts Silver Creek today.
• Clarksville downs Crawford County: Clarksville improved to 2-1 with a 4-2 victory over host Crawford County on Tuesday.
Clarksville scored three runs in the first inning.
Clarksville pitcher Amber Perez overcame fatigue to put down the Wolfpack in order in the final inning to secure the victory.
The Generals host Lanesville today.
BOYS’ GOLF
• North Harrison edges Charlestown: North Harrison beat Charlestown by five strokes at Hidden Creek on Tuesday, 171-176.
North Harrison’s Brent LaDuke was the best golfer on the course, shooting a meet-best 41.
For Charlestown, Chris Braun and Jordan Scott led the way with 43 apiece. Clayton Terry was just a stroke off their pace with a 44. Doug Wolfe shot a 46, while Luke Watson turned in a 48.
Christian Academy of Indiana also participated at the meet. Luke Curry shot a 65, while Sheldon Botts, Joe Melton and Hangming Zhang each hit 69s.
For the winning Cougars, Zach Shearer stroked a 42, Chase Spencer hit a 43, Jacob Outcalt put down a 45 and Marty Craig hit a 48.
Charlestown faces off against Henryville and Borden at Champions Pointe on April 11.
• Providence bests Jeffersonville: Providence beat Jeffersonville at Covered Bridge Golf Course on Tuesday, 155-177.
Providence’s Bryce Very took the medalist honors with a 37.
Also for the Pioneers, Robert Waiz hit a 38 and Cory Cahalan shot a 39, while Zach Lovan put up Jeffersonville’s best score with a 40.
Providence faces New Albany at Champions Pointe today. Jeffersonville takes on host Clarksville on Thursday.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
• Pioneers down BNL in opener: Providence collected both doubles points and knocked off Bedford North Lawrence in its season opener at Community Park in New Albany, 3-2.
The Pioneers’ No. 1 doubles tandem of Megan Jakoby and Kelsey Haas won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 2 doubles, Providence’s Kristin Simms and Sarah Federspiel prevailed in their first match as a doubles pair, 6-3, 6-4.
Jacqueline Hollkamp scored the Pioneers’ lone singles point, winning at the No. 1 spot 6-2, 6-2.
“I was very pleased with how Jacqueline Hollkamp played at first singles. She came out and pretty much controlled the match,” Providence head coach Vince DiNoto said. “Our No. 1 doubles team of Megan Jakoby and Kelsey Haas just could not get there rhythm going at the beginning of the match and won the first set 6-3. They were behind 2-1 when they finally started to put it together and won the next five games by using their power and ball placement.”
The Pioneers will play in the New Albany Invitational on Saturday.
GIRLS’ TRACK
• Hornets down Corydon in dual meet: Henryville won eight events to claim a dual-meet victory at Corydon, 68-60.
Allison Knox, Kerri Cochran and Sadie Spears each won two events for the Hornets.
Knox won the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 17.82 seconds and the pole vault with a height of 8 feet. Cochran prevailed in the 100 dash in 13.16 and the 200 dash in 28.39. Spears won the 1,600 in 6:08 and the 3,200 in 13:40.
Henryville’s Hannah Gilstrap was first in the long jump with a leap of 15-11 1/4. The Hornets’ 3,200 relay team won in 12:25.
