> SOUTHERN INDIANA — The Silver Creek baseball team moved into a first-place tie with Class 3A No. 3 North Harrison in the Mid-Southern Conference on Thursday, beating the visiting Cougars 2-0.

The Class 3A No. 4 Dragons got a stellar outing from starting pitcher Lucas Barnett. Barnett pitched six scoreless innings, allowing three hits. He struck out nine and walked six. Silver Creek relief pitcher Shae Durham got the save by pitching a scoreless seventh inning.

The Dragons’ Jacob Armstrong and Jared Vest each went 2-for-3. Armstrong hit a solo home run over the right-center field fence in the third.

“It was good to see Jacob get a hold of one. He has been struggling a little lately,” Silver Creek assistant coach Scott Jennings said. “(Vest) is swinging the bat well right now. I also have to give credit to (Dragons’ catcher) Lucas McIntyre for a real good defensive job behind the plate.”

The Dragons (14-3) and North Harrison (14-3) are each currently 5-1 in the MSC. Silver Creek will host Madison in a doubleheader on Saturday.

• Hornets remain unbeaten in SAC: Henryville upped its Southern Athletic Conference record to 4-0 with an 11-2 victory at Borden.

The Hornets’ Cody Reister earned the win in a starting role. He gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits in a complete-game effort, striking out six. Reister also helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs.

Henryville’s Dylan Collins and Joey Martin each went 2-for-4, with Collins driving in two runs.

“One of our goals is to win conference, so we had to be ready to play,” said Hornets’ head coach Jeff Schroeder, whose team can clinch the SAC championship outright on Saturday, May 19 when it hosts Class A No. 4 South Central in a doubleheader. “We got timely hits and made a couple of double plays.”

Borden’s Garrett Stephens was the losing pitcher. Henryville (8-8) will host Brownstown in a twinbill on Saturday. The Braves (3-10, 2-2 SAC) will travel to Crothersville for a doubleheader on Saturday.

• Scherer tosses one-hitter in Pirates’ win: Charlestown starting pitcher Tregg Scherer gave up one hit in a complete-game effort, leading the Pirates to a 10-1 victory at Austin.

Scherer pitched 5 1/3 innings of no-hit ball before giving up a one-out single in the sixth.

Bristol Frazier led the Charlestown offense, going 3-for-4. Also for the Pirates (13-5, 3-3 MSC), Jordan Hensley-Cole went 2-for-3 and Ryan Gorbandt and Taylor Pfohl each were 2-for-5.

“With it being a conference game, it was a good win,” Charlestown head coach Ricky Romans said. “Right now, we are out of the conference race. But anything can happen.”

The Pirates will visit Southwestern on Saturday for a doubleheader.

• Floyd Central falls at Seymour: Leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, visiting Floyd Central gave up three runs and lost to Seymour, 5-3.

Highlanders’ pitcher Colton Kimm suffered the loss. Floyd Central (10-8) travels to Class 4A No. 6 Columbus North today.



SOFTBALL

• Pirates moves into first in MSC: Host Charlestown moved into first place in the MSC with a 9-1 triumph over Brownstown.

Pirates’ ace pitcher Alli Webster collected her 14th win of the season. The junior gave up no earned runs on five hits, striking out 12 and walking none.

Freshman Alex Hutchinson paced the Charlestown offense, going 3-for-4 with a double. The Pirates’ Kaitlyn Henning, Alyssa Price and Gracynn Jennings each had two hits and an RBI.

“It’s a big win for us,” Charlestown head coach Kevin Zollman said. “The girls came through and played hard. We just need to keep our heads on straight.”

The Pirates (15-3, 6-1 MSC) must win their final two conference games against Salem and Eastern to clinch the league title. They will visit the Lions on Monday.

• Red Devils thump Madison: Visiting Jeffersonville smacked 15 hits and took advantage of nine Madison errors in a 15-2 win in six innings.

Courtney Shepherd led the Red Devil bats, going 3-for-5. Teammate Marley Edwards went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple, while Jeff’s Kayla Poppe was 2-for-4.

Poppe earned the victory on the mound. The Red Devil starter threw four innings, surrendering both Cubs runs (each unearned) on three hits with six strikeouts. Jeff reliever Emily Gray pitched two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and striking out three.

“After the first inning, we came through with runners on base. It’s something we’ve been working on,” Red Devil head coach Jodi Bradley said.

Jeff (14-4) will host a split doubleheader on Saturday against Evansville Harrison and Evansville North.

• Mustangs stay in SAC title hunt: Host New Washington kept its Southern Athletic Conference title hopes alive with a 4-0 victory over South Central. New Washington, Henryville and Lanesville are the only SAC teams with one conference loss.

Mustang starter Kaira Doherty was the winning pitcher. She went four innings, yielding two hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

New Washington reliever Whitney Morris tossed 2 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and fanning six. The Mustangs’ Brooke Shaw relieved Morris to pitch two-thirds of an inning, as she struck out two and allowed one hit.

New Washington (10-7, 3-1 SAC) scored two runs apiece in the second and fourth innings. The Mustangs’ Lindsey Mudd and Kasie Doherty each had RBI singles in the fourth.

“We didn’t hit the ball very well, but we ran the bases extremely well,” New Washington head coach Tim Sexton said. “It was a hard-fought conference win.”

The Mustangs will host Crothersville in a nonconference game next Thursday.

• Hornets roll past Borden: Starter Natalie Basham allowed four hits in a complete-game outing to lead host Henryville past Borden in five innings, 14-1. Basham gave up one earned run and one walk, while striking out five.

Sarah Richey led the Hornets (10-8, 3-1 SAC) at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Teammates Sydney Hollingsworth and Sierra Elifrits each went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Henryville collected 11 hits after getting no-hit in each of its last two games.

“It’s nice to get a win. Hopefully, we’ll get the momentum to swing our way,” Hornets’ head coach Jenny Schroeder said.

Shelbie Farvour got the loss on the mound for the Braves. Henryville will host Salem on Tuesday. Borden will host Shoals in a doubleheader on Saturday.

• Pioneers win at Seymour: Providence got over the .500 mark with a 10-7 victory at Seymour.

The Pioneers’ Jordyn Stengel and Meredith Endris each went 2-for-3, while teammate Morgan Boone was 2-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Endris was the winning pitcher, as she made two appearances on the mound against the Owls. Endris threw the first three innings and the final 3 1/3 frames. She allowed one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and no walks.

“We actually played real well as the score was kind of deceiving,” Providence head coach Sean Payne said. “Our defense came out and made some good plays, particularly Morgan Boone. We got some good leadership from our seniors.”

The Pioneers (11-10) hosts Silver Creek today.

• Inside-the-park homer sparks Generals: Freshman Kayla Wallace hit an inside-the-park home run to help host Clarksville rally to beat Eastern, 5-2.

With the Generals (8-8, 2-4 MSC) trailing 2-0, Wallace smacked a ball to center field over a drawn-in outfield to lead off the bottom of the third. She then sped around the bases before the Musketeers could throw the ball back into the infield. Clarksville proceeded to score four more runs after that.

“That got a little spark going,” Generals’ head coach Tim Hauber said about Wallace’s homer. “We got a lot of production from the bottom of our order today.”

Wallace ended up going 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Teammate Shelby Carta went 2-for-3 with a double.

Clarksville pitcher Hannah Heintzman threw a complete game in getting the victory. Heintzman yielded two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks.

The Generals host Madison today.

• Highlanders lose at Mercy: Class 4A No. 8 Floyd Central had no answer for Mercy Academy pitcher Anne Francis in a 7-0 loss at the Louisville school.

Francis improved her record to 14-3, giving up five hits and striking out eight in six innings.

Katelin Dreher was the only Highlander with a multihit game, going 2-for-3 with a stolen base. Teammate Kallie Krammes, Samantha Feather and Kate Kaiser each had a single.

Floyd Central’s Morgan Harper was the losing pitcher. In 4 2/3 innings, she gave up two runs (none earned) on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. Mercy scored two runs in the fifth and five in the sixth

“I was pleased with the way the girls competed for most of the game,” Highlanders’ head coach Joe Witten said. “We just had that one inning (where Mercy scored five times).”

Floyd Central will travel to Madison on Monday for the first round of the Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament.



GIRLS’ TENNIS

• Generals upend Mustangs: Clarksville won its second match in a row in a 4-1 triumph at New Washington.

The Generals prevailed at all three singles positions. At the No. 1 spot, Chloe Stephens beat the Mustangs’ Courtney Amick, 6-0, 7-5. At No. 2, Clarksville’s Jackie Slaten defeated Tiffanie Brison, 6-0, 6-1. Winning at No. 3 for the Generals was Tesia Jenkins, who downed Melanie Dieterlen 6-3, 6-1.

Clarksville’s lone double point was at the No. 2 position, as Sharon Garcia and Abigail Hurtgen beat New Washington’s Amanda Kemp and Christen Walker, 6-4, 6-3.

“I feel like the improvement process is working good and it was nice having our regular lineup back with Tesia returning,” Generals’ head coach Steve Welcher said. “Our doubles are starting to come together.”

The Mustangs’ only individual victory happened at No. 1 doubles. The New Washington tandem of Alex Seals and Ashley Johnson beat Bailey Duggan and Courtney Miller, 6-2, 6-3.

Both teams play today. Clarksville travels to Henryville, while the Mustangs visit Christian Academy of Indiana.

• Hornets nip Lanesville: Host Henryville downed Lanesville in SAC action, 3-2.

The Hornets’ Casey Guernsey cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win over Tara Chipman at No. 1 singles. At two singles, teammate Jordan Jeffers downed Jenna Bowman, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

At No. 1 doubles, Henryville’s Lauren and Shelby Sinn defeated Kendra Smith and Madison Cunningham, 6-4, 6-2.

“Casey Guernsey continued her great play this week,” Hornets’ head coach Brian Consley said. “Jordan Jeffers once again was the lynchpin against Lanesville. She was determined not to lose the third set. Then she came out and put the match away.”

• Charlestown downs Shawe: Visiting Charlestown swept the doubles positions to win at Shawe Memorial in Madison, 4-1.

At No. 1 doubles, the Pirate duo of Emily Shaw and Erica Broady defeated Taylor Davis and Chloe Storm, 6-3, 7-5. At two doubles, Charlestown’s Bailey Masingo and Hayley Trinkle won 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The Pirates’ No. 1 singles player Sabine Higazy knocked off Liz Grote, 6-2, 6-1. At No. 3 singles, Charlestown’s Sarah Trotter prevailed 6-0, 6-2.

“This match brought the girls back to 6-6, after starting off 2-5,” Pirates’ head coach Chris Ryan said. “Bailey Masingo did a great job pulling two doubles through some tough spots in their match today. Emily and Erica were fortunate to win today, without their best tennis, but keeping it in straight sets. Sabine played well, and looks like she has a little more confidence at this point of the year at one singles.”

Charlestown will host Borden on Monday.