TRAFALGAR — The stakes of Monday’s Class 3A Sectional 28 quarterfinal came as news to some of the Greenwood softball newcomers.
“A lot of the freshmen didn’t know this is a sectional game and it’s win or go home,” coach Sara Allison said. “They heard that this morning and were like, ‘Oh wait, really?'”
That may have allowed for an easier night’s sleep for some of those youngsters, but even after being made aware sectionals were officially upon them, the Woodmen were decidedly unfazed.
They just went out and did what they’ve done most of the season.
Win.
“They’re very loose,” Allison said following the 5-0 win. “Sometimes we have to get them to focus in a little bit more because they’re a little too loose, but they’re just having fun and getting after it each game.”
It’s the first postseason win since 2017 for Greenwood, which advances to play Shelbyville in Tuesday’s semifinal.
“This feels great,” sophomore catcher Macie Smith said. “Our energy this morning was pretty hype. We had a team party yesterday and got our energy started there.”
Monday is the latest bullet point in what’s already been an unforgettable season for Greenwood.
The Woodmen bounced back from a 1-2 start with a 15-game win streak highlighted by wins over Whiteland, Decatur Central and Tri-West. They stumbled late with a 1-4 stretch earlier this month that included losses to Franklin, Triton Central and Plainfield, but recovered with a 5-0 win over Indian Creek in the Johnson County championship game Saturday.
This is Greenwood’s second winning season in the past decade (13-12, 2024) and its 19 wins are its most since at least 2014.
And at the forefront are its four freshmen and five sophomores.
“From the day they came out, they’ve had this winning mentality,” Allison said. “They’ve had so much success in travel ball, a lot of them have played together and have that camaraderie together. It’s been great to see a little bit of that swagger.”
The Woodmen had only three upperclassmen in their starting nine Monday: Kinsley Clark, Gracelyn Bowles and Isabella Blythe.
Freshman Sara Weasner started in place of sophomore Tessa Hammons (illness) in the circle, and spun a four-hit shutout, issuing only two walks and six strikeouts. The defense behind her was flawless and the offense scratched across its five runs between the final two innings. Bowles, a junior, started a three-run sixth with Greenwood’s second hit of the game.
Sophomore Jordyn Hudson scored her 32nd run of the season and drove in her 10th RBI of the season, and freshman Ava Skinner notched her 40th RBI with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
For the season, Greenwood’s top-seven hitters are underclassmen, including freshmen Sydni DeCastro and Skinner, who’ve quickly established themselves among the area’s brightest rising stars. Both are batting above .400, with Skinner tallying 12 homers and 40 RBIs.
“They definitely have faced some battles and they haven’t backed down,” said senior Kinsley Clark, who’s batting .431 with five home runs, 31 RBIs and 25 runs. “They have a good squad to lean on when they need some help and I feel like we do a good job of picking each other up no matter what’s going on. … It’s been really fun. They’ve made it a great last season for me.”
As the team cleared out its dugout, focus shifted to the upcoming rematch with Shelbyville (Greenwood won the regular-season meeting, 10-5, on April 20).
“They were kind of like, ‘Alright, next game, when is it, when do I have to be here and what am I wearing?'” Allison laughed.
“From the first day we knew we were going to have a very successful team, but giving them little wins has been such a phenomenal aspect of this team,” she later added. “They’re really just looking forward to that next game, that next at-bat, that next play.”
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Greenwood softball adds sectional win to spring breakout: ‘It’s been really fun’
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
