We’re down to the final couple weeks of the Indiana high school softball regular season. Let’s take one more crack at ranking the area’s top-15 squads.
Records and stats current as of Monday afternoon.
1. Hamilton Southeastern (14-3)
Previous ranking (April 21): 2
Grace Swedarsky allowed three unearned runs and the Royals, unexpectedly, dropped an 8-5 decision to Avon following the most recent area rankings. They have rattled off six straight since then with no more than two runs allowed in any of those outings. Their most recent win, a 5-3 triumph over Noblesville, was their most impressive.
The bats have continued clicking, with senior Addy Richmond headlining the underclassman-driven lineup, and the defense has been pretty spectacular, committing just three errors in the past six games. The performances of pitchers Kaleah McCarter, Natavia Wright and Jaycee McCarter behind Swedarsky should not be overlooked, either.
The schedule ramps back up this week with games against Westfield, Yorktown and undefeated Fort Wayne Carroll.
2. Cathedral (17-4-1)
PR: 5
The Irish have looked really good as the season’s gotten into full swing. They held their own against Penn at the Carmel Invite, shutout Noblesville behind a brilliant effort by pitcher Shelby Johnson and nearly run-ruled Roncalli in a 10-0 win.
Sidney Feczko’s been on an absolute heater at the dish, going 14-for-20 over her past six games, including a two-hit, three-RBI outing against Roncalli. She has pitched twice during the team’s current run (Roncalli and Carmel) — a luxury afforded in part by how good Johnson’s been — and notched three-hit shutouts in both outings.
Two dates to circle: May 16 vs. East Central (14-7) and May 19 at Yorktown, a potential semistate opponent.
3. Center Grove (13-5)
PR: 4
The Trojans are averaging over 11 runs per game during their current seven-game win streak, a run highlighted with wins over Avon and New Palestine. The bats have fully come to life with Brynn Meyer, Taylor Barrett and Hollie Haberstroh leading the way, and the pitching has been solid with senior Riley Fuhr and junior Kara Biever continuing to work in tandem (senior Addy Reed has also eaten some innings).
Center Grove will be heavily favored the rest of the way. Its first-round sectional draw of Southport isn’t the worst draw (that would be Franklin Central), but it isn’t exactly a guaranteed win, either. The Cardinals are trending towards their first winning season since at least 2013 and have a talented pitcher/hitter in Marian commit Ady Stansbury.
4. Noblesville (11-5)
PR: 1
The Millers lost four of five to close out April, with a 16-14 thud at Pendleton Heights to close it out. They snapped the skid with a 9-2 win over conference foe Westfield, then dealt Homestead its second loss of the season. Addi Retzinger allowed just two earned runs on eight hits (one homer) against potential sectional semifinal opponent HSE, but the bats were held to three runs on five hits by Kaleah McCarter and Carly McCall.
That said, the lineup remains stacked — Haley Schatko has been truly exceptional (.576 with 12 homers) and Izzy Zapp is in the midst of a career year — and Retzinger is a very dependable No. 1 pitcher.
Coach Deke Bullard stacked his schedule and with upcoming games against Yorktown, Brownsburg, Roncalli, Fishers, New Palestine and Avon, there are ample statement win opportunities.
5. Cascade (16-1)
PR: 6
I came away really impressed by the Cadets at the Flashes Invite and they secured another signature win last Monday, scoring five runs on seven hits against Edgewood ace Ally Bland en route to a 5-4 win over their sectional foe. That’s a really impressive dub, maybe Cascade’s best of the season. Pitcher Caitlin Gryszowka allowed only four runs on 11 hits. She didn’t strike anyone out, but the defense was solid behind her, committing just two errors on 24 chances.
Cascade has an interesting back-to-back this week with 4A Decatur Central (8-9) and Danville (16-4).
6. Roncalli (16-3)
PR: 8
The Royals took their licks in that shutout loss to Cathedral, but it was preceded by two wins over Class A powerhouse Lutheran and followed by notable victories over New Palestine and Westfield. They’re generating nearly nine runs per game with a lineup that’s experienced at its core with Bennie Leffler, Elise Baker and Maggie Thorne, and is getting steady contributions from Brooke Wolford, Lucy Perry and Sydney Martens, all of whom are averaging career-highs. (Catcher Morgan Curtis is also maintaining a .300 average.)
Roncalli got a nice boost over the weekend with the return of sophomore infielder Lola Morelli, though freshman Jazlyn Lawson was very good in her stead.
7. New Palestine (14-5)
PR: 7
The Dragons got off to a fast start against Roncalli last week with Payton Dye cracking her third homer of the season in the first inning, but they stranded the bases loaded and never quite recovered, mustering just one run over the final five innings. That wasted a really good start by senior Cailyn Hurst and marked another frustrating shortcoming against one of the state’s best teams.
Considering the bats they have — Dye, Saydie Miller, Claire Fitzgerald, Cara Steele and Amber Hurt — plus ace Sadie Hughbanks, it feels like New Pal is on the cusp of a breakthrough. It’s just a matter of securing the first high-profile win. Fortunately, there will be ample opportunity with games remaining against Munster, Crown Point and Noblesville.
8. Brownsburg (15-5)
PR: 10
The battle-tested Bulldogs were shorthanded when they knocked off rival Avon, 30, at the end of April and they’ve been rolling since then, stringing together a four-game win streak. Jocelyn Hornett, Kenzly Larkin, AG Pogue and Delaney McInerney all have 20-plus hits, five-plus doubles and at least 14 RBIs on the season, and sophomore Etta Schroering has improved upon her really good freshman debut.
Noblesville, Franklin Central, Fishers and Roncalli highlights Brownsburg’s final six games.
9. Avon (10-9)
PR: 9
The Orioles really rode the rollercoaster through April, but had won three of four entering Monday’s tilt against Danville with wins over Cathedral, Fishers and McCutcheon. The lone loss: A 4-2 decision vs. Terre Haute North (20-1), which the Orioles had tied at 2 entering the bottom of the seventh.
The pitching staff has quietly stabilized, allowing four runs or fewer in seven of Avon’s past nine games. And the bats look to be heating up again following big outings against Fishers and McCutcheon.
How’s this for a four-game swing to close out the season: Crown Point, Munster, Westfield and Noblesville.
10. Westfield (10-8-1)
PR: NR
The Rocks gave up two runs in the seventh in last Thursday’s loss to Roncalli, their third setback in four games. They have been competitive in all three losses, though, including the 9-2 loss to Noblesville, which they trailed by only three entering the sixth.
The defense really struggled against Hamilton Heights, committing five errors, but has been a bright spot otherwise this season, maintaining a .937 fielding percentage. MaKayla Watson snapped an 0-for-8 drought with a base hit against Roncalli; fellow senior Sofia Easterhaus has raised her average to .477 with four-hit efforts against Hamilton Heights and Zionsville.
11. Fishers (13-6)
PR: 3
The Tigers’ 10-run loss to Westfield was followed by setbacks against Yorktown and Hamilton Southeastern — all quality opponents. They took care of business against Zionsville, then were tied with Avon entering the seventh inning of a 6-4 loss. That’s all a way of saying this feels like a sneaky team that could cause total and complete chaos in the Sectional 8 bracket (opens vs. rival Hamilton Southeastern).
12. Lutheran (13-4)
PR: NR
The Saints are once again the area’s best small-school program and should contend for a trip to West Lafayette. Senior Leyla Miller is closing out her high school career with her best season to date (.511, 10 doubles, two homers, 27 RBIs, 12 runs) and the next generation of talent is already making its presence known with underclassmen Amelia Hughes, Avery Langston, Shae Olson, Addison Pendleton and Susanna Smith all batting better than .350.
The same applies to the pitching staff with senior Gracie Boggs teaming up with sophomore Lilly Schultz to lead the way. Boggs leads the way with 67 strikeouts and a .202 average against; Schultz has a slightly lower ERA (2.95) and has issued only six walks in 40.1 innings.
Lutheran faced Franklin Central in the Marion County semifinals Monday.
13. Danville (16-4)
PR: NR
The Warriors took 4A McCutcheon to extra innings and have won six straight since that 10-inning loss, including a 12-6 decision over Hamilton Heights. They really stacked the final two weeks with games against Avon, Tri-West, Terre Haute North and Cascade.
Read more about the Warriors here.
14. Franklin Central (12-10)
PR: 11
The Flashes have been navigating a rash of injuries to key players, including ace pitcher Kiley Renick (also one of their top hitters) and slugger Audrina Yorn. That all contributed to a 3-7 start and the schedule won’t be getting any easier with Lutheran on Monday in the Marion County semifinals, plus Fishers, Brownsburg and Hamilton Southeastern yet to go.
15. Lapel (8-6)
PR: 15
The Bulldogs let an early 7-run lead slip away in a 9-8 loss to Hagerstown (13-2) last week, then bounced back with a shutout win over Madison-Grant over the weekend.
Paige Stires has been exceptional at the dish, batting .512 with six doubles, 19 runs and 10 RBIs. Jama Everman and Madison Wainscott are both batting above .300 behind her, while junior Ava Zdanowski continues to lead a pitching staff that holds a sub-4.00 ERA. She’s accounted for 53 of their 87 strikeouts.
RV. Greenwood (14-2)
The Woodmen are in the midst of their best season since 2016 and with a lineup led almost entirely by freshmen and sophomores — Ava Skinner, Jordyn Hudson and Tessa Hammons all have 20-plus hits — the future is very bright. Senior Kinsley Clark has been a critical piece, as well, batting .444 with five doubles, two triples, four home runs and 22 RBIs.
The schedule gets exponentially tougher over the next couple weeks with Tri-West, Franklin, Triton Central and Plainfield upcoming. Greenwood’s best win so far has been an 8-5 triumph over Whiteland (11-7) in early April.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Softball Fab 15: Hamilton Southeastern takes top spot in latest area rankings
Reporting by Brian Haenchen, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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