Brian Haenchen

1 week ago | indystar.com | Brian Haenchen

BROWNSBURG — Brownsburg High School softball coach Cherise Hiss wiped away tears as she recalled a conversation from a couple years ago with senior Ohio State commit Izzy Neal. A sophomore at the time, the Brownsburg standout was batting around .450, but her pitch selection left a lot to be desired. "I told her if she stopped swinging at bad pitches, she'd be batting .600," Hiss said. That was always the number, confirmed Neal, who balked at the statistic initially. Man, I'm not batting .600.

1 week ago | indystar.com | Brian Haenchen

BROWNSBURG — Kayla Pickering stepped into the batter’s box knowing she was going to win it. Avon had fought like crazy to get within reach of rival Brownsburg, scoring four runs in the sixth to pull within two, then escaping a bases-loaded jam in the seventh unscathed to reclaim momentum entering the final stanza. Olivia Yeary ripped a one-out single to score Reagan Cooper and advanced on the throw to set up Pickering, the team's No. 8 hitter, with runners on second and third.

1 week ago | indystar.com | Brian Haenchen

MOORESVILLE — Sydney Herrmann is killing it and she's been doing it all spring. That was Center Grove softball coach Alyssa Coleman's initial bit of analysis of the senior first baseman, and her assessment is easily quantified. Herrmann has already reset her career-highs for average (.443), runs (21), RBIs (32) and doubles (10), and is one-off last season's high-water mark for hits (35). The kid just doesn't go away, Coleman continued.

1 week ago | indystar.com | Brian Haenchen

FISHERS — Emma Vargo was the last player to be introduced ahead of Zionsville’s Class 4A Sectional 8 quarterfinal vs. Westfield. The senior patiently waited her turn, high-fiving and cheering on each of her teammates, before doing one last spin around and taking the field herself, sharing a laugh with teammates Leah Helton, Charli Westerfield and Hadley Bray as she passed through the pitching circle.

1 week ago | indystar.com | Brian Haenchen

FISHERS — The Noblesville softball team typically likes to show up early for games, especially when they're at home. But there were conflicting reports (briefly, at least) as to how early the Millers were for Monday's Class 4A Sectional 8 opener vs. Hamilton Southeastern. "We got here kind of around normal game time," Brookelyn Grayson said. "We pulled in before 4," teammate Addi Emmerson quickly corrected.