May 21—The Pioneer softball team defeated Winamac 7-4 Monday at the Class 2A Rochester Sectional.

The No. 11-ranked Panthers (18-8) completed a season sweep of the Warriors (16-9).

Ava Beasy got the Panthers out to a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the bottom of the first.

The Warriors tied the game in the third on RBI singles by Brody Goodman and Corrin Combs.

Addie Cripe's RBI double in the third gave Pioneer a 3-2 lead.

Winamac took a 4-3 lead in the fourth on RBI singles by Maggie Smith and Goodman.

The Panthers answered with a four-run fourth. Casey Webb had a sacrifice fly. Lois Layer had a two-run double followed by an RBI single by Cripe.

Layer recorded the win in the circle for the Panthers. Brooke Rausch took the loss.

Cripe, Layer, Beasey, Webb and Kylie Attinger had two hits apiece for Pioneer. Emma Sells added a single and run scored.

Pioneer plays Wabash (9-11) at 5 p.m. today in a semifinal.

ROCHESTER 3, CASS 2

Freshman Bria Rensberger outdueled sophomore Amma Fitzhugh as Rochester advanced at its sectional Monday night.

Rensberger allowed two runs (none earned) on two hits with 17 strikeouts for the Zebras (14-9).

Fitzhugh allowed three runs (one earned) on one hit and no walks with six strikeouts for the Kings (7-14), who were a defending sectional champion.

Ava Hubner went 2-for-3 with a run scored. She scored the tying run on an error in the top of the sixth. Fitzhugh added a run scored in the third.

Aubrey Wilson went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Rochester. Rensberger had a triple and run scored. Jadyn Field added an RBI groundout that scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth.

Rochester plays North Judson (10-12) at 7 p.m. tonight in a semifinal, following Pioneer vs. Wabash.

LOGANSPORT 5, KOKOMO 3

Freshman Brooklynn Hagerty recorded a complete-game win and hit a home run in Logansport's win at the Class 4A Kokomo Sectional.

The Berries (23-5) improved to 2-0 against the Wildkats (11-12) this year at Kokomo's newly renovated softball stadium.

The Berries jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Kellyn Cripe singled, Bella Nicoles drew a walk and Natalee Packard followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Hagerty added a sacrifice fly.

Kokomo answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Logan got it back in the second when Evie Kitchel singled, Rylinn Spradling singled and Cripe hit a two-out RBI single up the middle.

Hagerty homered to left to make it 4-1 in the third. The Berries added another run in the fifth. Hagerty led off with a walk. Jocelynn Vincent bunted her to second. Adrienne Scott and Kitchel drew walks. Spradling grounded into an RBI fielder's choice to make it 5-1.

The Wildkats added a run in the fifth and two in the seventh to get to within 5-3. A two-out error brought the tying run up to the plate. But Hagerty got Reed to fly out to left fielder Teagan Wolf to end the game.

Hagerty allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and two walks, striking out six in seven innings.

Cripe went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Hagerty finished with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Logan plays Lafayette Jeff (6-15-1) at 7:30 p.m. tonight in a semifinal, following Harrison vs. McCutcheon. Logan beat Jeff 5-2 on April 12 at Fincher Field.

Logan concluded the regular season with a 16-0 win over Lewis Cass Saturday at Fincher Field.

Hagerty fired a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts. She had a home run, double, single and three RBIs at the plate

Spradling went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Scott and Aracyn Good had two hits apiece. Kitchel had a triple and three RBIs. Vincent had a double and RBI. Wolf and Tiara Denny each added a hit.

Hannah Zamora and Ally Berry each had a hit for Cass.

Kaitlyn Benner allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 11 hits with four strikeouts in three innings. Alisha Toops allowed five runs (two earned) on two hits in one inning.

W. CENTRAL 4, CASTON 3, 8 INNINGS

West Central knocked off Caston a second time this season, this time with the season on the line Monday at the Class 1A North Miami Sectional.

Jaden Erb's RBI single up the middle with one out in the eighth scored Brooklynn Mellon from second to end the game.

Caston led 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh when Annika Smith homered to tie the game. Caston had dropped a foul popup earlier in the at-bat.

The Comets jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI double by Isabel Scales that scored Addison Zimpleman, who had singled to lead off the game.

They added another run in the third when Macee Hinderlider reached on an error and came around to score on an RBI single by Kylee Logan.

The Trojans tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Kailee Bishop and Jalie Glasford.

The Comets took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth on an error by the left fielder on a ball off the bat of Natalie Warner that allowed Addison Zimpleman to score before the Trojans came back to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Zimpleman went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Comets. Alexa Finke added a double.

Zimpleman allowed four runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.

Erb allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts in eight innings.

The Class 1A No. 5 Comets finish 18-5. They are the defending state runner-up.

West Central (15-6) advanced to face North Miami in a semifinal at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

BASEBALL

LCC 3, LOGAN 2

Future Hoosier Conference opponent and Class 1A No. 1 Lafayette Central Catholic recorded a win Saturday at Jim Turner Field.

Micah Rogers got the start and pitched 2 1/3 innings before being removed due to sickness. He allowed three runs on two hits and three walks. Josh Middleton relieved and pitched 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball allowing four hits.

Logan (13-14) was held to just five hits in the contest, all singles. Cayden Walker had two hits and Bryson Herr, Deagan Kitchel and Hudson McKinney each added a hit.

PIONEER DROPS 2

Pioneer dropped a pair of games Saturday in Royal Center.

The Panthers opened with a 2-0 loss to Frontier. Noah Miller allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings. Lucas Perry pitched two innings of scoreless relief.

The Panthers had seven hits. Eli Guffey went 2-for-3. Brandon Sterrett had a double. Drew McKaig, Brayden Erickson, Luke Weldy and Dawson Eggers each added a hit.

Pioneer dropped game two to North Miami 6-3. The Panthers fell into a 5-0 hole after the first two innings. McKaig allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in two innings. Brodie Howard allowed one run on two hits in four innings.

Howard had a double, single and RBI among Pioneer's nine hits. Erickson had two hits and an RBI. Miller had a single and RBI. McKaig, Eli Guffey, Jacob Guffey and Malachi Leal each added a hit.

BOYS GOLF

HNAC MEET

Winamac repeated as conference champion at the event held at Round Barn Golf Course in Rochester.

The Warriors won with a 367, followed by Triton (370), Pioneer (370), Knox (397), Caston (416), North Judson (448), LaVille (inc.) and Culver (inc.).

Talen Garner shot 87 to lead the Warriors and place third overall. Noah Garner shot 90 to place fifth and also earn all-conference. Brendan Hines shot 94 and Logan Fredel shot 96 to earn honorable mention. Cooper Fulmer added a 99.

Pioneer freshman Ivan Reyes shot 84 to earn HNAC medalist honors. Micah Rans shot 91 to place seventh and earn all-conference honors. Tayt Smith shot 96 to earn honorable mention. Brady Price and Cole Franklin each shot 99.

Caston's Max Sommers shot 97 to earn honorable mention. He was followed by Luke Graham (102), Gage Thomas (107), Jace Rentschler (110) and Corbin Smith (121).

ROCK HOLLOW INVITE

Cass struggled with its second worse score of the season with a 356 to place 13th out of 21 teams.

Rylan Stoller led Cass at 85, followed by Michael Myers (86), Garrett Helvie (92) and Brody Hillis (93).