PENDLETON — Pendleton Heights will play for the sectional championship at 6 p.m. today, Thursday, May 24, in Pendleton.
The Arabians will face Anderson, who defeated Muncie Central Tuesday.
Pendleton Heights defeated Mt. Vernon 3-1 Tuesday, May 22, in the semifinal. The Arabians got on the board early with two runs in the bottom of the first and added one more in the bottom of the third for the win.
Pendleton Heights defeated Greenfield-Central 4-0 Monday, May 21, in the opening round of Class 4A Sectional 9 softball action at Pendleton.
The first time Greenfield-Central and Pendleton Heights met on a softball field this season, it was a close game in which the Arabians prevailed 7-6 earlier this month.
In the sectional opener for both teams Monday, it was more of the same. The pitchers ruled the first few innings, but Pendleton Heights broke the pitchers’ duel and scored first, four innings into the game.
In their first meeting, the Cougars also fell behind three runs but rallied to tie the game. The Arabians responded with the winning run in the fifth inning of that contest.
On Monday, the Cougars fell behind three runs again. Pendleton Heights made sure there would be no rally this time. The Arabians held on to their early lead, besting the Cougars again, this time by a 4-0 score, and advancing to the semifinal Tuesday, May 22, against Mt. Vernon.
Pitchers dominated the first half of the game. Greenfield-Central’s Madge Weidner allowed just one hit in the first three innings, and Pendleton Heights starter Jordan Benefiel kept the Cougars off the scoreboard, although she did allow five hits in the Cougars’ first four frames.
When the Arabians needed outs, Benefiel made sure they got them. Whether from a strikeout — she had nine — or a flyout, Benefiel kept the Cougars from plating any runs.
The Cougars had put the Arabians in a tough spot in the third inning, loading the bases with one out. A leadoff strikeout was followed by singles from the top three in Greenfield-Central’s order — Kensie Bradley, Jessica Rankin and Maria Kihega. A grounder to first ended up in Bradley being thrown out at the plate, and a flyout in foul territory in left field ended the scoring threat and stranded all three runners.
Greenfield-Central had the first five hits of the game but stranded five runners through the first three innings. The Cougars wound up stranding seven total in the game and outhit the Arabians six to five.
The Arabians got in the hit column with two outs in the third, with a single from third baseman Lauren Landes. One inning later, the Arabians got on the board.
Held to just the one hit to that point, a walk to lead off the inning was followed up by a groundout. Chloe Closser doubled in a run, and a single and steal from Jayden Brown put runners on second and third with one out.
After an out, a popup to shortstop looked to limit the damage and get the Cougars out of the inning down just 1-0. But an error on the attempted catch led to two more Arabians scoring, giving them a 3-0 lead after four.
The Cougars looked to be in position to strike back in the sixth inning, with a walk and single putting two on with no outs.
The deficit being three instead of one changed the way the Cougars approached a comeback attempt.
A strikeout and two flyouts ended the inning.
The Arabians’ lead would move to 4-0 with a leadoff home run from Closser in the sixth inning, her second hit and second RBI of the game.
The Cougars struck out twice more in the seventh and also had an infield ground-out, ending the game and their season.
Pendleton was set to play against Mt. Vernon in the second round of sectional play Tuesday, May 22, with the winner moving onto the championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 24, against the Anderson vs. Muncie Central winner.
In regular-season play, the bats were working for the Arabians as they defeated Fishers 7-2 on Wednesday, May 16.
In the second inning, the Arabians’ offense started when Mikala Winans singled on a 2-2 count, scoring one run.
The Arabians racked up 12 hits. Ally Hall, Winans and Kelsey Sturgeon all had multiple hits.
Jordan Benefiel was credited with the victory for Pendleton Heights. She lasted seven innings, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out six and walking one.
On Thursday, May 17, Pendleton Heights lost a home Hoosier Heritage Conference game against Yorktown 8-2.
The Tigers got five runs in the second inning and never looked back.
Lapel
LAPEL — The Lapel softball team won in extra innings over Elwood Tuesday, May 22, to advance to the second round of the Class 2A Sectional 40.
Second-round games — between Alexandria Monroe and Shenandoah, and Lapel vs. Frankton or Wapahani — were set for Wednesday, May 23 (after press time).
The championship game was set for 5 p.m. today, Thursday, May 24.
Prior to sectional action, the Bulldogs defeated Eastern Hancock 3-0 in a home non-conference game Thursday, May 17.
The Bulldogs got three runs in the bottom of the third to get the win. Jasmine Hazelbaker had two hits and three RBI in the game.
