Semistate exit

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BEDFORD—The No. 1 team in the nation put up a heavy-duty roadblock for Pendleton Heights softball — Roncalli defeated the Arabians 7-0 in semistate action on June 4.

Royals pitcher Keagan Rothrock, who is headed to the University of Florida, was too much for the Arabian batters as she fanned 13 and allowed only four Pendleton Heights hits.

The two teams battled to a scoreless first two innings. In the top of the third, Roncalli’s Abbey Hofmann doubled and advanced to third on a Rothrock single. Hofmann scored on a bunt single from Kylie Freije. Kaitlyn Leister, a courtesy runner for Rothrock, scored the team’s second run of the inning with a steal of home.

The Royals added three more runs in each of the next three innings before picking up their final two runs on a two-run homer by Tori Chandler.

Kiah Hubble had two of the four Arabian hits. She had a bunt single in the fourth inning and another single in the sixth. Hailee Brunnemer and Bo Shelton had the other two hits.

Eliza Findlay went the distance for Pendleton Heights, allowing 15 Royal hits.

For the season, the Arabians were 25-7 and were regularly ranked in the Top 10 in Class 4A. Hubble led the team with a .482 batting average for the season.

Khloee Gregory had nine home runs for the season, and Brunnemer and Shelton each had eight. Gregory also topped the RBI chart with 33.

Despite Findlay’s loss to Roncalli, her season stats were stellar. She was 18-4 and had an ERA of 2.248. Findlay is a junior and will be vital to the Arabians next season.

The Arabians will lose senior starters Brynn Libler, Gregory, Brunnemer, Caroline DeRolf and Kieli Ryan but will retain the talents of Hubble, Shelton, Lillian Coffel and Kaitlynn Goodwin.

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