Olivia Burns

Eliza Findlay

Madelynn Petty

Hannah Laughlin goes for a bunt in an effort to get on base.

By Brady Extin | The Times-Post

SOUTH MADISON COUNTY — Four players and one area team were recognized by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana for their academic excellence.
The SCAI released its Team Academic All-State recipients and First Team and Honorable Mention Academic All-State honorees recently.
Pendleton Heights was one of 43 schools to earn team all-state honors.
The Arabians had a team grade-point average of 3.8.
Three players from Pendleton Heights and one from Lapel were selected SCAI First Team Academic All-State.
The Arabians were represented by Olivia Burns, Eliza Findlay and Madelynn Petty.
The Bulldogs were represented by Hannah Laughlin.
Findlay was one of the top pitchers for the Arabians.
During 91-plus innings of work, she accumulated an 11-5 record. She had a season earned run average of 3.44 and struck out 54 batters on the year.
Findlay will play college ball and continue her academics at Hope College, an NCAA Division III school in Holland, Michigan.
Petty, during 22 plate appearances, batted .350, drove in three runs and scored six times.
Burns, used primarily as a courtesy and pinch runner, stole five bases and scored 17 runs.
For Lapel, Laughlin was second on the team in RBI, doubles, home runs and triples, and third in overall hits.
She batted .435, with 26 RBI, two home runs, eight doubles and one triple, and scored 16 runs during the course of the season.
Laughlin will continue her academic and softball career at NCAA Division III Franklin College.