Photo by Travis David | Dugger Union third baseman Hillari Flores reacts after a close play against North Central on Friday. Ladybirds' senior Lilli Gaines slides into the base safely on the play.

BY TRAVIS DAVID

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NORTH CENTRAL 13, Dugger Union 0 (5): Shelby Seay sent a liner to deep right field for a lead-off triple and scored on the throw to the infield on the play. The run would be the only score the Ladybirds would need, but added 12 more in the five-inning romp on a cold and gloomy Friday evening.

Seay finished a perfect 3 for 3 at the dish and scored four times as North Central improved to 3-1 on the season.

Emmy Woodruff also collected three hits in as many times to the plate while knocking in three runs.

Mykenzie Wence added an RBI double in the second inning and Olivia Rehmel plated two on a two-bagger in the fifth inning to account for the eight hits in the game for the Ladybirds.

Brynn Varner scored three runs in the win and Seay added three stolen bases.

Wence picked up the win inside the circle, allowing just one hit and struck out eight batters. 

Hillari Flores recorded the only hit of the game for the Bulldogs.

Despite being shutout, the Dugger Union defense turned in the play of the game.

Brae Simpson robbed Varner of a two-run homer in the top of the second by reaching over the fence in center for a catch. Simpson tossed the ball back to the infield to complete an inning-ending double play.

The loss sent the Bulldogs’ record to 0-3 on the season.

Dugger Union returns to the diamond on Tuesday at Red Hill (Ill.) while North Central (3-1) plays host to Parke Heritage on the same night. 

South Knox 2, North Knox 1: Just like their battles on the basketball court this past winter, these two county rivals played an intense matchup on the diamond Friday evening.

But unlike on the court, the Spartans prevailed by scoring a pair of runs in the home half of the second inning. 

South Knox scored its first run on a passed ball before a sacrifice fly plated the second. The Spartans recorded just one hit in the inning, but took advantage of a walk and a sacrifice bunt which put runners in scoring position.

The Warriors cut the deficit in half in the sixth inning when Mattilynn Ashley lined an RBI double to right, scoring Ally Crist. 

But after a sacrifice bunt moved Ashley to third with two outs, Spartans’ pitcher Ally Sims got out of the jam with her ninth strikeout of the game.

North Knox threatened again in the top of the seventh, but got a little too aggressive on the basepaths. Javen Miller recorded the Warriors’ second hit of the inning, but a runner trying to go first to third on the play was thrown out for the second out. Sims coaxed the next batter to pop out to end the game.

Audrey Worstell added a single in the loss, as the Warriors’ out hit South Knox, 4-2.

Crist suffered the loss in the circle, allowing just two hits and struck out six batters.

North Knox (3-2) plays host to Eastern Greene on Tuesday.

SHAKAMAK 13, Loogootee 5: The Lady Lakers earned their first win of the season in Friday night’s non-conference game at home. 

Brylee Wilson helped the Lakers erase a 4-1 deficit by blasting a 2-run home run in the fourth inning for a 5-4 lead. 

After the Lions tied the game in the fifth inning, Jama Ewers singled home Madelyn Kennett in the last of the fifth for the game-winning run. 

The Lakers added five more runs in the frame, including run-scoring hits from Clara Barber and Abbi Gilbert.

Camryn Bryne capped the scoring with a 2-run home run in the sixth inning. Bryne finished the game 3 for 4 at the plate and scored two runs.

Kennett was 4-for-4 batting with a triple and scored four times in the win, while Barber had a pair of hits, including a double.

As a team, the Lakers’ offense pounded out 13 hits.

Kennett went the distance in the circle and recorded five strikeouts. 

Bloomington South 6, Shakamak 0: Charleston Southern University signee Kinsey Clopton overpowered the Lakers with a no-hitter on Saturday. The powerful hurler fanned 18 batters and issued just one walk.

The Lakers’ best threat to score came in the home half of the sixth inning when Madelyn Kennett reached on a fielding error on a fly ball to left field. Kennett raced around to third on the play, but Clopton recorded a strikeout on the next hitter to get out of the inning unscathed. 

The Class 4A Panthers scored single tallies in the first, third (home run) and fourth innings, before pushing across three in the top of the sixth.

The loss dropped the Lakers’ record to 1-4 on the season.

Shakamak travels to Washington on Tuesday.