RISING SUN — Coming into the Rising Sun softball sectional, most outsiders probably did not think South Decatur had a realistic shot at contending for the title.
Monday night, the Cougars showed they are a force with which to be reckoned.
South Decatur lit up the scoreboard in a frenzy. In the second inning, Sierra Deppe crushed a grand slam over the center-field fence, which busted a bulb on the scoreboard, to help the Cougars roll over the host team 14-0 in five innings.
“This is by far the best game we had ever played,” South Decatur coach Lisa Huff said. “We had some really great plays, and the grand slam was just the icing on the cake. Shutting out Rising Sun never happens because they are a quality program.”
The Cougars (8-17) scored a run in the first inning when Brooke Helms delivered a single to put them ahead for good.
South Decatur broke it open in the second inning when it tallied nine runs and six hits. Sam Goodfellow and Karah Biddinger each doubled. Katelyn Owens and Chloe Smith then singled. Helms knocked in two runs with a single. A single and a couple more walks loaded the bases, setting up Deppe’s blast.
The Cougars added three runs in the third and one in the fourth to complete the scoring.
Mackenzie Kopplin pitched a complete game four-hit shutout to earn the win.
Helms finished with three singles and three RBIs. Smith also had three singles.
“This was a total team effort, and I am so proud of them,” Huff said.
