BASEBALL
East opens with win
CHARLESTOWN — As a sophomore last season, Luke Hostetler saw only one varsity at bat and did not record a hit.
Hostetler, however, didn’t show any inexperience when he made his first varsity start Tuesday. He went 3 for 3 with two bases-clearing doubles and seven RBIs to lead Columbus East to a 15-1, five-inning win at Charlestown in its season opener.
Hostetler’s first three-run double came in the Olympians’ nine-run second that snapped a 1-1 tie. He smacked his second three-run double in East’s four-run fifth.
“We took advantage when we got runners on base and played pretty good defense,” East coach Jon Gratz. “We have some things to work on. It’s still early, but we’re getting there.”
Charlie Burton went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Starting pitcher Jon Crawford also had two RBIs and allowed five hits in three innings on the mound.
Jonathan Foster and Drew Hasson each threw one hitless inning of relief.
SOFTBALL
Panthers victorious
NORTH VERNON — Jennings County scored four times in the first and nine more in the second on its way to a season-opening 15-1, five-inning win against Batesville.
Sidney Gerkin went 3 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs for the Panthers. Tesla Kopitzke went 2 for 2 with two RBIs, Darian Jarvis went 2 for 2, Kaylin Klosterman went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Olivia Vanosdol went 1 for 1 with two RBIs.
Bug Donnell and Heather Feiles combined on a one-hitter. Feiles struck out all three batters she faced in the fifth.
