RISING SUN — Hauser softball didn’t have an answer against Rising Sun starting pitcher Sydney Pitts on Thursday night.
The Jets collected only four hits, and their five straight years of claiming a sectional title came to an end with an 11-1 loss in the the sectional championship game at Rising Sun.
“I told the whole team, ‘Thank you for this season,’” Hauser coach Andy Brunner said. “These ladies hit rock bottom in the middle of the season, and the easy way would have been to give up and stay there. They chose not to do that. To finish the season 10-12, there’s some games that could have been different, but we fought back, winning eight of our last nine games. There’s no complaints about that. I’m a happy coach right now.
“I would love to be on the other side holding the trophy, but it’s tough. Hauser has become known for its softball, and we knew we’d have a tough year this year. To make it to the sectional championship, I’m proud of them.”
The Shiners were threatening early in the first inning when a walk, a single and another walk loaded the bases with two out, but Zoee Nading made a tough catch in center field to save three runs from posting on the scoreboard.
In the top of the third, Rising Sun got its offense going. With one out, Lindsay Montgomery doubled to left field, and then Sydney Bostic hit an RBI-single and advanced to second on the throw to home. Cora Poling then hit an RBI-single to score Bostic. Abby Wallace then hit a single to score Wallace to make it 3-0, and then a double from Lucy Phelps put runners on second and third. The Jets were able to record the final out to end the threat.
The Shiners extended the lead in the top of the fifth when Cora Poling hit an RBI-single to score Tyrrah Miller to make it 4-0. Mother nature than took control to delay the game by about 85 minutes.
After the delay, things did not go the Jets way. In the top of the sixth, a couple wild pitches netted two more runs for Rising Sun to extend the lead to 6-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Mykenzie Ault singled and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Abby Branum. A grounder advanced Ault to third, and Shelby Fugate hit a single to right to end the shutout.
Crain went 2 for 3 for Hauser. Ault and Fugate each added a single.
The Jets will lose seniors Ault, Crain and Kristin Keith, but are still a young team with a bright future.
“The thing that worked against us tonight is the bats weren’t working. We just could not pick up their pitcher,” Brunner said. “Hunter did a great job with the bat, Mykenzie got a hit, but we just lost our pop.”
