Reagan Johnson
HOPE — Hauser junior Reagan Johnson said she’s been having a slow start at the plate this season.
Friday’s softball matchup against Mid-Hoosier Conference foe North Decatur was a great way for Johnson to break out of the slump.
Johnson finished 3 for 3 with two RBIs, including the go-ahead run, to give the Jets a 4-1 victory.
“I came in with a lot of confidence,” Johnson said. “I felt really good today playing in the outfield. It was fun, and getting the people in, I had a great time.”
The bottom of the lineup for the Jets (3-2, 2-0) did much of the damage. The Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters combined to go 6 for 9 at the plate.
“Obviously, our goal is to hit from top to bottom. We struggled with the top of the lineup, but the bottom of the lineup came up huge,” Hauser coach Andy Brunner said.
Kenze Bostic
The Chargers got on the board in the second when Keesha Crosland singled and later scored on an RBI-single from Macy Scudder to lead 1-0. The Jets came back in the bottom half of the inning with a Kenze Bostic home run to tie it at 1-1.
Hauser then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth when it put runners on first and second with a couple of singles. Haylin Campbell laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Johnson finished off the rally with a single to put them ahead 3-1.
The Jets added another run in the bottom fifth when Hannah Taylor singled and later scored on a single from Kyra Meister.
North Decatur led off the seventh inning with a double from Sara Swain, and Scudder walked to put runner on first and second, but the Jets eventually retired the side to secure the win.
For Hauser, Bostic finished 2 for 3 with a home run, and Meister was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Paige McDaniel was in the circle for the Jets, giving up just one run on five hits and striking out 10.
“We put a lot on her back, and she always manages to find a way to get it done,” Brunner said. “She’s young, just a sophomore, but she’s got a lot of experience and a lot of adversarial situations. In two different innings, they had runners on second and third with one out or less, and we only gave up one of those four runs. I’m OK with that.”
Hauser travels to North Decatur at 10 a.m. today in a rescheduled game that was postponed Thursday due to unplayable field conditions.
