Mike Wolanin | The Republic Hauser’s Lucie Asher, left, is greeted by teammate Hannah Taylor after scoring a run during a softball game against Triton Central at Hauser Jr./Sr. High School in Hope, Ind., Friday, April 22, 2022.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
HOPE — The Hauser softball team produced several hits early in Friday night’s matchup with Triton Central.
The Jets tacked on the runs necessary to put away the Tigers 8-1.
Even though Hauser, which was playing for the first time in six days, totaled 11 hits in the game, the bats were not as consistent as coach Andy Brunner would have liked.
“I was happy that many girls got hits, but to have that many at-bats and to chase the same pitches and not make adjustments is something we’ve got to fix,” Brunner said.
The defensive effort by the Jets was a big positive that Brunner saw. They committed zero errors in the game.
“I’m elated with my defense right now,” Brunner said. “That’s moving kids around and getting everyone in and everybody playing and using every kid instead of sticking to the starting nine. It was a great effort and a good game tonight. It was a good team win.”
The Jets (5-2) got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning with leadoff single from a single from Lucie Asher, who then scored on a double from Izzy Bruner. Later in the inning, Brunner scored from a Kyra Meister RBI-single for a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers scored a run in the top of the second to make it 2-1. Hauser responded with three in the bottom of the third when Asher singled, and then Hannah Taylor blasted a two-run homer to make it 4-1. Reagan Johnson singled and later scored on a grounder by Meister to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Jets added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Kenze Bostic and Kylie Mack singled. They both scored on a triple from Izzy Brunner to extend the lead to 7-1. The Jets scored their final run in the bottom of the fifth on a passed ball.
For the game, Asher was 3 for 4 with a triple. Meister was 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Johnson was 2 for 3, Taylor was 1 for 3 with a home run and Izzy Brunner was 1 for 4 with a double.
Paige McDaniel earned the win in the circle, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts in four innings pitched. Kaydence Gates came on in relief to finish out the game and allowed two hits over the final three frames.
“I was a little nervous because I really wasn’t on,” McDaniel said. “I knew I had the defense to cover my back. Even if I wasn’t on, they would get the out for me.”
It’s a short turnaround for Hauser as they play two games at Edinburgh today, with the first game against the host Lancers at 10 a.m., followed by a game against Indianapolis Lutheran at around noon.
