Hauser assistant coach Herby Asher congratulates Izzy Brunner while playing Columbus East at Hauser, Monday, April 10, 2023.
Paige Grider | For The Republic
HOPE — Hauser sophomores Lucie Asher and Izzy Brunner have shared the softball diamond together throughout most of their youth.
As much as their bond is for softball with each other, there’s another bond they share together — they’re family.
Asher and Brunner are, in fact, cousins. The sophomore duo play key roles at the top of the lineup for the softball team as they head into tonight’s sectional opener against Switzerland County at Brownstown Central.
“I think it’s because we’re the same age, and we’ve grown up around each other,” Brunner said. “It’s that experience and relationship and bond with a family member on the field and enjoying a sport that you both love. It’s like you can talk to each other without using words. You can use body language or signals and you understand each other on a way deeper level.”
The mothers of Asher and Brunner are sisters. Asher’s father, assistant coach Herby Asher married Kasie (Stainbrook) Asher, and Izzy’s father, head coach Andy Brunner, married Katie (Stainbrook) Brunner. Even though Andy and Katie are no longer married, they still work together to ensure their children find success.
Herby Asher graduated from Hauser in 1998, and Kasie graduated from Hauser in 2001. Andy Brunner graduated from Zionsville in 1997, while Katie graduated from Hauser in 1998.
It likely didn’t come across the minds of Lucie Asher and Izzy Brunner they’d become the softball players they are today because they were active in another sport — gymnastics. When they were around 6 years old, softball came into the fold. They began playing at Hope Summer Playground before moving on to play travel softball.
“I like being around all the teammates and players and making new friends. I think that was more fun,” Lucie Asher said. “In the dugout, it’s always loud and fun and making all the cheers that was super fun. I like playing HSP, and it was more fun than gymnastics, and I thought that I would love that more and continue with that.”
Before being a part of the Jets’ softball program, Lucie and Izzy went to see the high school team that was coached by Craig Sims have much success for several years prior to Andy Brunner taking over the program in 2019.
“I saw it on television and saw the other girls playing. I would always come to the high school games and watch because my parents are really good friends with (Sims),” Izzy said. “I really loved it. I love the energy, the all-around welcoming and positivity that I had with it, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Following HSP, both Izzy and Lucie played for Southern Indiana Impact that was led by Joe King. Because Izzy was born in 2006, and Lucie was born in 2007, they went to separate teams briefly. Izzy went to play for the Indiana Outlaws, and Lucie continued with Impact in 2015. They united again the next year with the Indiana Hustle that was coached by their fathers.
After being teammates with the Hustle for four years, Lucie and Izzy split again momentarily, with Lucie going to Indiana Magic Gold and Izzy heading to Indy Edge in 2020.
The pair were united again in 2021, with their fathers coaching for the Indiana Hustle in 2021. When Lucie and Izzy entered high school, they started playing for the Indy Crush, which is coached by Bill Mora.
“It’s really nice having my dad there for me and being able to support me,” Lucie said. “Anytime I’m struggling or down on myself, he’s always there to pick me up and talk to me and always giving me help for what I’m struggling with.”
Along with softball, Lucie played volleyball and basketball her freshman year and ran for the cross-country team last fall. Her parents are also former athletes, with Herby playing baseball and Kasie playing volleyball for the Jets.
“She’s the kid that if you tell her it’s a sport or it’s a competition, she’s in,” Herby said. “It wouldn’t matter if it was even lawn bowling, she’s down. It’s one of those things where she runs us ragged because she wants to play every sport possible, which I love. One of these days, I’m going to miss it.”
Andy Brunner and Herby Asher have been by their daughters’ side every step of the way. Neither one had a strong knowledge or background in softball, but after seeing their daughters’ success and having the itch to become coaches, it made the sport that much more fun and exciting for them. It gave them both a whole new perspective on what softball is all about.
“I’m really proud of her. She’s accomplished quite a bit in just a short time, especially just in her high school career already,” Herby said. “Coming in as a freshman, earning a starting spot, making All-Conference and All-Sectional, it’s a big accomplishment. She puts in a lot of work to play at that level.”
“I think their abilities speak for themselves, and it’s a pretty proud dad moment. It’s just really neat,” Andy said.
When Hauser came back to defeat East Central on Wednesday, Andy Brunner celebrated his 400th career victory when combining his wins as a travel and high school softball coach.
“These girls made it work, and we had some incredibly good times. They learned a lot about ball, learned a lot about life and made some memories a lot of people will never understand how good something like that can feel. It has been a pleasure,” Andy said. “The flip side of that coin is, a lot of time away from other family. It’s a little bit of a sacrifice, but the grand finale, this is the result. That’s what we’ve been after all along.”
Lucie, who plays center field, and Izzy, the second baseman, have been the one-two punch at the top of the order for the Jets the last couple of seasons. Both Lucie and Izzy received All-Mid-Hoosier Conference honors this season, and Andy received Coach of the Year honors with another undefeated season in conference play.
“We had some games where it’s not the best, but I think having her speed on (first or second) or wherever she ends up, I’m the contact hitter 99% of the time. It gives me that extra little motivation that I can do it and get her in,” Izzy said.
Last year as freshmen, they helped Hauser to a 24-5-1 record that included making it to the final four in Class A. Bumping up to Class 2A this year, the Jets finished the regular season 20-7 and begin sectional play tonight in the Class 2A Brownstown Sectional when they take on Switzerland County.
“It’s really fun being able to experience it with Izzy and making it to the final four and playing high school with her,” Lucie said.
