Class 4A, No. 6 Pendleton Heights avenged an earlier loss this season to Shelbyville and secured the Shelbyville Invitational title with a 4-3 victory Saturday over the Golden Bears.
Eliza Findlay scattered seven Shelbyville hits and the Arabians (18-5) turned double plays in two of the last three innings of Saturday’s championship game following each team’s victory over Martinsville.
Pendleton Heights got timely hits from Katelin Goodwin (run-scoring double first inning), Findlay (run-scoring single in fourth) and Lillian Coffel (run-scoring singles in fifth and sixth inning).
Findlay, now 9-5 this season, allowed the leadoff runner to reach base in each of the last three innings but execution errors hampered the Golden Bears and resulted in double plays.
Addie Stieneker had a run-scoring single in the sixth inning that plated Kylee Edwards but Shelbyville couldn’t produce the game-tying run.
Cheyenne Eads took the loss, allowing seven hits and four walks while striking out 13 in seven innings. The junior had a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give Shelbyville the early lead.
Shelbyville is now 15-7 this season with the seven losses coming by a combined 10 runs. Six losses are to state-ranked opponents.
In Saturday’s three-team round robin format, the championship game was set with Shelbyville’s 4-1 win over Martinsville and Pendleton Heights’ 3-1 win that followed over the Artesians (12-9).
Shelbyville 4, Martinsville 1
Two Martinsville errors staked the Golden Bears to a quick 2-0 lead. Stieneker delivered a solo home run in the third inning and Riley Maulden plated Eads, who doubled, to double the lead.
Eads and Pogue each pitched three innings and freshman Sydney Brown pitched a perfect seventh inning for her first varsity save.
Edwards and Stieneker each had two hits in the win.
Pendleton Heights 3, Martinsville 1
All four runs in the game were scored via home runs.
Paycee Lewis struck first with a solo home run for Martinsville in the second inning.
Bo Shelton blasted a three-run home run in the third inning and Shelby Messer allowed just three hits and struck out five in a complete-game performance for the Arabians.
JV Invitational
Greensburg defeated Shelbyville and Roncalli topped Mt. Vernon in the semifinal games of the Shelbyville JV Invitational.
Mt. Vernon handed a second loss on the day to the Golden Bears in the consolation game and Roncalli (photo) rolled to the championship over Greensburg.
What’s left?
Shelbyville has three games scheduled in what is the final week of the regular season.
The Golden Bears (15-7, 5-1 Hoosier Heritage Conference) travel to Greenfield-Central (17-6, 3-2 HHC) Monday. With a win, Shelbyville clinches no worse than a share of the conference championship with New Palestine (18-4, 5-1 HHC). New Pal’s last remaining HHC contest is at Delta (1-18, 0-6 HHC) Friday.
Shelbyville is at Carmel (5-13) Tuesday before hosting Cathedral (16-8) Thursday with Senior Night celebrations for Edwards, Pogue, Riley Maulden and Abby Brenner.
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