Class 4A, No. 6-ranked Shelbyville added two strong opponents to the end of its regular-season schedule to prepare for the postseason.
On Thursday at 4A No. 9 Center Grove, the Golden Bears needed nine innings to escape with the victory, 6-3.
Shelbyville will host 4A No. 3 Mooresville (25-1) today in its regular-season finale.
The win was monumental Thursday for the program. The Golden Bears are now 23-4, which ties the single-season record for wins set in 2015.
And the victory was career win No. 100 for head coach Mark Hensley at Shelbyville. Hensley is 100-40 since 2016.
Shelbyville started the game quickly with a leadoff home run from Addisenn Weaver.
The Golden Bears added two more runs in the third inning with Karissa Hamilton smashing her 21st home run of the season.
Cheyenne Eads was cruising in the circle, pitching five shutout innings before the Trojans scored one in the sixth. Eads was lifted with one out in the seventh as Center Grove mounted a rally.
Hailey Pogue got the Golden Bears out of the inning but not before the game was tied 3-3.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning.
The top of the order did the damage for Shelbyville in the ninth. Weaver started the inning with a single, Hamilton followed with a double and Kylee Edwards brought both home with a triple.
Pogue delivered the insurance run, plating Edwards with an infield ground ball.
Weaver and Edwards each went 3-for-5 for Shelbyville. Hamilton was 2-for-5.
Pogue earned the win with two-plus innings of relief work. She allowed no hits, walked one and struck out three. Eads allowed five hits, struck out three and allowed all three runs – only one was earned.
