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Golden Bears off to 3-0 start despite harsh playing conditions

Mark Hensley is not yet sure how Shelbyville’s softball season will play out. It’s early and it’s cold.

Mother Nature has been tough on the high-powered Golden Bears and she is not planning on letting up this week.

On Saturday, Hensley and the Golden Bears produced a come-from-behind 10-5 victory over Jennings County in their home opener. Shelbyville improved to 3-0 despite not yet playing one inning where the temperature was at least 50 degrees.

“There is some stuff out here that is a little bit of a mystery still,” said Hensley. “We are trying to figure some things out. We’ve got a couple young girls mixing in really nice. We are still trying to figure out everything we need to put it all together but this weather has not helped either. We’ve played 14 innings where the temperature was below 40 degrees. Give us another week or so and we will have it mostly figured out.”

The temperature was 43 degrees (wind chill 36 degrees) at first pitch Saturday at 11 a.m.

Shelbyville struck first when Kylee Edwards (photo) singled, stole second base, moved to third on a Cheyenne Eads ground out and scored on Karissa Hamilton’s sacrifice fly for an early 1-0 lead.

Hailey Pogue, getting her first start in the circle this season, worked into trouble in the top half of the second inning. Grace George and Kassidy Beal collected back-to-back singles to start the inning.

Pogue struck out the bottom two batters in the Jennings County lineup but walked leadoff hitter Abby McDonald to load the bases.

Ashley Meade delivered a hard hit ball to second baseman Cheyenne Eads’ right and she couldn’t corral it cleanly for the second infield hit of the inning and George scored to tie the game.

Delaynee McCreary followed with a bases-clearing double and the Panthers led 4-1.

Shelbyville kept plugging along against Beal, JC’s freshman pitcher. Addie Stieneker, one of two freshmen in the Golden Bears’ starting lineup this season, kicked off the second inning with a leadoff double. She scored on Kylee McIver’s single to cut the lead to 4-2 after two innings.

Mackenzie Matern led off the third inning with a home run to extend the lead to 5-2 and chase Pogue from the circle. Eads took over and shut down the Panthers the rest of the way.

The sophomore allowed one hit, walked three and notched 10 strikeouts.

“We have figured out that Cheyenne is hard to hit,” said Hensley.

 

 

Edwards matched Matern in the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run, her first of the season and the first for the Golden Bears who smashed 10 in their first three games last season.

“I think (Edwards) has only made one out this year,” said Hensley. “I swear she is on base every time she comes up. She is on a tear.”

Two batters later, Hamilton doubled and was plated by Stieneker – the first of her two runs batted in on the day.

Two batters into the fourth, Jennings County went to Matern in the circle. Shelbyville freshman Kali Laycock greeted the sophomore with an infield single and the top of the lineup followed.

Edwards reached on a fielder’s choice and Eads delivered a two-run double to give Shelbyville the lead for good.

Brooke Lipperd and Caitlyn Richardson drove in insurance runs in the home half of the fifth inning and Hamilton and Stieneker added run-scoring hits in the sixth.

Eads improved to 3-0 this season following her debut year where she was 10-4 with a 2.91 earned run average.

Graduation took Addisenn Weaver, now playing collegiately for Valparaiso University, and Katie Mathies, now playing at DePauw, as well as two consistent outfielders.

Shelbyville starts four players already committed to college softball programs and at least three more will follow that same route.

Edwards, verbally committed to Mississippi State, has not been affected by the cold and rain so far. The junior is hitting .727 with eight runs scored and five RBIs.

Hamilton, headed to Kentucky, does not yet have a home run after hitting 22 last season but is hitting .583 with seven RBIs.

Stieneker has started strong taking over the third base duties and hitting .462 with five RBIs.

“It’s impossible to replace Addi and Mathies … those aren’t people you replace,” said Hensley. “You hope you have something that is remotely close and we knew Addie could hit. She is doing exactly what we thought she could do.”

Outfielders Richardson and Lipperd are headed to Manchester University and Franklin College, respectively, to continue their softball careers.

The weather will get warmer although a wet week is in the forecast.

Shelbyville faces three sectional foes this week. The Golden Bears host Bloomington North (1-1) Tuesday before traveling to Columbus North (3-0) Thursday and East Central (1-1) Friday.

Shelbyville was 24-5 last season but two of its losses came to Columbus North.

The week ends with the first Hoosier Heritage Conference game of the season Saturday at New Castle (0-2).

“Losing those four seniors we had last year, we knew we would take a little bit of a dip back,” said Hensley. “With Hamilton and Edwards and a few others, we should be just as solid as we were last year once we get it all figured out.”

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