PREP ROUNDUP: Logan softball goes 3-1 at Castle Invitational

Some of the best high school softball teams from Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky gathered at the Castle Invitational near Evansville this past weekend.

The Logansport Lady Berries had a strong showing in going 3-1 against top-level competition.

The Berries went 1-1 on Friday, opening with a 12-2 loss to Class 4A No. 1 Penn in an error-plagued game in what was their second game of the season. But they turned it around with a 5-1 win over a Daviess County, Kentucky team that featured five future Division I players. Daviess County had defeated Penn 14-3 earlier in the day and defeated Lincoln-Way East, Illinois 8-1 and defending Class 4A state champion Crown Point 8-5 Saturday.

The Berries defeated Henderson County, Kentucky team that was the state runner-up last year in the Bluegrass State by a 2-1 score Saturday. They then defeated defending Class 2A state champion and No. 1-ranked Tecumseh 2-0.

Gracie Risley got the win against Henderson County. The sophomore allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Brooklynn Hagerty got the save with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing one hit while striking out four.

The Berries erased a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the top of the fourth. Adrienne Scott hit a one-out single. Risley followed with a single that moved Scott to third. Risley stole second. Hagerty had an RBI ground out to tie the game. Bella Nicoles followed with an RBI single to right, the Berries’ third opposite field hit of the inning as the two runs held up for the win. It was their only three hits of the game.

Hagerty pitched a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts in the 2-0 win over Tecumseh. The Texas recruit was only a hit batter away from a perfect game.

The Berries bashed nine hits in the win. They scored both of their runs in the bottom of the first.

Aracyn Good and Scott had back-to-back singles to right to start the game. Risley followed with an infield single to load the bases with no outs. Hagerty followed with a two-run double to center.

Logan (4-1) hosts Tipton on Tuesday to open Hoosier Conference East Division play.

CASS SWEPT

Cass dropped a pair of games at Mississinewa by 4-0 and 11-0 scores. Senior standout Amma Fitzhugh was out for the weekend with pneumonia and will likely return to the field late this week.

The Kings (0-4) managed just two hits in the opener. Ava Hubner and Shay Dishner each had a single.

The Kings had four hits in game two. Hubner went 2-for-2. Kylie Logan and Hayden Taco each added a hit.

Cass travels to Pioneer on Tuesday.

PIONEER DROPS 2

Pioneer lost to Rochester 5-2 and to John Glenn 9-5 at Herk Hoffman Field.

Madyson Shaffer had two hits and an RBI against Rochester. Hallie Lebo had a single and RBI. Ava Beasy and Victoria Bingaman each had a single and run scored. Lois Layer and Ava Bell each added a hit.

Layer went the distance in the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.

Pioneer (2-3) had six hits in game two. Bingaman had a double and RBI. Layer had a single and RBI. Shaffer, Bell and Ava Ott each had a single and run scored. Lebo added a single.

Bingaman pitched seven complete and allowed nine runs on 13 hits with four strikeouts.

WINAMAC SWEEPS

Winamac recorded a sweep of Class 1A No. 7 South Central by scores of 8-1 and 15-5 in Winamac.

Maggie Keller had three hits in the opener to pace the Warriors (5-0). Brody Goodman, Brooke Rausch and Corinne Ulerick had two hits apiece.

Rausch went the distance and allowed one run on five hits with four strikeouts.

Winamac scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to win in a walkoff in game two.

Trinity Harlan and Adrianna Hall had three hits apiece for Winamac. Keller, Rausch and Makayla Werner each had two hits.

Hall allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits with six strikeouts.

Winamac coach Jennifer Belcher picked up her 400th career win with the sweep.

BASEBALL CASTON SWEEPS

Caston defeated Manchester 11-5 and LaVille 11-6 in two games played in Lakeville.

Parker Zimpleman got the win against Manchester, holding the Squires to five runs on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts in a complete-game effort. He helped his own cause with a double, single and three RBIs at the plate.

Gavin Mollenkopf had a double, single and three runs scored. Eli Holloway had two hits and an RBI. Corbyn Bailey added a single and two runs scored. Brodie Howard added two RBIs.

Howard got the win in game two, allowing six runs on 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out nine. London Herd closed it out with two strikeouts.

Gavin Mollenkopf had a home run, single and two RBIs. Holloway, Howard, Herd and Zimpleman had two hits apiece. Carson Harness had a single and two runs scored. Logan Mollenkopf also plated a pair of runs. Lucius Edson had three RBIs.

Caston (7-2, 4-1 HNAC) accepted two forfeits from Argos this week as Argos is short of players due to injury. The Comets picked up a home game against Southwood on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

CASS SPLITS

Cass split a doubleheader at Sheridan.

The Kings (4-1) took their first loss of the season by a 4-2 score in the opener.

Julian Davidson had two hits and two runs scored to lead the offense. Anderson Emmons had an RBI single. Landen Goldsberry and Tyler Foley each added a hit.

Brennan Deeter went the distance in the loss, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts.

The Kings won game two 8-2 behind a 10-hit attack.

Emmons doubled twice and had five RBIs. Foley had a double, single and three runs scored. Gavin Smith and Connyr Mack each had two hits and an RBI. Davidson had a RBI single. Owen Cotner-Graves added a hit.

Kaison Hipsher-Walker recorded a complete-game win, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with 12 strikeouts.

Cass visits Oak Hill on Wednesday.