By Noah Dalton
HANOVER – Mitchell High School took first place in a tournament hosted at Southwestern (Hanover) on Saturday, beating Salem and Southwestern in dominant fashion on their way to the crown.
In their first game, the Bluejackets defeated the Lions 14-5 behind big performances at the plate from Avery Southern and Caitlyn Mullis, who combined for six hits and 11 RBIs.
Mullis finished the game with four hits, three of which were doubles. Southern had two, including a three-run HR in the second inning, her fourth of the year.
Her homer, along with an RBI single from Rylee Brazzell and a double from Mullis that brought in two runners game Mitchell an early 6-2 lead after the Lions were able to score two in the first inning. Salem would score the next two runs of the game after an error from the Bluejackets in the third. The Lions then went on to make it a one-run game at 6-5 in the fifth after a double from Cassie Walls scored one.
Mitchell closed the game out strong, despite the rally attempt from Salem. The Bluejackets scored eight more runs in the final two innings of the game, while holding the Lions to just one hit during that time.
Karsyn Coleman started the game for Mitchell, throwing three innings in the game. During her time at the mound, she faced 16 batters, giving up four hits and four runs, striking out four. She was relieved by Southern, who faced 15 batters, giving up one run and three hits, ending with one strike out.
Unlike against the Lions, where Salem’s late-game push to bring it within a run provided some drama, Mitchell’s second and final game of the tournament where they took on Southwestern wasn’t nearly as close.
The Bluejackets came away with the win 18-3, scoring eight runs in the first inning and never looking back.
The crossed the 10-run lead threshold to trigger IHSAA’s mercy rule by the third inning and continued to pile it on, ending the game early in the fifth.
Eleven Mitchell batters came away from the game with hits as the team tallied 17 in the game; Mullis, Southern, Malaya Tanglao, Page Mullis, Coleman, Emerie Russell, Jayden Allen, Graclynn Payton, Matti Rosenberger, Rylie Brazzell and Aktyn Brown.
Russell led the way for the Bluejackets with three hits, also batting in three runs. Southern led the game in RBIs with four.
Southern also earned the win at the mound for Mitchell, throwing four innings, striking out six. She was relieved in the fifth inning by Caitlyn Mullis, who faced the final four Rebel batters of the game, striking out two of them.
With these wins, the Bluejackets are now 6-4 on the season. They’ll next take the field on Monday to face Scottsburg, who are undefeated so far this year at 7-0.
Mitchell’s game one stats
Mitchell’s game two stats
