Lady Jets claim Rising Sun sectional

I was visiting with family in the North Vernon area and decided to go the Class A Rising Sun Softball Sectional where our Lady Jets would be in the finals competing against another excellent team, the Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles. Even though it was a beautiful evening for a drive in my 1990 Buick Reatta, I admittedly kept on wondering if I would ever get there. It is one long drive!!! Road construction did not help. In fact, I arrived during the second inning with the game score at 0 to 0.

In the bottom of the second, we had a single, a sacrifice bunt, and a steal but left the runner on third.

We were able to score in the bottom of the third. It started with an infield hit with a ball that had a lot of spin when hitting the ground. Then, our runner fell head first due to a collision around the bag. She noticed the ball had escaped into foul territory and somehow gathered herself to safely slide into second. It was a great hustle play. (But hustle is an expectation of the team, and each player understands how it can be a difference maker.) Game strategy changes for both teams when a runner is on second as opposed to first. Two consecutive doubles followed, with one almost clearing the fence, and we scored two important runs.

The Eagles threatened in the fifth with a single followed by a walk. However, runners did not advance which was a key to Hauser continuing their momentum.

In the bottom of the fifth, an error allowed one runner who cleverly advanced to second. Then, there was a bunt single advancing the other runner to third. The hitter easily advanced when noticing there was no one covering second base. The next batter was hit by a pitch. Consequently, the bases were loaded until a gapper brought three home. There was a bunt single with the runner once again alertly advancing to second. Jac-Cen-Del then pulled off a great double play from third to first and first to home which prevented us from scoring more than three runs and breaking the game wide open. After five innings, we were up 5-0.

In the sixth, we had a single, steal, and a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner to third but did not score.

The Eagles were able to get a single in the top of the seventh with the runner advancing to second on an error, but they were unable to get another batter on base.

We celebrated another great moment in the history of Hauser softball. It is always mighty special!

On my way home, I took a less traveled route and reflected on what a pleasure it is to watch our Lady Jets compete, how I would actually prefer watching them play the game as opposed to a professional baseball team for several reasons. Our next game will be on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Indianapolis Lutheran who beat an excellent Edinburgh squad 7-0. Fortunately, it is a shorter drive.

And, our boys have advanced in the Jac-Cen-Del Baseball Sectional and will be playing on Monday at 11 a.m. and hopefully at 7 p.m.

Both teams play with enthusiasm, skill, hustle, and heart. And, I know there will be many there to support them. Sam Simmermaker fittingly refers to us as the “Hauser Nation.”

As Sean Miller, one of our Hauser HSJ Online intern writers, stated in one of his articles, “It doesn't matter where the Jets go, the fans travel!”