It was the season opener, but veteran Indian Creek softball coach Gary Mitchell liked what he saw from his Braves.
Resilience.
Indian Creek, sporting a young team with only two seniors, came from behind and beat Johnson County rival Greenwood, 6-4, at home on Monday.
Sophomore pitcher Delaney Jones went the distance for the Braves, scattering 10 hits and striking out 11 Woodmen, and freshman Kristen Soots used her legs in addition to her bat as she knocked in the game-winner in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Soots had a pair of singles, two RBIs and two runs and she stole a game-high four bases, including two in that crucial sixth inning.
“This was a very nice comeback win,” Mitchell said. “Delaney took charge and didn’t give up anything late. She was amazing and we put just enough hits together and we have some wheels this year.
“I was tickled with the outcome.”
The only innings where Jones seemed to be in trouble were the first, when Greenwood had seven batters come to the plate and scored a run, and the third, when a combination of two hits, two walks and an error gave the Woodmen a 4-1 lead, but after that, Greenwood couldn’t string together consecutive hits until the last inning.
Still, Greenwood had the momentum with a three-run lead entering the bottom half of the fourth. In that inning, the Braves got singles from Jasmine Day, Lexi Smith and Soots. Augmented by a Woodmen error and two well-placed bunts, Indian Creek scored three times to tie the game. That was all the scoring until the sixth.
Greenwood did raise hopes with consecutive doubles by Kinsley Clark and Gillian Semmler in the seventh, but three straight outs sealed the deal for the Indian Creek.
“We got down three runs and never quit,” Mitchell said. “We could have folded up like a cheap lawn chair, but we kept punching. This was impressive against a quality opponent.”
Also contributing in the dank conditions for the Braves were sophomore Addie Schaub with a double and RBI and sophomore Jackie Hammond with two singles, an RBI and a run.
Greenwood (0-1) was led by Semmler with two doubles and two RBIs. Nevaeh Elliott had two singles and an RBI, Clark had a single, double and RBI, and leadoff hitter Bella Blythe had two singles and a run.
For first-year coach Sara Allison, it was a good beginning but a tough ending.
“I was really hoping we were going to clinch it and really thought we would get there, but we have to put the ball in play,” Allison.
The turnaround is quick for both teams, as the Braves visit Indianapolis Lutheran today while the Woodmen host Mid-State Conference rival Whiteland in the front end of a home-and-home.
