<p>Center Grove has a long win streak, is ranked No. 3 and is a clear front-runner for the Class 4 state softball championship.</p>
<p>But the Trojans aren’t looking past the sectional.</p>
<p>Specifically, they aren’t looking past tonight’s first round opponent.</p>
<p>That would be Greenwood, who the Trojans have beaten twice this season, most recently in the championship final of the May 14 Johnson County Tournament.</p>
<p>For that reason, the Trojans would prefer to open sectional play against just about anybody but Greenwood — a fierce local rival with a winning record, a dangerous pitcher and a wealth of motivation.</p>
<p>"You want to try to take as much emotion out of your postseason as you can," Trojans coach Russ Milligan said. "There’s enough with just the do-or-die (aspect). To add they’re an in-county rival and the fact we beat them twice, that gives them the ‘nothing to lose (mentality).'</p>
<p>"Those are scary teams to play, the nothing to lose teams."</p>
<p>Center Grove (22-3) and Greenwood (14-10) play in tonight’s 6 p.m. opener of the Franklin Central Sectional. Franklin (6-17) and Whiteland (4-22) follow at 8 p.m.</p>
<p>Tonight’s winners will meet in Tuesday’s 6 p.m. semifinal. Martinsville (11-13) plays No. 8 Franklin Central (19-5) in the 8 p.m. semifinals.</p>
<p>The semifinal winners will play for the championship Wednesday at 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Although the defending state champion Trojans are favorites on paper, they take nothing for granted in what is a traditionally tough sectional.</p>
<p>Franklin Central, Greenwood and Martinsville have been state-ranked in recent years and are capable advancing.</p>
<p>Moreover, tournament-host Franklin Central is an annual state power that, like Greenwood, has a score to settle with the Trojans. Center Grove beat the Flashes in a 3-2 thriller April 25 on their home field.</p>
<p>But Center Grove’s focus isn’t on the Flashes. It’s on the Woodmen, who the Trojans beat 10-5 in the county tournament final.</p>
<p>Despite a young lineup filled with sophomores and freshmen, Greenwood features one of the state’s top pitchers in senior Megan Overton (14-6, 1.60 ERA), a Boston College recruit who is by now quite familiar with the Trojans’ batters.</p>
<p>Then again, Center Grove’s pitchers know the Woodmen’s lineup, too.</p>
<p>"It’s bad because you know each other so well," Milligan said. "I’m pretty certain with a smart pitcher like Overton, a very talented pitcher like Overton, she has got a mental if not a physical log of what she did and we did and what she’s not going to do next time. So that makes it pretty difficult.</p>
<p>"I’d much rather play those games of the unknown, because you have a better chance of surprising people or getting this pitch or that pitch."</p>
<p>Although the Trojans would prefer a different first round opponent, they enter the postseason on a roll.</p>
<p>Winners of 14 straight, they hit .418 as a team and feature a one-two pitching punch in freshman Abby Herbst and senior Taylor Hammill.</p>
<p>Herbst is 12-0 with a 1.09 ERA. Hammill is 9-3 with a 1.97 ERA.</p>
<p>Herbst also leads the way at the plate. She’s hitting a team-high .562 with a three home runs and 34 RBIs.</p>
<p>Senior Mandy Dallas is hitting .500 with four home runs and 32 RBIs, and sophomore Jordyn is hitting .494 with team-high totals of seven home runs and 37 RBIs.</p>
<p>Even more impressive, the Trojans have scored 214 runs in 25 games and have a habit of scoring multiple runs per inning, seldom giving opponents a chance to rally.</p>
<p>"That momentum, once it gets shifted is really tough to regain if you don’t do that," Milligan said. "We tend to score in multiple innings. That is a big plus.</p>
<p>"It doesn’t allow another team to generate a great deal of momentum."</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>CLASS 4A</p>
<p>Where: Franklin Central High School</p>
<p>Tonight’s first round: 6 p.m., Greenwood vs. Center Grove; 8 p.m., Franklin vs. Whiteland</p>
<p>Tuesday’s semifinals: 6 p.m., Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 vs. winner; 8 .m., Martinsville vs. Franklin Central</p>
<p>Wednesday’s championship: 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Admission: $6 per session, $10 season ticket</p>
<p>CLASS 3A</p>
<p>Where: Indian Creek High School</p>
<p>Tonight’s first round: 5:30 p.m., Northwest vs. Washington; 7:30 p.m., Beech Grove vs. Danville</p>
<p>Tuesday’s semifinals: 5:30 p.m., Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner; 7:30 p.m., Indian Creek vs. Greencastle</p>
<p>Thursday’s championship: 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Admission: $6 per session, $10 season ticket</p>
<p>Class A</p>
<p>Where: Edinburgh Community High School</p>
<p>Today’s first round: 5 p.m., Waldron vs. Edinburgh</p>
<p>Tuesday’s semifinals: 5 p.m., Morristown vs. Southwestern; 7 p.m., game 1 winner vs. Greenwood Christian Academy</p>
<p>Wednesday’s championship: 6 p.m.</p>
<p>Admission: $6 per session, $10 season ticket</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
