26-04-2025
Insider: Carmel Invite is one of IHSAA softball's premier events. It didn't disappoint
CARMEL— Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, and thanks to some savvy schedule maneuvering by Carmel athletic director Jim Inskeep, the Carmel Invite happened Friday and Saturday at Cherry Tree Elementary.
And folks, the rain-forced finagling of the schedule was well worth it. From an upset of the No. 1 team in Class 4A to a walk-off winner in a game that started Friday but didn't end until Saturday, here's what to know from this year's Carmel Invite.
These Millers, man…
Deke Bullard likes to joke he has "a bunch of scrappy fighters" on his team. And after watching them against powerhouse Penn and top-ranked Lake Central, that's a perfect way to describe the 10th-ranked Millers.
They trailed 7-2 entering the seventh against Penn on Friday. It was cold and wet, and Noblesville fought to extend everyone's misery (said quasi-jokingly), scoring four runs and loading the bases as the clock neared 11 p.m.
That rally fell a run short, but Bullard's bunch bounced back a little over 12 hours later, erasing a 3-2 deficit with a five-run fifth that featured five two-out hits, including a pair of home runs, the first a three-run shot by Izzy Zapp and the second by Maggie Kern scored two more.
Those bombs were the first of Zapp and Kern's high school career, and all seven of Noblesville's earned runs came against Lake Central ace Maddie Such, who entered the weekend with a 1.50 ERA and had yet to allow more than two earned runs in an appearance this season.
"They won't quit. They won't fold their tents up and go home. They will fight to the end and that's what we love about them," Bullard said following the 7-4 triumph, just the second of his career vs. LC. "When you're willing to do that, you can stay in a lot of games."
Noblesville's response to Friday's loss was not unexpected or abnormal, Bullard said, crediting it to the culture they've created over the past 10 years. They're willing to get into a fight and with how they schedule, they know how to respond to adversity.
Speaking of the schedule — which has already taken Noblesville (9-1) through Avon, Fishers, West Lafayette Harrison, defending 3A champ Western, Penn and Lake Central — it continues to have exactly zero chill moving forward.
New Palestine on Monday, Westfield on Tuesday, then Cathedral on Wednesday.
Noblesville quick hits
∎ Emme Yee was solid against Lake Central, allowing only two earned runs on nine hits with four walks and five strikeouts over seven innings. The defense behind her was excellent and she did a very good job of avoiding major damage.
She allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with nine strikeouts and zero walks in a 12-3 win over Western, then did not allow a run pitching in relief against Penn on Friday.
"I've just been going in, trusting myself and trusting my spin," Yee said following the Lake Central game. "I know I'll get behind sometimes, but I want to keep getting back and just honestly letting my defense get outs and work behind me."
∎ After facing three outside pitches, Zapp was looking inside on her home run. "It went inside and I (got a hold of it)," she smiled.
The sophomore outfielder also made some key plays defensively in the seventh to help preserve the lead.
"We knew this was going to be a tough game and we came out strong," Zapp said. "We had each other's dives and Brookelyn Grayson's dive (for the third out) sealed the win."
∎ Kern on her home run: "I was just looking to attack early in the count. I swung at the first pitch earlier and it didn't end up well for me, but I'm going to attack what I like. I saw that pitch down and I swung it."
Bulldogs, Knights complete two-day marathon
Brownsburg and Castle managed to fit in six outs before torrential downpours forced the suspension of their game Friday evening. Action resumed Saturday afternoon with the teams engaging in a scoreless stalemate that dragged into the bottom of the seventh.
Ashley Sylvia reached on a one-out bunt, then came around to score on a walk-off triple by Bailey Paddock five pitches later (one of which clipped Paddock as she attempted a bunt).
Sylvia said they discussed reading the defense and formulating a gameplan from there. The infield moved in for her first at-bat, but was playing behind the bases when she came up again in the seventh, so she laid down the bunt.
"So that bunt? I wasn't actually supposed to do that. I missed a call there," Paddock laughed. "I was supposed to swing away right away, but nobody knew that and it worked in my favor, so that's OK."
Paddock said Castle was pitching away against her, so she looked to take it to right field.
The walk-off win over a high-quality 4A opponent was critical for the Bulldogs, who had lost three straight and five of their past six. The most recent setback, a 3-2 decision at Mooresville, was particularly painful.
"We were down on ourselves mentally (after Mooresville), so we really used our couple losses to come back together as a team, to work as a team and I think we saw that today with the back-to-back hits," Sylvia said.
"This was a game we needed," Paddock added.
Cathedral precedes daunting stretch with 'team talk'; opens it with small ball
The Irish had "a team talk" Friday to discuss things like energy, players' roles on the team, leading and staying positive. The timing may seem peculiar for a team that entered the weekend 11-0 with a 141-20 run differential, but it was very intentional.
Saturday's 4-0 win over 4A power Castle launched Cathedral into the meat of its schedule, with games upcoming against Noblesville, Roncalli, Carmel, Zionsville, Yorktown, Shelbyville and (probably) Bishop Chatard at the City tournament. That stretch should have the 3rd-ranked team in 3A ready to roll come sectionals, but they wanted to make sure everyone was in the right headspace heading in.
The response?
"It was awesome. It was chilling," said junior Sidney Feczko, who spun a one-hit shutout vs. Castle with 10 strikeouts.
"Yeah, everyone was really receptive to those conversations and it really worked out," added junior outfielder Amya Gary, who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. "I hope it keeps up."
In addition to her two hits, Gary also initiated a seventh-inning rally, reaching on an error to lead things off. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, then came in to score on a misplayed bunt to third. (Gary dodged the tag but missed home plate initially, but recovered and tapped the plate amid the confusion as everyone awaited the umpire's call.)
Gary said once she reached they looked to continue applying pressure on the Castle defense by bunting. "Small ball can definitely change the pace of the game."
"We've been practicing bunting a lot recently," Feczko added. "We can't hit until we bunt. We have to get three down, then we can hit and if you're bunting the entire time, you're bunting the entire time. It's definitely translating into gameplay."
Cathedral (12-0) has games this week vs. Lawrence North, Noblesville and Avon ahead of the City tournament on Saturday.
Wrestling x Softball: The Peyton Dwigans Story
Though both probably looked worse in-person than on video, Penn catcher Peyton Dwigans took the hit to make the play on a couple occasions in Friday's wild 7-6 win over Noblesville.
On the first, Dwigans fielded a wild pitch that bounced off the backstop and dove toward home plate, blocking off the runner as she came barreling in. She held on and got the out, keeping the score at 2-2 entering the bottom of the fifth.
The second play came with significantly higher stakes: A precarious two-run lead with no outs in the top of the seventh.
Haley Schatko roped a liner off the wall in center. Izabella Hanna hit the relay throw to shortstop Shannon Rudge, who executed a perfect throw from the edge of the infield to the third-base side of home plate, where Dwigans was able to gain control and absorb contact as the runner tried to evade the tag.
"They weren't bad, honestly. I wrestled this year, so I've had a lot worse," Dwigans said. " I like them. I like plays like that."
"She put her body on the line for us," senior Ava Zachary added. "She played her heart out tonight and we really appreciate everything she did behind the plate. We couldn't have won the game without her effort behind there."
Sadie Winsett working her way back for Castle
Castle is in the process of bringing back a major piece to its team with senior Sadie Winsett returning to the circle earlier this week. The Lee University-bound righty had been sidelined with a UCL injury suffered during the travel season. She said it "took her out for a little bit" and got worse at the beginning of the preps campaign.
Winsett went 14-2 last season with a 2.29 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 94.2 innings pitched. She has been able to bat this season, clocking a .326 average with 15 hits (one homer), nine runs and seven RBIs.
"My arm's doing well," said Winsett, who allowed two unearned runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout over three innings against Cathedral. "I'm glad to be back — slowly but surely. I just love helping my team out."
Winsett was limited to 46 pitches Saturday (she did not pitch against Brownsburg). They plan to bump up 10-20 pitches next week and continue to evaluate from there.
"I'm itching to get more every time," she laughed, "but (coach Pat Lockyear) keeps me in place."
Uni watch
Noblesville-Lake Central provided the best uniform combo with the black with gold pinstripes paired against blue with white pinstripes, but Penn had the best uniforms of the event with the grey/black combo that featured script "Kingsmen" across the chest.
A very clean look.
"We took them back," Zachary said. "They were our JV's last year and we wanted them. Maybe they're our good luck charm and might be our signature color."
