SB 2A FINAL: #18 Madison-Grant slips past Linton, 1-0

INDIANAPOLIS – The Class 2A state championship played June 13 at Ben Davis figured to be a pitching duel. 

No. 18 Madison-Grant featured senior right-hander Sara Webster (19-3, 0.54 earned run average), who stunned top-ranked Indianapolis Scecina with a two-hit shutout in Friday’s 2-0 monstrous semifinal upset. Linton countered with 6-foot junior Stephanie Fougerousse (17-1, 0.57 ERA), a 5-2 semi winner over No. 15 Wheeler.

Saturday’s showdown did not fail to deliver. With only one extra-base hit scattered among the game’s nine hits, Madison-Grant junior second baseman Shelby Wells’ one-out single up the middle in the fifth inning provided the game’s only run as the Argyll’s captured the school’s first state title in any sport.

No. 18 Madison-Grant (24-6), which won 14 of its last 15 games, had luck on its side in this one as Linton (21-6) threatened in both the first and second innings. Fougerousse clobbered a two-out Webster offering far down the left-field line that skied over the foul pole, but the show was called foul. 

Fougerousse singled to left on the next pitch, but Sanders struck out senior left fielder Taneal Church to stifle the threat.

The Miners rallied again in the second as senior first baseman Izzy Carpenter singled and sophomore catcher Hali Murray bunt singles before junior third baseman Jenica Ringo’s sacrifice bunt moved them to third and second, respectively. But Webster got sophomore right fielder Katie West to pop out to first before junior shortstop Sam ****’s flare into right-center was snagged by Argylls senior RF Kendra Stitt.

Then the decisive fifth. Linton once again threatened on a leadoff walk by ****, a fielder’s choice, and a bunt single by sophomore center fielder Darien Huffman. But Webster got Fourgerousse to ground out to second before again striking out Church – this time looking – to end the inning.

Drum roll, please. Madison-Grant senior catcher Bonnie Parker walked, with sophomore courtesy runner Kailey Leckron coming in. Junior designated hitter Sydnie Holland then sacrifice bunted Leckron to second before Wells’ single to center scored her. Despite the dangerous following sequence, however, Linton escaped the inning with no more damage.

Wells moved to second on a late throw to the plate that went up the line, and she stayed there when sophomore left fielder Lauren Stanley got an infield single to short. Freshman center fielder Lacey Little then reached on a fielder’s choice where her sac bunt attempt to third went for a single.

But with the bases loaded, Stitt stepped out of the box and thought she called time. The ump didn’t see it that way, and Fourgerousse’s delivery was ruled strike three. Senior third baseman Sam Yeagy then grounded out to third, allowing Linton to hang on.

The Miners got one more shot at in the sixth when Carpenter stroked a leadoff double to left-center. But Murray’s fly ball to right was denied on a game-saving grab by Stitt. Ringo’s smash to third was knocked down by Yeagy, whose throw to first was in time the second out. Webster then got West to pop out again, this time to third, to quash the rally.

Izzy Carpenter of Linton was recognized by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee as this year’s recipient of the Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A softball. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the school in her name. 

Carpenter finished 11th in her class of 81 while participating in the Academic Honors Diploma program. She received numerous scholarship awards, including Beta Sigma Phi, Kappa Kappa Kappa, Phil Harris, and James M. Brown. She was class president all four years as well as being president of the National Honor Society, Spanish Club, and S.A.D.D.

While a four-year member of the softball team, Carpenter was named All-Conference three years and was a co-captain for two years. Izzy was a two-year letterwinner in basketball and a three-year letterwinner in volleyball, and she was named co-captain of the Miners’ basketball team.

Carpenter attends Switz City Baptist Church and is an active member of 4-H while volunteering her time with children’s basketball and volleyball camps, the Glenburn/Linton Nursing Home, and Head Start Preschool.

The daughter of Mark and Sandy Carpenter of Linton plans on studying optometry at Indiana University in Bloomington.

The box score:

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB

Mason, Savannah 2b…….  4  0  0  0   0  1  5  2   0

Huffman, Darien cf…….  4  0  1  0   0  1  0  0   0

Fougerousse, Steph. p….  2  0  1  0   1  0  0  4   0

Rehmel, Brittany pr…..  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0

Church, Taneal lf……..  3  0  0  0   0  3  0  0   4

Carpenter, Izzy 1b…….  3  0  2  0   0  0  6  1   0

Niebrugge, Kylee pr…..  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0

Murray, Hali c………..  2  0  1  0   1  0  5  1   0

Jackson, Jannae pr……  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0

Ringo, Jenica 3b………  2  0  0  0   0  1  0  1   0

West, Katie rf………..  3  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   2

****, Sam ss………….  2  0  0  0   1  1  2  1   2

Totals………………. 25  0  5  0   3  7 18 10   8

Player                    AB  R  H RBI BB SO PO  A LOB

Little, Lacey cf………  2  0  0  0   0  1  1  0   0

Stitt, Kendra rf………  3  0  1  0   0  2  3  0   0

Yeagy, Sam 3b…………  3  0  1  0   0  0  1  1   3

Runyan, Dana 1b……….  2  0  0  0   1  1  4  1   1

Stroup, Olivia pr…….  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   0

Fields, Sam ss………..  2  0  0  0   0  1  2  1   0

Parker, Bonnie c………  1  0  0  0   1  0  7  0   0

Leckron, Kailey pr……  0  1  0  0   0  0  0  0   0

Holland, Sydnie dh…….  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  0   1

Wells, Shelby 2b………  2  0  1  1   0  1  2  1   1

Stanley, Lauren lf…….  2  0  1  0   0  0  1  0   0

Webster, Sara p……….  0  0  0  0   0  0  0  1   0

Totals………………. 18  1  4  1   2  6 21  5   6

Score by innings                       R  H  E

Linton    000 000 0 – 0  5  0

Madison-Grant         000 010 X – 1  4  0

DP: Linton 1. LOB: Linton 8; Madison-Grant 6. 2B: Carpenter, I (8).

HBP: Parker, B. SH: Ringo, J. (1); Little, L. (1); Fields, S. (1); Holland, S. 2 (2).

Linton IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF

Fougerousse, Steph.     6.0  4  1  1  2  6 18 25

Madison-Grant           IP  H  R ER BB SO AB BF

Webster, Sara 7.0  5  0  0  3  7 25 29

Win: Webster, S. (20-3). Loss; Fougerousse (17-2).

HBP: by Fougerousse (Parker, B.).

Umpires: HP Frank Van Dermay, 1B Roger Griffit, 3B James Tom Mohler

Start: 1:26 p.m. Time: 1:31

Weather: 73, partly cloudy, wind out to center