EDINBURGH — Beating the Hauser softball team is hard enough when mistakes and bad luck aren’t conspiring against you.
When they are, taking down the Jets is just about impossible.
Edinburgh found that out the hard way Tuesday evening, when some costly errors and an even more costly injury to starting pitcher Maddi Clark helped Hauser get things rolling quickly en route to a 12-1 victory in Class A regional action.
The Class A No. 1 Jets (25-0), winners of 34 games in a row, move on to Saturday’s North Daviess Semistate, where Class A No. 2 North Central, last year’s Class 2A state champion, awaits in the second semifinal. No. 4 Tecumseh faces No. 5 Borden in the first semi.
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“We know that we have to be prepared for them, as well,” junior catcher Hailey Lange said of the Jets’ next opponent. “We know that we’re not going to run-rule everyone.”
The first two innings Tuesday evening were devoid of drama, but the action ramped up quickly in the top of the third.
Lauryn Starnes and Leslie Sims beat out bunt singles, and Tessa Sims reached on an error to load the bases with nobody out. Lange then lofted a sacrifice fly to left center to score Starnes, and Leslie Sims attempted to come home when the throw got past the plate.
Edinburgh hurler Maddi Clark, covering home, appeared to injure her throwing arm when Leslie Sims slid in.
“She said that play at the plate she got a cleat in the forearm,” Lancers coach Stephan Clark said. “Definitely in pain. May or may not be broken.”
Clark left the game, and Leslie Sims was sent back to third due to an obstruction call. She didn’t stay there long, coming in on a Sydney Schoen groundout, and Tessa Sims followed on the second Lancer error of the inning to make it 3-0.
In the fourth, the floodgates opened as Hauser sent 13 batters to the plate and scored eight runs. Sidney Giles and Schoen drove in two runs apiece on a double and single, respectively, and Leslie Sims, Lange and Taylor Henderson each added an RBI.
“We just didn’t play clean, and let emotions get the better part of us,” Stephan Clark said of the avalanche that followed Maddi Clark’s injury.
The Lancers came back with one run in the bottom of the inning when Bri Howard led off with a double to the wall, stole third and came in on a base hit by Sidney Beier.
Tessa Sims struck out three straight to snuff out the threat, however, and after the Jets added an extra run without the benefit of a hit in the top of the fifth, the sophomore hurler set Edinburgh in the bottom of the frame to end it.
Schoen had three of Hauser’s 12 hits, while Leslie Sims, Schumacher and Starnes added two each.
“Everybody’s hitting,” Schumacher said, “and that’s a great thing.”
Beier had two of the three hits Edinburgh managed against Tessa Sims, who struck out 11 without a walk.
Hauser 12, Edinburgh 1 (5 innings)
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WP: Tessa Sims. LP: Maddi Clark. 2B: Sidney Giles (H), Bri Howard (E).
Records: Hauser 25-0, Edinburgh 12-11.
