Columbus East High School

The bats showed up in a big way Thursday night, and the result was a convincing 13-6 road win for Columbus East over Bloomington North. Columbus East wasted no time setting the tone, plating three runs in the opening inning. Jacque Boroughs got things started with a single, followed by a run-scoring triple from Natasha Armstrong. Ariel Darnell kept the line moving with an RBI single as the Olympians jumped out in front early and never looked back. From there, it turned into an offensive showcase. Lola Watkins led the charge at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a run driven in, and three stolen bases. She consistently applied pressure on the base paths and forced Bloomington North into mistakes all night. Taylor Wessel delivered the biggest swing performances, finishing 2-for-4 with a game-high five RBIs. Her extra-base hit in the second inning helped extend the lead, and she continued to come through in key moments as East built separation. The Olympians piled up 16 hits as a team, with production coming from throughout the lineup. Natasha Armstrong recorded two hits, including a triple, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Ariel Darnell added two hits and an RBI, while Ladaishia Logan chipped in two hits, including a double, and scored a pair of runs. Mackenzie Hampton added two hits and an RBI, and even the bottom of the order contributed, highlighted by a hit from Haleigh Spurgeon. East also showed patience at the plate, drawing 11 walks, with Thaise Jessup leading the way with three free passes. That discipline helped fuel a five-run sixth inning that effectively put the game out of reach. During that frame, the Olympians capitalized on timely hitting and aggressive base running to blow the game open. In the circle, Jacque Boroughs delivered a strong outing to earn the win. She went 5.1 innings, allowing just two hits and two runs while striking out four. She attacked hitters early, consistently working ahead in counts and generating swings and misses when needed. Defensively, Columbus East was clean and efficient, committing zero errors behind their pitchers. All told, it was a complete performance—timely hitting, aggressive base running, disciplined at-bats, and solid pitching. The Olympians will look to carry that momentum into their next matchup as they travel to Bloomington South on Saturday(4/4). Good luck O's!