Columbus East High School

BROWNSTOWN, IN — The Columbus East Varsity Olympians went the distance on Tuesday, trading blows with the 2A #12-ranked Brownstown Central Braves in a non-conference matchup that wasn't decided until the final swing. Despite out-hitting the Braves 14 to nine, the Olympians fell 8-7 in a nine-inning walk-off heartbreaker. Balanced Offensive Attack: Columbus East showcased a deep lineup throughout the evening. The scoring started in the second inning when Lola Watkins drove in a run with a single. The momentum carried into the third as the Olympians surged ahead, fueled by a Natasha Armstrong double and a Ladaishia Logan single. Several Olympians turned in multi-hit performances to keep the pressure on the state-ranked Braves: Baleigh Fish: Provided a spark at the plate with five hits, including two doubles. Jacque Boroughs: Helped her own cause with three hits and a walk. Ariel Darnell: Collected two hits and a stolen base. Lola Watkins: Led the team in the RBI column, driving in two runs. Natasha Armstrong: Contributed a double and an RBI while scoring twice Battle in the Circle: With Jacque Boroughs taking the start in the circle, the Olympians' defense remained competitive against a potent Braves offense. Boroughs put forth a gritty performance, striking out 11 batters and allowing only two earned runs over seven full innings. Jayley Smiley provided relief in the extra frames, adding two strikeouts to the team's total of 13. Final Play: After Brownstown Central tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, the teams battled into the ninth inning. Columbus East briefly reclaimed a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth. However, the Braves found the final answer in the bottom half, scoring two runs to secure the win on the game's final play. Columbus East Stat Summary Player AB R H RBI L. Watkins 6 0 1 2 B. Fish 6 1 5 1 J. Boroughs 5 1 3 0 A. Darnell 5 1 2 0 N. Armstrong 4 2 1 1 L. Logan 5 0 1 1 T. Jessup 5 2 1 0 Pitching: J. Boroughs: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 11 K J. Smiley: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K Up Next: Columbus East returns home to Olympian Field this Thursday, April 9, to host Floyd Central. The Highlanders, a Hoosier Hills Conference opponent, are currently ranked #4 in Class 4A softball. First pitch: 6:00 p.m.