Columbus East High School

OLYMPIAN FIELD - Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, famously known as "Mr. Chicago Cub," always said, "It's a beautiful day for a ballgame... Let's play two". That sentiment perfectly captured the scene at Olympian Field this past Saturday morning, where sunny skies, light clouds, and temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s provided an ideal backdrop for softball. The Columbus East Varsity Olympians split their doubleheader against the Franklin Community Grizzly Cubs, rebounding from an 11-1 loss in the first game to claim a 5-4 victory in the second. In the morning’s first matchup, the Olympians faced a challenging opposing pitcher who limited the East offense to just three hits over six innings. > Scoring Spark: Jade Hampton provided a bright spot for the Olympians, connecting for a double and scoring the team’s lone run. > Early Resistance: The Olympians kept the contest within reach for much of the morning before a large fifth-inning surge by the Grizzly Cubs put the game away. Game Two: A Complete Team Effort The Olympians' bats came alive early in the second game, backed by a stellar performance in the circle by Baleigh Fish. Early Offensive Surge The Olympians wasted no time taking control of the game: First Inning Fireworks: Thaise Jessup ignited the offense with a hard single, later scoring on a Jacque Boroughs base hit. Emma Armstrong added a second run on an Natasha Armstrong fielder's choice to put East up 2-0 early. Building the Lead: In the second inning, Ariell Darnell was hit by a pitch and Hailey Spurgeon singled to set the stage for Lola Watkins, whose grounder led to an error that scored Darnell. Thaise Jessup followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-0. Fish Provides the Power Insurance Run: In the bottom of the 5th, Baleigh Fish punctuated her day by launching a solo home run to center field, giving the Olympians a crucial 5-1 lead. Leading from the Circle: On the mound, Fish pitched a complete seven-inning game, striking out four and navigating a tense late-inning rally to secure the win. The Defensive Stand After the Grizzly Cubs narrowed the gap to 5-4 in the 6th inning, the Olympians' defense stood tall in the 7th to seal the victory: Lola Watkins tracked down a line out in center field for the first out. Ariell Darnell caught a fly ball in left for the second. SS Jacque Boroughs and MacKenzie Hampton combined for the final out on a ground ball to shortstop, closing the door on the comeback. On the Horizon The Olympians have concluded a busy week of play and will return to the field on Tuesday, April 28th. They are set to travel to North Vernon, IN, to face their Hoosier Hills Conference rivals, the Jennings County Panthers. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m..