Columbus East High School

COLUMBUS EAST HS- The Columbus East Varsity Olympians defended their home turf on Tuesday, securing a gritty 5-2 victory over Hoosier Hills Conference rival Bedford North Lawrence. The win was a testament to the Olympians' resilience, as they faced off against the Stars' standout left-handed ace and Indiana State University commit, Cutler Chastain. While Chastain proved a formidable opponent, racking up 10 strikeouts and surrendering only three hits over four innings, the Olympians stayed the course and capitalized when it mattered most. Stott Holds the Line: The Olympians found their own defensive anchor in Ryker Stott, who delivered a stellar performance on the mound. Stott earned the win, pitching five effective innings where he allowed just three hits and one earned run while fanning five batters. His steady presence kept Columbus East within striking distance even as the offense worked to solve the Stars' pitching. A Decisive Fifth Inning After a Bedford error in the fourth allowed Columbus East to tie the game at 1-1, the Olympians broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth. The frame was a masterclass in putting the ball in play and forcing the defense to move: JD Rotert gave the Olympians the lead by grounding into a fielder's choice that allowed a run to cross. Logun Rager extended the advantage with a timely single to center field. The Olympians added two more runs during the inning—one aided by a Bedford error and another on a dropped third strike—to build a commanding lead. Box Score Highlights While the team effort defined the night, several Olympians made their mark in the box score: JD Rotert: Finished with one hit, one RBI, and scored two runs. Logun Rager: Collected one hit and one RBI. Landyn Jewell: Recorded one hit and drove in one run. Ryker Stott: Contributed one hit and an RBI alongside his winning pitching performance. Jacob Huffman & Zander Weatherford: Each provided essential production with one RBI apiece. Kaden Arnholt & Ridge Koester: Both crossed the plate to score one run each for the Olympians. Frosh Parker Jones entered the game in relief, throwing two innings to help seal the win and navigate the Stars' late-game threats. The Olympians will look to carry this momentum into their next home game this Thursday, April 30th when they host the Jennings County Panthers in another HHC game. First pitch: 5:30 p.m.