Columbus East High School

The Columbus East softball team’s postseason run came to a heartbreaking end Thursday night, as the Olympians fell just short in a 5-4 loss to the 17th-ranked Whiteland Warriors in the IHSAA Sectional Championship game at East Central High School. Facing a ranked Warriors squad—No. 17 in Class 4A according to MaxPreps—the young Olympians showed some serious fight, and flashes of their future potential. Despite trailing for much of the game, East pushed Whiteland to the brink with a seventh-inning rally that came up just one run short. After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Olympians responded in the third. Singles from Thaise Jessup and Baleigh Fish set the table for Jacque Boroughs, who delivered a clutch two-RBI single to right field, knotting the score at 2-2. Whiteland reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer by Kaelyn Putnam and added what would become the game-winning run in the sixth after an RBI grounder by Abby Holt made it 5-3. East refused to go quietly. In the top of the seventh, Lilly Tindell reached on an error to start the inning and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Daisy Logan. Lola Watkins followed with a booming RBI double to center, bringing the Olympians within one. But the Warriors escaped the jam, recording the final two outs to seal the title. Pitcher Baleigh Fish battled through a tough Whiteland lineup, recording nine strikeouts in a complete-game effort. Offensively, Jessup had two hits, while Boroughs drove in two and Watkins collected a pair of extra-base hits, including her crucial seventh-inning double. While the loss was a difficult way to end the season, the future is undeniably bright for Columbus East. With no seniors on this year’s roster, the Olympians were one of the younger teams in the sectional—but their improvement over the course of the season was unmistakable. Several underclassmen stepped up in high-pressure moments throughout the end of the season and tournament, giving fans and coaches alike plenty to look forward to. As the offseason begins, East will look to build on this experience and return even stronger in 2026 with a full roster returning and eyes set firmly on another postseason run.