One of the state’s most ferocious hitting teams met one of the state’s top pitchers Thursday at Shelbyville High School.

Class 4A, No. 4 New Palestine arrived for the Hoosier Heritage Conference showdown with Cheyenne Eads and the Golden Bears unbeaten at 9-0 and averaging 12.8 runs per game. The Dragons scored 14 runs Wednesday night in a win at 4A No. 8 Center Grove.

Eads accepted the challenge and went to work with a pesky defense behind her that did not falter. The University of Indianapolis recruit scattered 11 hits over seven innings and struck out eight but the Shelbyville offense could not get a big hit off New Palestine starting pitcher Courtney Study and suffered a 4-1 loss, ending the team’s seven-game win streak.

Eads blasted a solo home run to start the bottom half of the first inning for the Golden Bears’ only run. That home run matched Allie Blum’s solo home run in the top of the first. The University of Kentucky commit had three hits in the win and scored two of the Dragons’ four runs.

Sydney Oliver had two hits and drove in two runs.

Hailey Maulden had two hits for Shelbyville (9-5) and made a clutch catch in left field near the wall to start the fourth inning.

Of the 11 players New Palestine used in the win, five are committed to Division I collegiate softball programs. They are Blum, a shortstop, and first baseman Katie Hirschy (both going to Kentucky), third baseman Paige Ernstes (Mississippi State), centerfielder Maddie Engle (Indiana) and senior Ella Holman (Dayton), who had a pinch hit single to start the seventh inning and scored.

In other prep events Thursday:

Baseball

Shelbyville 6, Delta 1

At Shelbyville, the host Golden Bears used a four-run sixth inning to secure a split in the conference series with the Eagles (8-6, 4-6 HHC).

Aiden Smith had two hits and drove in three runs to help provide support to starting pitcher Gavyn Fisher. The junior went the distance on the mound, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out nine.

Shelbyville (6-7, 4-4 HHC) has now split all four of its HHC series this season.

Hauser 11, Southwestern 1

At Hauser, Simeon Wasil allowed one hit and one walk while striking out 10 Spartans to lead the Jets to the sweep on the two-game series.

Stryker Gill and Holden Pittman each drove in two runs to lead Hauser (9-5, 5-0 Mid-Hoosier Conference).

James Oliver took the loss for Southwestern (1-7, 1-5 MHC).

Edinburgh 8, Morristown 0

At Morristown, Gabe Bennett twirled a two-hit shutout to improve the Lancers to 6-5-1 (1-3 MHC).

Edinburgh scored in every inning but the first to keep pressure on the Yellow Jackets (4-8, 1-5 MHC). Brayden Schoettmer had three hits and scored three runs. Milas Burkman had two hits.

South Decatur 3, Waldron 0

At South Decatur, Devin Pate outdueled Jordan Bennett to keep the Cougars (6-3, 3-0 MHC) unbeaten in the conference standings.

Pate limited the Mohawks (6-5, 0-3 MHC) to two hits and one walk while striking out 16 in a complete-game shutout.

Bennett scattered seven hits and a walk over six innings but took the loss.

Boys golf

Shelbyville 160, Batesville 165, Waldron 247

At Blue Bear Golf Course in Shelbyville, Jake Garrison was the medalist with a 37 to lead the Golden Bears to the win.

Logan Tobian followed at 38 for Shelbyville. Rounding out the scorecard were DaMiles McDuffey (42), Brock Wischmeyer (43) and Logan Reinhart (47).

Softball

Waldron 14, South Decatur 3

At South Decatur, Alyssa Benson surrendered six hits over six innings and struck out 10 to secure a win over a conference foe and potential sectional opponent.

Breanna Barton had three hits and drove in three runs to lead the Mohawks (3-2, 1-2 MHC). Audrey Hogg and Brooklyn Hudnall each had two hits and combined to drive in three more runs.

South Decatur dropped to 2-6 (0-1 MHC).

Edinburgh 11, Morristown 8

At Morristown, the host Yellow Jackets raced out to a 7-1 lead but could not hold off the Lancers, who scored five times in the sixth inning to take the lead for good.

Kyah Streeval, Gracie Barrett and Kenna Streeval each had three hits for Edinburgh (1-9, 1-3 MHC) and seven different Lancers drove in runs off Morristown pitcher Abby Hawk, who allowed all 11 runs but only three were earned.

Nevaeh Cox had three hits and scored two runs for Morristown (3-5, 0-3 MHC).

Girls tennis

Waldron 3, Blue River Valley 2

At Blue River Valley, the Mohawks used a pair of strong singles performances and a big win at No. 2 doubles to stay unbeaten this season at 8-0.

At No. 2 doubles, Jackie Corlette and Alivia Fischer defeated Bekah Grimm and Ziranda Grounds, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Kathrynn Ross did not lose a game at No. 3 singles, blanking Gretchen Southern, 6-0, 6-0. Emily Tyree lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Kenna Sheets at No. 2 singles.

Track and field

Golden Bear Invitational

Ethan Lambert was the lone Shelbyville boys event champion. The senior launched the discus 156 feet, two inches to win that event.

In the girls meet, Sonora O’Connor won the 300-meter hurdles in a new personal best time of 49.55 seconds.

O’Connor teamed with Ava Wilson, Cyanne St. Bernard and Alyna Castanon to win the 1,600 relay in 4:23.03.

Boys volleyball

Franklin def. Shelbyville, 25-15, 25-15, 25-21

At Shelbyville, Jayion Grice led the Golden Bears (5-11) with five kills, four service aces and 14 digs in the loss.

Corbin Deck and Layne Pogue combined for 25 digs while Diego Hernandez finished with nine assists and three aces.

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