Hamilton Southeastern’s baseball squad opened the Sectional 8 tournament with a decisive 7‑1 victory over Carmel, advancing to the semifinals.
The Royals struck first, plating three runs in the top of the first inning, a momentum they never relinquished.
Early offensive burst
Cy Cole opened the scoring by driving in Jackson Bixler, and Alex Shepherd followed with a double that brought Cole home. Karson Seitz later crossed the plate on a Chase Bradle single, capping a three‑run opening frame.
The offense kept rolling, adding four more runs in the third inning. Bradle delivered a sacrifice that scored Cole, while Kian Kelly’s single brought in Bixler and Nick Bach, extending the lead.
On the mound, Spencer Mohr worked 6.2 innings, allowing six hits and striking out one before handing the ball to Bradle, who closed out the game with a groundout.
The Royals finished the game at 20‑9, improving their record as they head into the next round.
Around the area
In a separate contest, Zionsville edged the host Millers 7‑4 after a fourth‑inning tie and a fifth‑inning surge that put them ahead 4‑1.
Noblesville’s Jalen Stidham launched a leadoff homer in the second inning, but the Millers rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, narrowing the gap to 4‑3.
Zionsville pulled away with three runs in the sixth, and a late single by Aiden Reynolds scored the final point for the Millers, though the game ended 7‑4.
Key contributors included Beckett Doane, who escaped bases‑loaded jams in the first and third innings, and Christopher Martz, who scored on Zac Glander’s sacrifice fly.
Overall, the local teams posted a mix of wins and close contests, with Hamilton Southeastern and Zionsville moving forward while Noblesville concluded its season at 20‑9.