Miller softball beats Fishers to open HCC play

On a beautiful day in Noblesville, it was sunny and in the upper 50's. But, since it was still March 31st, the wind was picking and choosing when it wanted to blow, forcing the fans in attendance at Miller Park to dress for a late October football game like they were just south at Hare Chevrolet Field. Nonetheless, Perry Williams and myself at Hamilton County TV were glad that we could be there to broadcast the home opener.

Overall, it was a great night between the Fishers and Noblesville communities. The two got together, just like they do for their girls basketball regular season meeting, and had tables full of silent auction items for people to bid on. All proceeds from the auction go toward cancer research. There were also cancer survivors on hand, which is always an applauding gesture to recognize them in their fight of cancer. One even was chosen to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

The Fishers Tigers donned pink t-shirts with the cancer logo on the front and their numbers on the back in white. Noblesville chose a black shirt and the cancer logo on their shirts was pink with white numbers on their backs.

Noblesville 8, Fishers 4 - (Tuesday, March 31 at Miller Park, Noblesville)
Tigers      0     2     0     0     0     0     2     -     4     5     1
Millers    0     4     2     0     2     0     x     -     8    10    1

When the name Melloh is on the opponent's lineup card in Hamilton county, you know that they've got some talent. Kristin Melloh (right), younger sister of former Hamilton Southeastern standout and 2007 Indiana Miss Softball, got the call to start for Mike Ramsey's Noblesville Millers.

If you look down the Millers' varsity roster, there are a lot of upperclassmen to lead this great group of talent. In Monday's "season opener" at Tipton, Noblesville put on a hitting show for the host Blue Devils, belting out 16 hits, compared to Tipton's 4, including 6 doubles and Zoe Schafer's first HR of the season. The reason "season opener" is in quotes, is because last Friday the Millers were to open at Guerin Catholic, but cold temperatures prevented the game from being played.

Melloh was at ease on the mound from the start. Striking out Abby Mozingo and Mykayla Spillman for two quick outs boosted her confidence level. After that, she forced Allysa Chavez to pop out to Maddie Moore at short to end the top of the first for Fishers.

Moore led off the bottom for the Millers with a single. With freshman Grace Smith striking out, Maddie wasn't able to get off the bag. While Zoe Schafer was at the plate, Moore was called out for leaving 1st base too early. Just after the call, Schafer flew out to left to end the inning.

Brooke Hendricks was hit by a 2-1 inside pitch to lead off the 2nd. Briana Rance walked to put Fishers in a good position. Katie Shaw hit a solid grounder to Taylor Bounin at third. Bounin overthrew Schafer at first, allowing Hendricks to score from second and the Tigers jumped on the board 1st, 1-0. Two batters later, Alijah Guilliam lined a single to left to plate Rance and Fishers had a 2-0 edge.

Aly Compton led off the bottom of two getting on base by the shortstop Guilliam. Karley Blankenship popped out just in front of the plate for the first out and Ariel Gaskill (above left) moved Compton to 2nd with a sacrifice bunt for the second out.

Bounin walked for runners at first and second. Kimi Box came up next and laid down a perfect bunt, driving home Compton for the Millers' first run. Runners were at first and third now with catcher Cassie Neal up. With a 1-2 count, Neal smoked a double to left, scoring both Bounin and Box to help Noblesville take a 3-2 lead, igniting the home crowd. Hayley Lutz came in to pinch run for Neal and immediately scored as Maddie Moore drove in the 4th run of the inning on an RBI triple and the Millers were up 4-2 through two.

Kristin Melloh had really settled in on the pitching rubber, facing a total of 14 hitters of the third through sixth innings.

Noblesville kept things going on offense in the home half of the 3rd, really testing Fishers hurler Gabbi Schnaiter.

Zoe Schafer belted a solo home run over the right center field fence to lead off the inning for a 5-2 score. Compton doubled for her first hit of the game and was moved over to third on Blankenship's sac bunt. Gaskill dropped down a bunt in an effort to score Compton, which she did, but in the process also beat out the throw for a bunt RBI single and a 6-2 lead.

Schafer would lead off the fifth inning just like she did in the third. This time, her home run was a little closer to center for her 2nd HR of the night and her third of the young season in just two games. She hit 6 home runs last season as a junior. The duos HRs gave Noblesville an 8-2 lead after five innings.

With the Miller bats taking advantage of Schnaiter, Compton decided it was her turn to smack a home run. Aly hit two long balls in 2014, so she and Schafer look like they'll be a great combo in the 3-4 slots in the Noblesville batting order.

Defense and a great Noblesville varsity pitching debut for junior Kristin Melloh are what kept Fishers at a distance. Melloh ran into a little bit of trouble in her search for a complete game. Guilliam poked a one-out single to shallow left. Abby Mozingo drove in Guilliam with a single and Spillman also singled home Mozingo. Sammi Minton, a move-in, came in to relieve Melloh and recorded the final out and the Millers held on for an 8-4 HCC win.

Melloh gets the win in her debut as a Miller and Minton the save.

After her two home run effort, we named Zoe Schafer our Hamilton County TV Player of the Game, presented by Noblesville Trophies.

Congratulations to Coach Mike Ramsey, his staff and the players for a great Hoosier Crossroads Conference opening win and a 2-0 start to the season! Good luck tonight at Hamilton Heights!

Beat those Huskies!

*all photos courtesy of Kent Graham at kentgraham.photoshelter.com.