BROWNSTOWN

Brownstown Central’s softball team finally got a break in the weather, and onto the diamond, to open the season going into the weekend.

Unfortunately for the Braves, their first game didn’t go the way they’d hoped.

Class A No. 11 Hauser built a 3-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back in a 15-3, five-inning win against the Braves on Friday.

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With two outs in the first inning, Tessa Sims hit a double to get Hauser’s bats rolling. The next three at-bats saw RBI singles from Shelby Fugate, Sydney Schoen and Hunter Crain.

Up by three, Sims — an Indiana State University commit — struck out the Braves in order.

Following a scoreless second inning, the Jets (1-1) tacked on three more runs in the third.

Hits by Sims and Fugate put a pair of runners on base before a sacrifice RBI from Schoen extended the lead to four. Fugate then scored on a passed ball, and Lauren Starnes hit an RBI to bolster the Jets’ lead to 6-0.

In the bottom of the third, Rehgen Stuckwisch led off with a double to register the first hit for the Braves. Two batters later, Zoe Fountain clobbered a double to score Stuckwisch and cut the deficit to 6-1.

A trio of throwing errors doomed the Braves in the fourth inning.

With two outs, Fugate hit an RBI single to put the Jets up 7-1. On the next three plays the Braves had errors on throws to first base, which resulted in four runs by Hauser.

Going into the fifth inning, the Braves trailed 11-1.

The Jets went up 15-1 in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice from Schoen, RBI from Satrnes and two-run single from Leah Joyce.

Sims was substituted for Kirsten Keith to close the game.

A single by Brownstown’s Alli Reynolds, an error by the Jets near first base and a walk loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning for the Braves. Following a fly out, Addie Krieger scored a pair of runners on a single.

Despite adding a pair of scores, the Braves couldn’t make up the difference and were run-ruled.

Kyra Huffman, a freshman, pitched five innings for the Braves and recorded 14 hits, one strikeouts, four walks and seven earned runs.

Sims tossed four innings for the win, with nine strikeouts, three hits and one earned run.

“They have one of the better pitchers in this part of the state,” Braves coach Monte Ault said. “This was our first game, and we had a lot of girls getting their first varsity experience. One of our main pitchers (Hannah Fisher), is out for about a month or so with a shoulder (injury). I thought Kyra did a real good job. (Hauser) have some good hitters in their No. 3, 4 and 5 spots.”

The Jets finished with 14 hits, with Fugate registering three and Sims, Crain, and Starnes recording two. Nine different players finished with a hit for the Jets.

The Braves will play a pair of games at North Decatur today. They will face both the hosts and Southwestern (Hanover).

Ault said he thinks the team has a lot to build off after one game.

“I think we will have a pretty good season,” he said. “We’re trying to get better each game. I’m pretty positive about the season.”