Lady Eagles top No. 2 Center Grove, improve to 4-0

There is a different vibe around the Zionsville softball team this year.

And if there was any question on whether or not that was the case, Wednesday night's 8-7 win over second-ranked Center Grove should answer a lot of those questions.

The win improved the Eagles to 4-0 for the first time in more than a decade, and they enter into spring break on a high note.

"They are playing well and they aren't afraid of what's on the front of the shirt," Zionsville head coach Mike Garrett said. "We tell them all the time, that everyone has a plan until they get hit in the mouth. They are playing loose, patient and we have a really good group that isn't surprised by this success."

Zionsville has had talent over the past several years, but just hasn't been able to put it together.

The teams last winning season was in 2018. 

Garrett said this team isn't concerned about what happened in the past, they are solely focused on the next game in front of them.

"They aren't overthinking it," Garrett said. "They aren't thinking about last year, or any of that, they are just focused on the next play. They are excited to play and go out there and compete."

There are a couple of things that have stood out about the Eagles 4-0 start.

One is the pitching and defense, with sophomore Leah Helton leading the way on the mound.

In 18 innings pitched this year, Helton has allowed just 10 hits and four earned runs (1.55 ERA), while striking out 26 batters.

"She is pitching with a lot of courage right now," Garrett said. "She worked really hard in the weight room this off-season and you are seeing the mental side of it too. Even in the tough innings, it's bend but don't break and hang with it. She came off the mound in the fourth and fifth inning saying she was feeling great and we weren't even thinking about taking her out, when that wasn't always the case last year."

The Eagles saw glimpses last year of the type of pitcher Helton could be last year, including the sectional where she only allowed an unearned run to HSE in a 1-0 loss.

She also had some struggles, but Garrett said she has been able to learn from those experiences to help her this year.

A prime example came on Wednesday, when Center Grove chipped into the Eagles 8-3 lead, scoring two unearned runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to get within 8-7. 

But Helton struck out the final batter in the sixth with the tying run on third and then struck out the side in the seventh to clinch the win.

"She is starting to see she belong with the best out there," Garrett said. "It's just softball, a lot of these girls have played at a high level at different levels coming up. They are starting to understand what it takes to be successful."

Along with the pitching, the Eagles bats are coming along too.

They are averaging nearly 11 runs a game and have threats up and down the line-up.

Already this season, eight different girls have had multi-hit games, and 10 girls have had a game with multiple RBIs or multiple runs scored.

Wednesday, the Eagles had two four-run runs where they sent eight players to the plate each time.

The first rally started with lead-off hitter Olivia Kohler while the second started off with the bottom half of the order with Emma Vargo and included a 2-run home run from 9-hitter Sylvia Mudis.

Garrett said he likes the balance of the line-up right now and said the girls don't care where they are in it - they just want to contribute any way they can.

"We have groups of three with speed, power and contact," Garrett said. "We are never out of an inning. We are scoring a lot with two outs and the girls know just to keep fighting and focus on the next pitch and are comfortable in any situation. It's been a good start, now we have to sustain it."

The unfortunate part about getting the big win on Wednesday is now the Eagles are off for nearly two weeks as they head off to Spring Break.

When they get back, they start conference play off with HSE.

"We are familiar with that layoff because it's been like that the last couple of years," Garrett said. "We are going to have some practices at the end of next week, and then go out and give it our best. We know with our schedule we are going to be challenged every game and there are going to be some ups and downs, but our girls are ready for the challenge."