Base: 4A #4 HSE thumps 4A #13 host Westfield, 12-3

Hamilton Southeastern senior shortstop Zach Starr went 3 for 4 with six runs batted in and the game’s only home run May 7 as Class 4A fourth-ranked HSE drilled 4A No. 13 host Westfield, 12-3, in a Hoosier Crossroads Conference baseball game.

The veteran Royals (15-3 overall, 9-2 in HCC play) jumped on the Shamrocks (13-4, 7-4) early and often, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning and three more in the second. Senior catcher Jake Straub opened the game with a double and scored later in the inning when HSE pieced together back-to-back-to-back singles, and Starr (34 RBIs on the season) got the big blast with two outs in the second after Straub and senior center fielder Rob Stein (29 RBIs) hit back-to-back doubles.

Westfield got on the board in the fourth frame when first baseman Matt Hammel doubled and was knocked in on a single by right fielder Brandon O’Connor.

But then Southeastern rebounded with three more runs in the sixth before adding two in the seventh, negating Westfield’s two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh that served only to get the final margin under double digits.

Starr wasn’t the only hitting hero on the day for HSE. Stein went 3 for 5 with one RBI, while senior starting pitcher Christian Leffler was 2 for 4 with three runs batted in. Straub and senior third baseman Christian Struck also collected two hits apiece for the Royals, who rapped out 15 hits for the game.

Leffler went six innings to get the win for HSE, striking out six while allowing just the one earned run and walking nobody. 

T.J. Ehrman took the loss for Westfield, going 4 1/3 innings and surrendering seven earned runs while striking out four and walking three. The Shamrocks had seven hits on the evening, including two from O’Connor.

The two teams will meet again at 11 a.m. ET May 8 at HSE.