Indiana

Homers, gems and steals: Vote for IndyStar softball players of the week (Sectionals)

Published

2 years ago

May 27, 2024

Press Room

Homers, gems and steals: Vote for IndyStar softball players of the week (Sectionals)

IndyStar will be recognizing the top softball players in Indiana with our players of the week poll.

Scroll to the bottom of the article to vote. Voting is open until 3 p.m. TUESDAY.

We may be doing Players of the Week for regionals. Stay tuned for details!

Congratulations to Heritage Christian’s Naomi Swisher on being voted Player of the Week for May 13-18! The freshman doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in five more in a 15-2 win over Brebeuf.

Here are this week’s nominees.

Insider: Ranking Central Indiana’s 15 sectional champions entering regionals

Regionals: Statewide pairings, schedule, scores

Reagan Bauer, Mooresville

Bauer pitched a five-inning perfect game with nine strikeouts vs. Martinsville in the sectional quarterfinals, went 2-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs against Bloomington North in the semis, then clocked a couple more hits and scored twice in the championship game vs. Center Grove. The junior batted a career-best .347 with 14 RBIs, 28 runs and 10 doubles.

More: Pios made Center Grove ‘earn everything’ in sectional final

Morgan Burgess, Gibson Southern

The senior delivered at the plate and in the circle. She totaled four hits, five RBIs (two in the semis vs. Evansville Memorial and three in the final vs. Princeton) and two runs. Burgess also pitched six innings in the sectional semifinal vs. Evansville Memorial, striking out five and allowing only one earned run (two total) on four hits over six innings.

Elise Coleman, Floyd Central

The sophomore homered twice, doubled once, drove in four runs and scored thrice in a 9-1 title-clinching win over Jeffersonville. Coleman also had an RBI single in a 7-4 semifinal win over Jennings County.

Brylie Couch, Triton Central

The junior pitched a no-hitter in the semifinals vs. Heritage Christian, racking up 13 strikeouts and issuing only one walk. Couch also had a hit and an RBI, then went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored in the championship game vs. Scecina.

Leilani Forshey, Greenfield-Central

The junior hit her 13th homer of the season and drove in three runs in GC’s semifinal win over Mt. Vernon, then collected three hits and three RBIs in the final vs. New Palestine. Forshey finished the season batting .419 with 31 hits, 34 RBIs, 23 runs scored and 13 home runs.

Holly Garrett, Beech Grove

Garrett scored twice against Purdue Poly, then delivered in the bottom of the seventh vs. Speedway. With the score tied at 3, the senior ripped a one-out double to left, stole third and came in to score the winning run on a Kylee Robinson base hit. She also had two assists and a putout in the field.

Riley Janda, Center Grove

Janda was held hitless in the semifinals against Bloomington South, but she took off against Mooresville, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a homer. She scored once and recorded four RBIs, giving her the school’s single-season record with 59.

‘They’re going to go far.’ Healthy, confident & hungry Center Grove claims sectional title.

Caitlin LaFerney, Yorktown

The senior hurler led the Tigers back to regionals. She pitched a two-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts and only one walk in a 12-0 win over Centerville (6 innings), then allowed only two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and zero walks in a 4-2 win over Jay County in the final. LaFerney also had three hits and an RBI vs. Centerville.

Emma Luther, New Prairie

Luther delivered a two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the sixth in the sectional championship game vs. Jimtown. She finished the game 1-for-2 with two walks, two RBIs and a run scored. The senior had hits against South Bend Riley and South Bend Washington, with an RBI vs. Riley and a run scored vs. Washington.

Anna Moore, Cathedral

The Purdue commit finished a double shy of the cycle vs. Pike, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, three runs and a couple steals, then matched her hit total vs. Lawrence North with four runs and a couple RBIs. She also cleared two milestones last week, reaching 50 hits and 50 runs for the season.

Sydney Oliver, New Palestine

The senior logged a hit, an RBI and a run scored vs. Muncie Central, then picked up three hits, three RBIs and three runs vs. Pendleton Heights and two hits and two RBIs vs. Greenfield-Central. Oliver, who tripled twice, was also perfect on six chances in the outfield with five putouts, an assist and one highlight-reel double play vs. the Arabians.

‘Everyone was spectacular.’ New Palestine’s flawless fielding highlights semifinal rout

Ava Poulson, Huntington North

The senior twirled two one-hit shutouts to punch the Vikings’ ticket to regional. Poulson issued only one walk in both outings, and struck out 13 vs. Fort Wayne South Side (five innings) and eight vs. Columbia City. She also collected four hits (two triples), four runs and two RBIs at the plate.

Sydney Rainford, North Newton

The junior pitched all 10 innings of Saturday’s sectional championship game vs. Illiana Christian, allowing four unearned runs on five hits with a walk and 12 strikeouts. She also logged a hit, two walks and two steals in the 5-4 win. Rainford pitched a four-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in the semifinals vs. Hammond Bishop Noll and a five-inning perfect game with 14 strikeouts vs. Whiting in the quarterfinals.

Maddie Rose, Castle

Rose clocked a double and two runs in an 11-1 win over Evansville Reitz, then collected a couple more hits (one homer), three runs scored and four RBIs in a 13-0 rout of Evansville North in the championship game.

Logan Rumble, Penn

The sophomore helped ensure a stress-free three-game run through sectionals for the defending 4A champions, collecting seven hits, five runs and six RBIs. Her collection of hits included doubles in each game and a grand slam in the final vs. Elkhart.

Paige Stires, Lapel

The sophomore played a big role in the Bulldogs’ run to a second consecutive sectional title. She went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in a 2-1 win over Frankton, then collected two more hits and another run scored vs. Alexandria-Monroe.

More: Free of pressure, expectations, Roncalli softball looking to make a name for itself

Hannah Sutton, Avon

The senior Murray State commit went 4-for-7 (.571 average) with a couple home runs and five RBIs as Avon won its fourth consecutive sectional title. Sutton accounted for two hits (one homer), three RBIs and a run scored in a 7-1 win over Plainfield in the semifinals.

Grace Swedarsky, Hamilton Southeastern

Swedarsky pitched a two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts vs. Westfield, a no-hitter with 17 strikeouts and only one baserunner (hit-by-pitch) in the semifinal vs. Zionsville, then struck out 12 vs. Noblesville to lift Hamilton Southeastern to its first sectional title since 2017.

‘The umpires are wowed. I am, too.’ Grace Swedarsky tosses no-hitter in sectional semis

More: Grace Swedarsky keeps mowing ’em down, HSE wins first softball sectional title since 2017

Payton Wulf, South Bend St. Joseph

The freshman shined through the final two rounds of sectionals, collecting three hits and five RBIs. She was excellent vs. Mishawaka in the final, going 2-for-4 with a homer, a run scored and three RBIs.

Izzy Zapp, Noblesville

Zapp made her postseason debut with a 5-for-5 performance that included three runs and six RBIs in the Class 4A Sectional 8 semifinals vs. Fishers. She logged another hit against HSE in the final. The freshman finished the year batting .386 with 22 hits, 13 RBIs and 14 runs scored.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.

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Indiana

Mother and boyfriend accused in death of 4-year-old boy found in closet

Published

5 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Mother and boyfriend accused in death of 4-year-old boy found in closet

This story contains descriptions of distressing circumstances involving children.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A mother and her boyfriend were accused of causing the death of a 4-year-old-boy found dead in a basement closet on Monday.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrested Angel Lovely, 37, and Nicholas Bergdoll, 36, on preliminary charges of neglect of a dependent causing death. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office by Friday had not filed formal charges.

A sibling found the 4-year-old dead on Monday, according to investigators. Lovely and Bergdoll were in the home at the time but told police they were asleep when he died.

Born premature with cerebral palsy, the 4-year old couldn’t walk, was nonverbal, and ate through a feeding tube. Lovely claimed she would rarely put the child in the closet, only “when he won’t stop screaming” or when she “needed a break.”

But when investigators interviewed Lovely’s three other children, they said that the boy “stays in the closet all day,” and that “mom locks him in the closet” and “does not pay attention to him.”

An exact cause of death hasn’t been determined, but the child was found with blood in his mouth. Lovely said he’d been aspirating.

One of Lovely’s children told investigators they heard the 4-year-old gagging but didn’t say anything because it wasn’t unusual.

A neighbor living on Monticello Drive, Michelle Johnson, told News 8, “It’s horrible. It breaks my heart.”

Johnson had seen the other children outside the home but never knew there was a boy in a wheelchair living there. She said if she suspected they were being neglected, she would have called police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.

“We’re supposed to be a village and raise kids together,” Johnson said. “That’s really heartbreaking.”

Bergdoll told police, according to the investigators’ report, that he didn’t agree with putting the child in the closet: “I am not going to tell her how to f****** raise her kids.”

“I’m sickened,” IMPD Public Information Officer Tommy Thompson told News 8 in an interview.
“Think about putting yourself in that situation. Every day, do you want to be in a closet? Locked up, no light?”

Court records show the Department of Child Services had removed the boy from Lovely’s care because of medical neglect, but she regained custody last year against DCS recommendations.

Thompson, the neighbor, hopes the tragedy can be an opportunity for others to speak up when they see a child who can’t speak up for themselves. “Maybe you’ve got to make that tough phone call. Reach out. The city has resources.”

Johnson wishes she would have known what was happening so she could have said something. “Children don’t have a voice and we’re supposed to be their voice.”

Help is available for victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and sexual assault. Below is a list of suggested resources, both national and local:

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Indiana

Police arrest suspect in Westfield homicide

Published

17 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Police arrest suspect in Westfield homicide

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Police have arrested someone in connection to a homicide earlier this month in the Hamilton County city.

In a Friday night social media post, the Westfield Police Department announced the arrest but gave no details, including who was arrested or what preliminary charges the person may face.

“Due to the active nature of this case, limited details are available for release at this time,” the post said.

As WISHTV.com previously reported, James “Matt” Lushin, 47, was found dead shortly after 7:25 p.m. March 12 with trauma at his home in the 3900 block of Westfield Road, also known as State Road 32.

Social media posts from the scene showed police tape and emergency vehicles at a red brick house between Shady Nook Road and Gray Road.

Lushin’s obituary said the Kokomo native was a key partner with the real estate investment company, FLF Property. The obituary also said, “Matt was also a respected and accomplished member of the international poker community. He traveled the world competing in tournaments and built an impressive and successful career.”

Police have previously said the death was believed to be isolated, posing no ongoing threat.

Officials have not released a specific cause or manner of death.

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Retro Indy: Five years ago Covid confined March Madness to Indiana

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Retro Indy: Five years ago Covid confined March Madness to Indiana

Just three days before Selection Sunday in March of 2020, the NCAA announced that March Madness, like so many other events that spring, would be cancelled due to the new virus upending life. The decision marked the first time in tournament history that the final weeks of the college basketball season would not be played, squashing Atlanta’s plans to host the Final Four.

When the following year rolled around, the NCAA decided that March Madness would not succumb to the virus once more.

With a vaccine only on the horizon and hundreds of Americans still dying each day, the organization announced in November of 2020 that while the tournament would go on, it would certainly not be business as usual. All 67 games, NCAA officials said, would be held in one location. Central Indiana was the first choice as Indianapolis had been on tap to host the Final Four April 3-5.

The plan, said NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt in a November 2020 IndyStar article was to present “a safe, responsible and fantastic March Madness tournament unlike any other we’ve experienced.”

In January the NCAA made it official: All games would be played in and around Indianapolis in a modified version of a bubble.

Holding the tournament in one place just made sense, NCAA officials told IndyStar. Unlike in a typical year when a winning team would travel multiple times before the championship, this system would minimize travel, which could inadvertently expose players and coaches to the virus.

Two months later when the tournament kicked off on March 18, 55 of the 67 games were scheduled to be played in Indianapolis venues, such as Gainbridge (then Bankers Life) Fieldhouse, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indiana Farmers Coliseum and Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse. Purdue’s Mackey Arena and IU’s Assembly Hall also hosted games.

While the first Covid vaccine had arrived a few months earlier, few people outside of first responders and the most vulnerable had been immunized, so in an effort to avoid large crowds, the Indianapolis sites all capped tickets at 25% capacity. That meant only 17,500 people could attend games at the largest venue, Lucas Oil Stadium. The college arenas allowed far smaller audiences, with IU limiting attendance to 500 people.

A week before the tournament began Marion County Public Health Department officials and Mayor Joe Hogsett asked attendees to make smart public health choices, such as social distancing and obeying the face masks mandate. Referees donned masks as much as possible as did coaches and players on the bench.

The NCAA regularly tested athletes, administering 28,311 tests Covid tests during the tournament, 15 of which came back positive.

Post-mortems after the tournament asked whether the NCAA had made the right call. Two high profile deaths occurred in the aftermath of the tournament — one a University of Alabama superfan who had traveled to Indy for the games and the other a St. Elmo bartender. But proving a direct link between their deaths and the tournament would prove impossible, and some public health experts said the NCAA had done everything it could to protect athletes and fans short of canceling the event.

A study conducted by IU, Regenstrief researchers and others that appeared in August 2021 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that while mask wearing had theoretically been compulsory, about a quarter of attendees at the games were either not wearing masks or doing so inappropriately. Still, in an IndyStar article about the study Indiana Sports Corps president Ryan Vaughn termed the event “a resounding success.”

The following year, with a vaccine widely available and far fewer daily deaths from the virus, the tournament returned to a typical schedule, concluding in New Orleans’ Ceasars Superdome. More than 69,00 fans attended the final games, according to the NCAA. Local authorities had lifted the mask requirement by this point.

“Last year was about survival. Just having championships in any way, single site, keep everybody safe and be successful,” Gavitt said in an NCAA news release in late April 2022. “I think this year was about advancing.”

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