Lady Oracles win four more softball games
By John Dunn Contributing sportswriter

Entering another tough stretch of their schedule this week, the Delphi Lady Oracle girls' softball team took care of business at hand, winning four of five games to improve its overall record to 15-5.

The Class 2A #14-ranked Oracles pounded Frankfort 13-2 (5 innings) Monday night, after sweeping Sheridan in games played last week and splitting with Tipton over the weekend, both Hoosier Conference opponents.

Delphi will have little time to rest on its laurels, with upcoming games at Class 1A #3-ranked Frontier on Thursday (4:30 p.m. start) before hosting Class 2A #15-ranked Winamac for a twinbill on Saturday at 10 a.m.

At Frankfort

The Lady Oracles' offensive prowess continues to amaze opponents after another 15-hit performance (seven for extra bases) against the Hot Dogs in a game shortened due to the 10-run rule.

Carli Rouhier led the way going 3-for-4, including two triples and 3 RBIs, while Amanda Schultz finished 2-of-4 with 3 RBIs in the contest.

Four other Oracles had at least two hits including Kayla Yates, Brittney Atwood, Chanler Norman and Brittany Tyner, with Atwood and Norman adding a double and an RBI apiece and Tyner a double.

Whitney Arion added a 2-RBI triple and Emily Kayser had an RBI double during the explosive outburst.

Atwood earned her 10th victory of the season on the mound, striking out five and not allowing an earned run.

Vs. Sheridan

Delphi collected 17 hits and Atwood struck out a season-high 12 in a 10-2 rout last Tuesday against Sheridan.

Atwood allowed only two hits and one earned run in a strong performance on the mound, while Yates led the offensive barrage finishing a perfect 4-for- 4, including a triple and 2 RBIs.

Schultz went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI's, while Rouhier was 2-of- 4, including a double, a triple and 3 RBIs.

Arion and Norman each had two hits with a double apiece, with Atwood again supporting her pitching efforts with her bat, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Kristina Barnard added to the Oracles six extra-base hits with an RBI triple and E. Kayser went 1-for-1 as well.

The Lady Oracles needed extra innings on Thursday night at Sheridan in the rematch of the home-and-home conference series, finally defeating the Blackhawks 5-4 in 8 innings.

Norman led off the 8th inning with a single and advanced to 2nd base on a sacrifice bunt by Leslie Kayser, then scored what proved to be the game-winning run after E. Kayser's single to right-center.

Delphi again had 10 hits - including four for extra-bases - led by Arion's 3-for-4 performance, including a double and two runs scored.

Yates led the way with 3 RBI's, while E. Kayser finished 2-of-4 with an RBI. Tyner added an RBI double to go along with Atwood's triple and L. Kayser's double in another extra-base hitting clinic.

Atwood earned the decision on the hill, pitching in relief of Schultz, while combining for 10 strikeouts.

At Tipton

Six Oracle errors proved costly in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday at Tipton, as the Blue Devils stayed around long enough to take an 8-5 gutwrenching victory with a 3-run walk-off home run in their final at-bat.

For the first time this season, Delphi had more errors than it scored runs, while also being limited to just eight hits in the contest after averaging 12 per game on the season.

Yates was the lone Lady Oracle with more than one hit, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Arion added an RBI double and L. Kayser had a 6th inning triple.

Rouhier, Schultz, Tyner and Atwood had the other Delphi hits, while Schultz, Atwood & E. Kayser had an RBI.

Atwood suffered the hard-luck loss, despite allowing only three earned runs in the contest.

The second contest saw Delphi jump in front early with a pair of runs in its first at-bat, before cruising to the 9-5 victory.

Despite four more fielding miscues, the Lady Oracles found their aggressiveness at the plate with 13 hits, including six more of the extra-base variety.

Arion again led the attack; finishing 3-for-4 with a home run, a triple, 3 RBIs and three runs scored, while Yates, Rouhier, Schultz, L. Kayser and Atwood each collected two hits apiece.

Schultz improved her season pitching record to 5-1, allowing only two earned runs and added two RBIs, while Rouhier had two doubles and an RBI, Yates a double and an RBI and L. Kayser accounted for the other double.

Atwood and Barnard also each finished with an RBI apiece.

The Lady Oracles hosted North White Tuesday night (too late for print), then are at Frontier Thursday, hosting the double header vs. Winamac on Saturday, before hosting Northwestern Monday at 4:30 p.m. and then traveling to Clinton Prairie on Tuesday at 4:30.