DCHS wins sectional crown The Lady Oracles varsity softball team has won back-to-back sectional championships. The team defeated Fountain Central 15-0 to claim the title. Team members pictured are (l-r): Front - Kara Laxson, Megan Yates, Brianna Walters, Brittney Atwood, Aspen Wallace, Leslie Kayser. Middle - Jordyn Beighler, Chanler Norman, Morgan Lavy, Whitney Arion, Danielle Burge, Brittani Rhodes, Randee Schultz, Carli Rouhier, Caitlin Schock. Back - Coaches Jimmy Arion, Randy German and Jeff Bieghler. Photo provided Delphi's Lady Oracles have repeated as Sectional champion after winning two games last week in Sectional 37, hosted by Carroll Jr.-Sr. High School. In their first round game the Oracles defeated the Seeger Lady Patriots 7-2, then pounded the Lady Mustangs of Fountain Central 15-0 on Wednesday night.

Vs. Seeger

Anytime a team wins and advances in the sectional, things are going well. But ask the Oracle coaching staff about the win and they would express disappointment in Delphi's level of play. The Lady Oracles won but did not play with the intensity and concentration seen in the last few weeks of regular season. While committing only one fielding error, the Lady Oracles made 5 base running errors… and still came out on top.

Senior pitcher Brittney Atwood continued her excellent season, notching her 17th win. Atwood allowed only two hits, gave up no walks, and struck out 8 Lady Patriots. The Seeger pitcher did not far so well. After giving up a lead off single to Whitney Arion, Arion was able to score on three wild pitches. The Seeger pitcher did finally settle down but still gave up 13 hits to the Oracles. Nine Oracle batters got base hits with Arion and Atwood getting three each. Caitlin Schock and Brittney Rhodes had two RBIs each. Junior left-fielder Danni Burge and Rhodes got the only extra base hits of the game, both hitting doubles.

Vs. Fountain Central

Wednesday night in the championship game the Lady Oracles faced the Fountain Central Lady Mustangs who had defeated Carroll 2-1 in a nine-inning first round game on Memorial Day. The Lady Mustangs bounded the Bulldogs of Clinton Central in round two 13-0, but found themselves facing an intense Oracle team in the championship.

The Lady Oracles, visitors in this game, batted first. The tone of the game was set early as the first two batters for the Oracles, Arion and sophomore first baseman Chanler Norman, both bounded double, two of the 8 doubles the Oracles would hit on the evening. While only coming away with one run in the first, Arion's score on Norman's RBI, the game was really over in the second inning.

In the second inning the two lead off batters, Rhodes and Aspen Wallace, both got on with singles. Starting pitcher Atwood cleared the bases with a three-run home run over the right field fence.

With two outs, Norman, Carli Rouhier, Schock, Burge, and Rhodes all hit back-to-back doubles. In total, the Oracles sent 13 batters to the plate in this inning, collecting 10 hits and scoring 8 runs. The third inning was much the same with lead-off batter Arion getting a single then Norman brought her home on a two-run home run over the center field fence.

By this point in the game the Fountain Central coaches had moved the outfield to the warning track, the centerfielder could be seen with her back to the fence talking to the TV cameraman who was filming from center field.

With the score 15-0 in the fourth inning the Delphi coaches made sure everyone got to enjoy playing in a Sectional championship game.

While the Mustang pitcher was giving up 20 hits to the Oracles, Atwood and Schock combined for a two-hit shut out. Atwood got the victory, number 18 on the season, and had a no-hitter with two outs in the third when the number nine batter got a line drive single just over the glove of leaping shortstop Arion. This was the only hit given up by Atwood who immediately struck out the next batter she faced, stranding the Lady Mustang runner on first. Schock gave up a one run hit, a single to the first Mustang batter she faced, but that runner soon returned to the dug out when Arion and Norman combined for a double play with the next Mustang batter.

The Lady Oracles will face Lewis Cass, defending state champions, in the Regional Saturday, hosted by Eastern of Howard County. The Oracles had defeated Cass 1-0 in the first game of the season. Game time Saturday is 11 a.m.

The winner of this game will face the winner of the 1 p.m. game between Madison- Grant and South Adams. The championship game will be played at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $5 per session or $ 8 for a full day pass. Support the Lady Oracles!