Columbus North High School

May 26, 2023 - Columbus North (25-1-1) will face Shelbyville (19-8) for the Columbus North Softball Sectional championship on Friday evening at 7:00 pm after the Bull Dogs knocked off Whiteland 8-2 in the Sectional semifinals. Maddi Rutan struck out twelve batters and walked two while scattering six hits. The Bull Dogs built a 4-0 lead through four innings, but a pair of Warrior runs in the top of the fifth cut the lead to 4-2 and got the Bull Dogs’ full attention. Kirsten Danford then led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run over the left field wall, which led to a three-run inning for the Dogs to build the lead to 7-2. Another run in the bottom of the sixth for the Bull Dogs solidified the final tally. Danford was one of three Dogs to record multiple hits as Josie Lemmons had three from her leadoff spot, and Bailey King added a pair of singles for North. Columbus North beat Shelbyville 1-0 on April 6 in their only meeting during the regular season. Photo: Kirsten Danford led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo homerun en route to an 8-2 victory for the Bull Dogs over Whiteland. The Bull Dogs will face Shelbyville for the Sectional championship on Friday evening at 7:00 pm at the Southside Elementary diamonds.