NEW ALBANY, Ind. – Floyd Central product Caroline Cato threw a no-hitter in her first collegiate start as the Grenadiers rolled past Midway College in the season opener for IU Southeast.
Great defense and pitching along with timely hitting sent the Grenadiers to a doubleheader sweep. IU Southeast won the first game 7-0 and the second 10-0 in five innings.
In game one, IU Southeast jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a two-run inside-the-park home run by Morgan Klosterman. Klosterman hit a liner into center field and it was not cut off and rolled to the wall. Montanah Rogers came around to score after hitting a double for her first collegiate hit. Klosterman slid in ahead of the throw to make it 2-0 in unique fashion.
The Grenadiers (2-0, 2-0 KIAC) tacked on three more runs in the second, capped off by a sacrifice fly by Shelby Lucas, who brought in Morgan Klosterman.
That was more than enough run support for Jessica Leanhart, who picked up right where she left off from last year's stellar freshman campaign. She pitched a complete game, two-hit shutout and struck out 10 and walked two.
The stellar Grenadier defense offered great support to Leanhart as well. Senior third baseman Summer Sanders, in her first collegiate start at the position, made a diving catch to save a hit and snagged a line drive that was heading for left on back-to-back plays.
Montanah Rogers went 2-for-4 and scored two runs in her first collegiate start.
In game two, the IU Southeast offense struck for seven runs the first two innings to put the game away early.
Shelby Lucas and Katelyn Heines each knocked in runs during the rally to spark the offense.
Caroline Cato worked all five innings and did not allow a hit. She walked four and struck out the final batter of the game to the get the win in her first collegiate start.
Cato is the first Grenadier pitcher to throw a no-hitter in her first collegiate start.
"Caroline showed great poise in her first start," head coach Joe Witten said. "She has been throwing well in practice and I knew she was going to do well today, I didn't expect her to throw a no-hitter but expected great things from her. Her velocity was very good today and the hitters had trouble making good contact on her pitches. It was a great day all around for our team."
The Grenadiers host St. Catharine Wednesday at 2 p.m.
