Fishers High School

The Fishers Tigers JV1 Red (16–8, 9–7 HCC) captured the 2026 Hamilton County/HCC Championship with a hard-fought 3–2 win over the Southeastern Royals, powered by timely hitting and clutch pitching. Eli Poisel delivered the decisive blow, ripping a go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure the title. Fishers struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Cullen Wolf, who led off with a single, came around to score on a wild pitch. The Royals answered quickly in the top of the third with a two-run home run to take a 2–1 lead—though it would prove to be their only scoring of the game. The Tigers responded to tie things up behind Drake Carnahan, who led off with a triple and later scored on a Kellan Ferguson double. With the game hanging in the balance, Fishers’ defense delivered a pivotal moment in the sixth inning. After a leadoff single and a series of miscues allowed the Royals runner to reach third base, another pitch got away, but catcher Aaron Einsfeld alertly recovered and flipped to pitcher Luke Benefiel to cut down the runner at the plate, preserving the tie. That momentum carried into the bottom half of the inning. Isaac Fernandez sparked the offense with a single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Preston Tidwell. On the very next pitch, Poisel drove a ball into the right centerfield gap, bringing Fernandez home and giving the Tigers a 3–2 lead. On the mound, Luke Benefiel was outstanding, earning the win after six strong innings. He allowed just six hits and one walk while striking out eight. Hayden Dowell closed out the championship in dominant fashion, striking out the first two batters he faced before inducing a weak ground ball to seal the victory and earn his second save of the day. With the win, the Tigers capped off the 2026 season with a memorable tournament run and captured the Hamilton County/HCC crown through a combination of resilience, timely execution, and standout performances on both sides of the ball.