Hannah Haines, center, is mobbed by teammates after hitting her first of three home runs Monday in Wawasee’s 6-4 win over Northridge. (Photos by Mike Deak)

SYRACUSE – Brian Haines stood atop the bleachers at Wawasee’s softball diamond Monday afternoon, grinning ear to ear. After his daughter, Hannah, crushed her third homer of the day, even the proud dad couldn’t help but shrug his shoulders as friends wondered where all the power came from.

Wawasee pitcher Amber Lemberg deals to Northridge’s Laura Black.

Hannah’s three homers, the first three of her varsity career, boosted Wawasee to a 6-4 win over Northridge in a key Northern Lakes Conference softball matchup.

Haines homered to left field in the second inning, to right field in the fourth and to dead center in the sixth. Admitting the trot was a completely foreign thing, “Cerrano” tried to take it all in stride.

“I don’t know where all that came from, I just had a clear mind today,” said the ultra-modest Haines after the game. “I was just trying to keep my calm. I really don’t know what to think. I just had a day today. The first one was exciting because I’ve never hit one before. The second one, I was like ‘what?’ The third one, I was just glad it happened because we needed the runs and we really needed a team win.”

Haines’ power surge was absolutely needed for a Wawasee team that limped, literally, through a rough weekend. After falling to NorthWood Friday and splitting at its home invite while missing a third of its varsity roster, Haines’ boost picked up a lineup that’s still trying to regain its footing.

Allissa Flores smacked a two-run triple down the line in right in the first inning after Madi Wilson and Kayla White both reached base on infield singles. The rest of the production came from Haines’ bombs.

Wawasee third baseman Madie Wilson readies herself.

Welcoming back Kylee Rostochak to the lineup after a school trip, the lineup was still missing Meghan Fretz (school trip), Ale Brito (ankle injury) and Danielle Gunkel (ankle injury). Getting some semblance of rhythm was paramount for Warrior head coach Jared Knipper.

“Haines basically won the game for us, but we had a lot of great things happen today,” Knipper said. “Hannah made some great plays at first and Flores was all over the place diving around throwing runners out. Hopefully, we saw a glimpse of the future today.

“This team is really starting to mature,” Knipper said. “The excuse of being immature out there is gone, they have been out there enough now. But even some of the issues we had this weekend, the kids were still out there having a blast. A couple things bounce differently and it’s a completely different outlook.”

Amber Lemberg, despite allowing 10 Northridge hits, had moments of breaking off some early season rust. The junior worked out of jams in the first, third and fourth, even taking a line shot to the knee but fighting through. Northridge managed just one run in the first and one in the third. In the seventh, Northridge plated two when Kylee Lantz drilled a two-run double, but the Raiders couldn’t get the tying run home.

Sami Deisler and Lantz both had three hits for the Raiders.

Lemberg struck out five and walked two in the game, helping Wawasee move to 3-1 in the NLC to sit with Goshen and Concord atop the conference hill. The Warriors are 10-3 overall and expect Fretz back in the lineup Wednesday at Plymouth.

The Wawasee JV pulled out a 6-5 win over Northridge. Leah deSomer and Bethany Flannery each doubled in the victory.

Wawasee’s Allissa Flores fist bumps head coach Jared Knipper after tripling in two runs.