Photos: Conner with a firm grip on the 33rd District after taking down Ryle in slugfest

The temperature may have been chilly, but the bats were hot.

Conner’s softball team has a strangle-hold on the 33rd District after a 13-10 victory over Ryle on Monday night in Hebron, improving to 4-0 in district play. They now just need a win over Cooper on Wednesday or Ryle on May 1 to claim the top seed for the district tournament the third week of May.

Monday’s battle certainly didn’t lack any offense. Six homeruns were hit, four from Ryle and two from Conner. Ryle hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the top of the sixth inning as they turned a 10-0 deficit into a 11-10 game. Conner added two runs in the bottom of the sixth for insurance on small ball and Bayli Bell closed the door in the circle in the top of the seventh.

Conner (12-3) tallied nine hits on the day, jumping out to a 10-0 lead after three innings. Addison Santiago collected three hits and added two RBI. Jocelyn Ortiz hit one of the two Conner homers in the game, driving in three runs. Bre Meredith also drove in three runs and hit the other homer. Kayla Ortiz scored four runs, stealing three bases and recording a triple.

Ryle (11-4) dropped to 2-2 in district play. They collected 13 hits, but four errors proved costly. Kiley Patterson and Rayne Patsel led the way with three hits apiece, both leaving the yard for homeruns. Emily Gehring and Leah Broussard also left the yard with two hits apiece, Broussard driving in three runs. Patsel and Makenna Hirshey drove in two runs apiece.

The Lady Raiders still have an outside shot at the 1-seed. They’d need to beat Boone County on Wednesday and hope to win the rematch with Conner on May 1. They’d need help, Cooper would have to beat Conner on Wednesday in order for that to happen.

Conner controls their own destiny for the 1-seed in the district. Their busy six-game week continues on Tuesday with a home contest against Beechwood on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

Ryle hosts Boone County on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

33rd District standings after Monday:

Charles Bolton was there for photos on Monday with a slideshow of the game below: