The Dixie Heights Colonels softball team showed reasons why the 9th Region Coaches picked the 2019 region champions second in the pre-season poll. The host Colonels run-ruled the Bishop Brossart ‘Stangs 10-0 in five innings in the season-opener for both teams.
“It’s always good to get the first win under you belt so you can take a little sigh of relief,” said Sarah Osborne, Dixie Heights Head Coach. “Obviously, we’re not playing our best. We don’t want to be playing our best yet. But we’re happy with what we saw coming out.”
Things started on the mound for Dixie Heights with sophomore pitcher Riley Hopkins. The experienced pitcher threw a complete game striking out six to go with two walks and just four hits throwing 75 pitches. The Colonels played error-free defense behind her.
“Riley never gives up. When she gets into tough situations, she carries us through everything,” Dixie Heights senior second baseman Bri Patsel said of Hopkins. “As a defense, we pick her up whenever we can. We’ll never quit.”
The Colonels batted an impressive .435 (10 for 23) at the plate with two extra-base hits. They also took advantage of three Bishop Brossart errors, one wild pitch and two passed balls.
Sophomore first baseman/left fielder Skylar Mitchell went 2 for 2 for Dixie Heights recording two runs batted in and scoring twice. She gave the Colonels the only run they needed in the bottom of the second inning homering to right center field.
“I think seeing my ball hit over the fence got us in our hitting groove,” Mitchell said. “Hitting is contagious. Once you see one person hit, you just keep going with it.”
Patsel and the other Dixie Heights senior in third baseman Ava Meyer both went 2 for 3. Meyer had a double.
“We started off a little slow. We had a conversation before the game about being consistent and scoring big in one inning then laying dead,” Osborne said. “Toward the end, we kind of picked it up a little bit. We had a few nice shots. We’re still looking to get better at the plate. But it’ll come with more reps and them relaxing a little bit more.”
Dixie Heights led 1-0 after two innings then scored three in the bottom of the third to go up 4-0. Patsel led off with a single, stole second, took third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch. Junior catcher Becca Cundiff walked, then seventh grade pinch runner Haley Waters took second on a wild pitch then scored her first of two runs on a Bishop Brossart error. Sophomore Taylor Ingram reached on that error and ultimately scored her first of two runs on a Mitchell single.
The Colonels put the game away in the fifth inning with six runs. Meyer doubled, stole third then scored when junior shortstop Ella Steczynski singled and reached second on an error. Steczynski then scored on a Cundiff single. After Waters and Ingram scored, Mitchell scored when junior first baseman Lauren Martin hit a sacrifice fly to left. After an intentional walk to Patsel, Meyer flew out to center. Hopkins appeared to be out trying to score from third. But she scored on an error to end the game.
Junior Morgan Kramer started on the mound for Bishop Brossart before junior Ava Thomas finished it. Bishop Brossart put two runners on in the first and fifth innings, but could not push any runs across.
Dixie Heights travels to Meade County (1-0) on Saturday. Game time is Noon in Bradenburg. Bishop Brossart takes on Lloyd Memorial on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Softball:
Simon Kenton 8, Frederick Douglass 1:
Simon Kenton moved to 2-0 on the season with the home win over the Broncos (0-1).
Sophomore Addison Johnson (1-0) picked up the win on the mound for Simon Kenton pitching the first five innings before sophomore Landrey Dance pitched the final two combing for a one-hitter. They struck out five each.
Freshman second baseman Larkin Mitchell led Simon Kenton at the plate going 3 for 4 with a double, two runs batted in and a run scored. Dance went 2 for 2 with three RBI and two walks. Senior shortstop Alexis Baker, sophomore catcher Emilie Young, senior Paige Heringer and eighth grade first baseman Adreena Barton had two hits each. Baker and Heringer scored twice. Simon Kenton batted .517 (15 of 29) as a team.
Simon Kenton faces North Laurel on Saturday at Noon.
Baseball:
Calvary Christian 17, Newport 1:
The Cougars are 3-0 with their third win in three days to open the season on the road against the Wildcats (0-1) in five innings.
Calvary Christian batted .424 (14 of 33) at the plate. Senior Joseph Ruwe led the way going 3 for 5 with one home run, five runs batted in and two runs scored. Senior Jordan Corbin went 2 for 3 with one home run, two walks, two RBI and four runs scored.
Four Cougars had multi-hit games. Junior Troy McCann went 3 for 4 with two RBI and one run scored and sophomore Connor Rossiter went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior Luke Ruwe scored twice and plated two with Senior Ty Zachary scoring twice.
Senior Maxwell Mckenzie (1-0) started the game picking up the win. He pitched four innings striking out nine and allowing three hits, one earned run and two walks. McCann pitched the fifth striking out two and walking one.
Other Wednesday NKY Baseball Scores:
Ludlow 7, Dayton 2
Bracken County 9, Holy Cross 2
Newport Central Catholic 12, Villa Madonna 2 (6 innings)
Tates Creek 7, Boone County 1