Highlands' Lainey Kuhn is one of many underclassmen on the Bluebirds roster making valuable contributions. Photo Provided | Sally Schaefer

A busy week sure didn’t make this easy.

A lot of teams played four-plus games this past week and it didn’t help make things much more clearer, especially on the baseball diamond.

The Doc Morris Invitational made for a hectic weekend with a lot of area teams beating each other. It also made things tough on teams with either limited arms due to district seed games during the week or a couple of high-scoring affairs. But the way the regional and state tournaments are set up, depth on the pitching staff is key.

On the softball diamond, Highlands continued to show why they’re the No. 1 team, again using a late rally to top Dixie Heights in similar fashion to doing so in last year’s Ninth Region championship game. Ryle flexed their muscles on Cooper in a key district tilt while Notre Dame picked up an impressive victory over Campbell County.

Here goes for the LINK nky top 10 baseball and softball teams for Boone, Campbell and Kenton County.

BASEBALL

Beechwood put up 14 runs on Thursday against Ryle, giving them 117 through their first 12 games of the season. Photo provided
  1. Beechwood (10-3, Previous Ranking: 4) — Looking like the team to beat come late May in the Ninth Region. Put up an eight-spot on Ryle in the first inning on Thursday as they cruised to a 14-6 victory. The offense continues to pile it on, up to 9.5 runs per game.

2. Ryle (11-5, Previous Ranking: 1) — Huge showdown with Conner this week as the two will battle for the No. 1 seed in the 33rd District. Ryle just has to go 1-1 in the two games on Tuesday and Wednesday, thanks to Boone County pulling off an upset of Conner last week. Even with two losses (the second one was a wash to Batesville, Indiana with Coach Joe Aylor admitting they would play most of their JV), the Raiders are still one of the tops in the area.

3. Conner (14-3, Previous Ranking: 3) — See No. 2. Need to win two off the Raiders this week to claim the top spot in the 33rd. Despite the split with Boone County and a loss to Paintsville, the Cougars proved they still rank among the elite in the area with wins over Highlands and Simon Kenton. The win over the Pioneers was a pitcher’s duel to the fullest, Zander Allen went nine innings for the Cougars in the 2-0, 10-inning victory. Allen scattered seven hits and struck out five, control in full command without a walk and 87 pitches.

4. Campbell County (13-3, Previous Ranking: 5) — Camels have won seven straight with their first taste of district play on deck Tuesday when they play at Scott. In their 5-0 week last week, Campbell County outscored the opponent 51-8.

Highlands has allowed just 14 runs over their last seven games. Photo by G. Michael Graham | LINK nky

5. Highlands (9-7, Previous Ranking: 6) — The Bluebirds are a one-run loss away to Conner from making an even bigger jump. Nonetheless, they’ve won six of their last seven after a 3-6 start to the season and their pitching has been lights out during this stretch. They’ve allowed 14 runs in their last seven and held the opponent to one or no runs in four of them.

6. Simon Kenton (9-5, Previous Ranking: 7) — A mixed bag this week with wins over Henry County and CovCath, followed by losses to Conner and Highlands. Every game was decided by two runs or less. In fact, their last seven games have all been decided by two runs or less. The win over CovCath was a rally from a 6-0 hole.

7. Covington Catholic (9-4, Previous Ranking: 2) — Colonels went 3-3 last week as they allowed 45 runs. In their first seven games, they had allowed 16 runs. With only 15 players on the varsity roster, their pitching depth was tested.

Walton-Verona won their third straight Eighth Region All “A” championship with victories over Owen County, Eminence and Carroll County. Photo provided | Walton-Verona Athletics

8. Walton-Verona (10-3, Previous Ranking: 8) — The Bearcats claimed yet another Eighth Region All “A” Championship, their third straight. They’ll play Highlands Latin on Friday in the first round of the All “A” state tournament. A win there would get them a matchup with host Campbellsville in the quarterfinals on Saturday, April 29. The Bearcats are doing it with their pitching, allowing 12 runs over their last eight games, winning six of those eight.

9. Bishop Brossart (9-8, Previous Ranking: 9) — These last two spots were tough. Brossart stays in the top 10 despite some tough losses to Pendleton County and Bracken County in the 10th Region All “A” Championship.

10. Boone County (6-8-1, Previous Ranking: NR) — A win over state ranked Conner will get you here. The Rebels show the depth of the 33rd District where there is no nights off.

Next up: Dixie Heights (6-10) Cooper (4-13), St. Henry (4-9)

SOFTBALL

  1. Highlands (11-3, Previous Ranking: 1) — A 4-1 week keeps Highlands at the top spot that included wins over Simon Kenton and Dixie Heights. It’s a young team with just two seniors and coach Milt Horner has not been afraid to put his youngsters in big spots in big moments, evident in the win over Dixie when freshman Kaitlyn Dixon tossed a complete game.
Ryle junior pitcher Maddie Goddard sets up for a pitch in the game at Cooper on Thursday. Goddard (6-4) struck out six and walked none in the 13-3 Ryle win. Photo by G. Michael Graham | LINK nky

2. Ryle (6-5, Previous Ranking: 3) — Impressive wins over Conner and Cooper has them in the early driver’s seat of the 33rd District and bump up a spot despite two walk-off losses to Pendleton County on Saturday in a doubleheader. If they can beat Boone County and Conner this week, they’ll be closer to clinching the top spot in the district.

3. Cooper (11-4, Previous Ranking: 2) — The offense continues to rake, they’ve scored 154 runs in 15 games. The other facet of the game in the field has been hit or miss, they’ve posted six shutouts, but have allowed 82 runs in the other nine games.

Dixie Heights again threatened Highlands, but couldn’t close the game out in the seventh inning. G. Michael Graham | LINK nky

4. Dixie Heights (7-9, Previous Ranking: 4) — An impressive 13-0 win over Simon Kenton keeps Dixie Heights in the No. 4 spot. Again showed they’re more than a capable opponent for Highlands, holding a 5-3 lead into the seventh before a 7-5 loss.

5. Notre Dame (4-1, Previous Ranking: 8) — The meat of their schedule starts this week with 17 games over the next four weeks. Dixie Heights and Simon Kenton are on the docket this week.

6. Campbell County (8-3, Previous Ranking: 7) — In their eight wins, they’ve allowed 21 runs, in their three losses, they’ve allowed 29 runs.

7. Simon Kenton (10-5, Previous Ranking: 5) — A mixed bag of results last week with a nice win over Pendleton County and Holy Cross (Louisville) mixed in with a tight loss to Highlands and run-ruled by Dixie Heights and nine-run loss to Male.

Boone County went 1-2 last week with a key 33rd District win over Conner. Photo provided | Boone County Athletics

8. Boone County (5-9, Previous Ranking: NR) — Quite the up and down week. Lost in a 24-14 shootout to Cooper, followed it up with a 11-1 run-rule victory over Conner and then a run-rule loss to Campbell County.

9. Conner (7-8, Previous Ranking: 9) — Need to get some momentum in district play with Cooper and Ryle on tap this week. If not, they’re staring at a No. 4 seed.

10. Bishop Brossart (9-6, Previous Ranking: 6) — Spent Spring Break in Pigeon Forge, TN and then came home to compete in the 10th Region All “A” Classic, falling to Bracken County in the championship.

Next up: Scott (6-5)