Carly Waters had a lot from which to choose.
Dixie Heights’ junior right fielder could’ve said her 2-for-3 night was her favorite part in Wednesday’s 3-2 home win over Ryle.
Or, she could’ve selected her fourth-inning, two-run double that put the Colonels ahead for good.
Waters went with neither. Instead, she most fondly recalled Ryle’s first out in the top of the seventh inning – where she turned second baseman Lerin Moreland’s would-be single into a grassy groundout by firing the ball to first baseman Taylor Ingram – the first time she’d ever thrown anyone out from the outfield.
“We had just worked on it in practice (Tuesday),” Waters said. “I was getting a little frustrated not hitting that throw. I was, like, I have to do this … So I just went with my gut and threw it.”
Dixie coach Sarah Osborne liked everything.
“She had a Carly Day,” Osborne said.
Dixie pitcher Riley Hopkins had an equally strong game; she struck out five, walked only two and retired 16 of the final 17 Raiders she faced.
Hopkins was easy to spot after the game – she had pounds and pounds of ice on her right shoulder. She thinks she hurt it April 29 in an 8-7 win over East Central.
“I did have a shoulder injury a couple weeks ago, but I’m feeling good right now,” Hopkins said. “I had rotator cuff tendonitis.”
Ryle junior pitcher Maddie Goddard was pretty good, too – she allowed only four hits for the game.
In the first, Ryle (14-10) third baseman Payton Godfrey’s two-out walk went for naught because Hopkins struck out catcher Laci Schuster.
One of two Raider errors became an unearned run in the bottom of the first when Ingram reached first and Haley Waters scored.
“Defensively, we had a couple errors that cost us, I think, three runs,” Ryle coach Jarret Goddard said. “You’re not going to win unless you play good defense.”
Over the first three-plus innings, Dixie largely didn’t catch up to Goddard’s fastball – in seven outs, five went to either Goddard or Moreland.
The top third of Dixie’s lineup, Ella Steczynski, Haley Waters and Skylar Mitchell, was a combined 1-for-8.
“As far as our girls go, I think at this point right now we’re just pressing,” Osborne said. “I think our top three hitters, right now they’re pressing a little too much … They need to start taking some pitches and getting their pitch.”
Ryle took a 2-1 lead in the second. Kiley Patterson, running for Goddard, who had walked, came home on Aaliyah Kaseke’s bunt single, and Laci DeLauder’s single to center plated Kaseke two batters later.
After Mitchell opened the bottom of the fourth with a groundout, Ingram singled, and Hopkins reached first on an error. Sydney Schumacher’s sacrifice bunt moved them up a base, and Carly Waters sent both home with a double down the right field line.
“Eventually, they’re gonna catch up to a pitcher when they come back through the lineup two, three times,” Jarret Goddard said.
After Waters’ throw, Kaseke struck out, and Grace Tranbargar grounded out.
RYLE — 020-000-0 – 2-2-2
DIXIE HEIGHTS — 100-200-x – 3-4-0
Goddard and Schuster; Hopkins and Schumacher. WP-Hopkins (8-8). LP-Goddard (11-7). 2B-C. Waters (DH).