It was Kayla Fledderman’s first home run of her high school career – and the most important in Holy Cross softball history.
Fledderman’s seventh-inning grand slam sent the Indians to their first Ninth Region title, a 5-3 win over three-time defending champion Highlands on Wednesday at Thomas More University.
“This might be the best feeling ever in my life,” Holy Cross senior pitcher Evie Thomas said. “We are HC, that’s who we are. We come back from being underdogs.”
Not only did Holy Cross advance to next week’s Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Softball State Tournament presented by UK HealthCare – Fledderman’s long, far one off Highlands’ Kaitlyn Dixon struck a blow for Northern Kentucky’s small schools.
“We take a small school, and we became a big school,” Thomas said.
Wednesday was also Holy Cross’ second regional title – the Indians won the All “A” tournament in March.
Was Fledderman shocked the ball went over the fence?
“A little, just a little,” Fledderman said.
Holy Cross coach Courtney Turner rejoiced in how far the Indians have come in her nearly four years in Latonia. She took over a team that went 6-12 in 2021.
PHOTOS: Holy Cross-Highlands Ninth Region championship (provided by Charles Bolton)
“Just this week, we were showing videos of when this senior class was freshmen and I started this coaching job,” Turner said. “I’m not going to lie to you – they were horrible. But that’s part of building a program, building a team. And the work these girls put in, I hope that’s what people notice.’
Thomas opened the seventh with a single. Paige Lachmann struck out, Suzette Klaiss singled, Jordyn Reiselman struck out, and Jadyn Jones loaded the bases on an infield single first baseman Julia Luhn was inches from catching.
Thomas sought divine intervention.
“I was praying at third,” Thomas said. “I was literally saying to God, ‘Please, God, let something happen here. We need a Hail Mary. And then Kayla sent it over the fence.”
Fledderman had struck out in the third inning (Zara Velasquez pinch hit for her in the fifth) – which was forevermore forgotten when she saw Dixon’s 0-1 pitch.
Fledderman’s mom, Nikki Fledderman, thought her daughter hit the ball hard. “But I had no idea she’d do that,” she said. “She’s been trying to get hold of one.”
For the first four innings, you wondered whether Holy Cross (18-12) would get the ball to the outfield. Dixon retired the first 12 Indians with nine of her 15 strikeouts and three infield popups.
“We, the coaching staff, the dugout, we were trying to keep everybody up the whole game,” Turner said. “It felt like were lifting up a semi at times.”
Highlands (29-7) took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when courtesy runner Katherine Heilman scored on Bailee Class’ infield single. Two frames later, Cam Markus tripled to right and scored on Class’ sacrifice fly to right.
Thomas struck out only four, but three of them ended Bluebird rallies – Layla Zepf in the second inning, Luhn in the fourth and Class in the sixth.
“We hit a couple balls hard in the fifth and sixth inning, but you know, things can be different if they’re down” Highlands coach Milt Horner said. “And then the little blooper they get (Jones’ single) that we almost catch, if we catch that, the game’s over.”
Holy Cross solved Dixon in the fifth. Paige Lachmann singled to left, went to second on a Suzette Klaiss groundout and scored on Jordyn Reiselman’s double.
In the bottom of the seventh, Highlands’ Kate Class popped out to Klaiss, Luhn grounded out, and Layla Zepf popped up to Klaiss.
Amid the postgame celebration, Thomas showed off what could become Holy Cross’ good-luck talisman – a four-leaf clover her grandfather, Eric Thomas Sr., gave her.
“We were not predicted to win this thing at all,” Thomas said. “(Critics) said we weren’t even going to be a problem – and we just won the whole thing.”
All-Tournament Team
HOLY CROSS 5, HIGHLANDS 3
HOLY CROSS — 000-010-4 – 5-5-0
HIGHLANDS — 020-100-0 – 3-4-0
Thomas and Baker; Dixon and Brown.
WP-Thomas (17-11). LP-Dixon (22-3).
HR-Fledderman (HC)
3B-Markus (H)
2B-Reiselman (HC)
Records: Holy Cross 18-12, Highlands 29-7