The Dixie Heights Colonels moved to 4-0 overall with a convincing 16-0 win in three innings over the visiting Beechwood Tigers (2-4).
Dixie Heights took advantage of 10 hits, four walks and five Beechwood errors. The Colonels scored 13 runs in the bottom of the third to force the run-ruling.
Senior Bri Patsel (1-0) pitched for Dixie Heights. She struck out six, walked one and allowed just one hit. Dixie Heights played error-free defense behind her.
“We always want the kids to put the ball in play,” said Sarah Osborne, Dixie Heights Head Coach. “You have to have productive at bats. That’s our main goal.”
Dixie Heights batted .476 (10 for 21) at the plate with no extra-base hits. Eighth grade right fielder Taylor Dawalt led the Colonels going 2 for 3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Junior catcher Becca Cundiff also went 2 for 3 with two RBI and one run scored. Sophomore center fielder Carly Waters and seventh grade second baseman Haley Waters drove in two each. Eighth grade left fielder Sydney Schumaker scored three runs. Senior third baseman Ava Meyer, junior shortstop Ella Steczynski and sophomore first baseman Skyler Mitchell scored two runs each.
Junior left fielder Lynden Noll had the lone hit for Beechwood. Dixie Heights alum Mary Beth Odom is in her first season as head coach of the Tigers. Osborne credited Beechwood junior second baseman Katie Rolf for making some nice plays defensively.
“(The Tigers are) developing,” Osborne said. “Mary Beth Odom is taking the right steps and doing the right things. I hope that she sticks with it because if they let her, Beechwood could be good. I coached Mary Beth (as an assistant) at Dixie. I’m excited to see her develop as a coach and see what she does with those girls. She’s got a good foundation with kids over there. I hope that she’s able to do what she needs to develop those kids and be successful over there at Beechwood.”
Dixie Heights hits the road to take on undefeated Louisville Ballard (6-0), ranked second in the latest Kentucky Softball Coaches Association poll, on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Beechwood plays host to Dayton (1-3) at 5 p.m.
Softball:
Ryle 15, Walton-Verona 2 (5 innings):
The Lady Raiders (5-4) won their fourth straight with a five-inning run-ruling of the visiting Bearcats (4-3).
Sophomore pitcher Madison Goddard (4-2) threw a complete game striking out five and allowing three hits and one earned run. Ryle and Walton-Verona both made two errors in the game.
Ryle batted an astounding .519 (14 for 27) at the plate. Freshman catcher Laney Schuster belted two home runs in three at bats for four RBI and two runs scored. Senior center fielder Grace Morgan went 2 for 2 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored.
“Some of the games, we definitely have struggled with that. But we’re trying our best to adjust to the different pitchers and speeds that we see pretty much every game,” Schuster said. “You try to stay back on the ball with (faster pitchers). Then the next day with a slower pitcher, you have to work through it.”
The Lady Raiders saw five players record multi-hit games. Junior first baseman Grace Tranbarger went 3 for 3 with one double and two runs scored. Junior shortstop Avery Parsons went 2 for 4 with one double, three RBI and three runs scored. Junior third baseman Payton Godfrey went 2 for 4 with a double, triple, three RBI and one run scored.
“I was very pleased and I’m extremely proud of the girls with the way they executed at the plate,” said Jarret Goddard, Ryle Head Coach. “Even our outs were hard-hit balls. We came out with purpose. We had a lot of energy in the dugout and it showed in our performance. This was not a game we could lay down on.”
Ryle also stole six bases. Junior second baseman Aaliyah Kaseke led the way swiping two.
Walton-Verona did not have any multi-hitters. But senior third baseman Machenzie Farmer and sophomore first baseman Addison Svec had doubles.
Ryle plays twice in the Where’s the Beach Classic at Rockcastle County on Saturday. Ryle takes on Western Hills (7-1) at 1:45 p.m. and East Jessamine (3-0) at 5 p.m.
Baseball:
Beechwood 13, Dixie Heights 1 (5 innings):
The host Tigers (5-0) dominated the Colonels (4-1) in the battle of undefeated teams in Fort Mitchell.
Senior pitcher Sam Cottengim (1-0) threw a complete game walking two and allowing just one hit and one earned run. Beechwood made one errors behind him and Dixie Heights had two.
“I just came into the game wanting to keep it low and let my infield do the work,” Cottengim said. “It’s a great defense to have behind you. We know there aren’t going to be too many bad hops on this field so we can figure out the best way to come get (the ball) and make the play.”
The Tigers scored five in the first and six in the second to go up 11-1. They added one in each of the next two innings.
Beechwood batted .542 (13 for 24). Junior catcher Brice Estep led the way going 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBI. Junior right fielder Cameron Boyd went 2 for 3 with a home run, four RBI and two runs scored. Junior Landon Johnson went 2 for 2 with two RBI and one run scored. Junior center fielder Mitch Berger, junior center fielder Josh Schmidt and junior second baseman Nazario Pangallo scored two runs each.
“We’ve been hitting it so well this week and it seems like it’s carrying over game to game,” said Kevin Gray, Beechwood Head Coach. “We’re hoping to keep the bats rolling.”
Beechwood takes on Oak Hills (Ohio) in the Mike Epplen Dirty Hat Classic on Saturday at 10 a.m. Dixie Heights plays at La Salle (Ohio) at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Other NKY March 31 Softball Scores:
Villa Madonna 13, August 2 (6 innings)
Notre Dame 19, Holy Cross 0 (3 innings)
Newport Central Catholic 1, Newport 0 (forfeit)
Boone County 9, Oldham County 7
St. Patrick 10, Holmes 3
St. Henry 17, Lloyd Memorial 14
Other NKY March 31 Baseball Scores:
Newport Central Catholic 12, Cooper 5 (6 innings)
Bishop Brossart 6, Calvary Christian 0
Walton-Verona 16, Williamstown 0 (5 innings)