The Conner Cougars baseball team (29-6 overall) may not have had to win this one to keep the season alive. But the Cougars did want to make one last memorable appearance on the home field for their 10 seniors.
They wound up recording a run-ruling of the rival Ryle Raiders, 11-1 in five innings to win a second straight 33rd District championship. Conner had not won consecutive district crowns since the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
“That team, especially that group of seniors, has talked about goals all season,” said Brad Arlinghaus, Conner Head Coach. “One of the goals was to win back-to-back district titles. It’s been quite some time since we’ve done that. They’ve worked hard up to this point and they’ll continue to work hard. They knew they had to jump out and defend our home field.”
Sophomore Rex Richter (6-0) pitched a complete game in the win for the Cougars. Richter struck out three, walked three and allowed just one earned run in the top of the first when senior shortstop Josh Furtado cranked his fourth home run of the year for the Raiders (18-14).
Both teams committed one error. But Conner scored four unearned runs off that lone Ryle error and the Raiders scored none off the Cougar error.
“Pitching and defense at this point in the season is going to win you championships,” Arlinghaus said. “It’s not always the best offense. Back in 2015, (Highlands Head) Coach (Jeremy) Baioni talks about it all the time. They weren’t necessarily an offensive juggernaut. But they had the pitching and defense to carry them to the state finals. If you can pitch the ball and catch the ball, that’ll shut a good offense down. We’ve had good pitching and for the most part, really good defense all year on top of having a good offense.”
Conner batted .429 (9 for 21) overall. Senior shortstop Gage Testerman came into the game leading the Cougars with a .540 batting average and showed why in this one. Testerman finished 2 for 2 with a home run, double, three RBI and two runs scored.
Junior center fielder Ayden Lohr went 2 for 3 with a double, RBI and scored twice. Senior second baseman Blaise Bowman went 2 for 3 with a double and run scored.
Junior designated hitter Brayden Stidham hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth. He drove in three total. Senior left fielder Cody Crawford scored twice for Conner.
Ryle batted .167 (3 for 18) overall. Junior right fielder Roman Furuta went 2 for 2 to lead the way with a double.
The Raiders used three pitchers in freshman Dylan McIntyre, sophomore Caleb Mann and senior Walker Bludworth. The three combined for six strikeouts and three walks.
Conner will face Newport Central Catholic, Beechwood or St. Henry in the first round of the 9th Region Tournament. Ryle will play Highlands, Dixie Heights or Covington Catholic.
Baseball:
32nd District Championship:
Simon Kenton 5, Walton-Verona 0:
Prior to last year and the 2020 season wiped out by the Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic, Simon Kenton (19-11-1) had won 10 straight district tournament championships.
The Pioneers fought their way back to the top with a shutout of the top-seeded Bearcats (21-9-1) at Grant County. Simon Kenton made no errors and scored two unearned runs off the two Walton-Verona errors.
“We probably played the best game we’ve played all year – a complete game in all phases,” said Troy Roberts, Simon Kenton Head Coach. “The best approaches we’ve had throughout our line-up all year long was (Saturday). We battled. We didn’t chase bad pitches. We made (the Walton-Verona pitchers) work hard. We got them deep in counts.”
Simon Kenton sophomore Logan Cones (4-0) pitched a complete game gem. He struck out three and walked none.
“Logan pitched so well locating his fastball with a good change-up, good curve ball,” Roberts said. “(He had) 68 pitches in seven innings against a great hitting team. It was just phenomenal out of him.”
The Pioneers batted .313 (10 for 32) overall including four doubles. Senior designated hitter Nolan Schreiber went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Junior third baseman Gavin Riley went 2 for 4 with a double and RBI with junior left fielder Ben Stephens going 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Senior catcher Tom Lind added a double.
Walton-Verona batted .167 (4 for 24) overall. Junior first baseman Lance Coleman went 2 for 3 with a double to lead the way.
Senior Nick Allen (5-2) started for Walton-Verona striking out one and walking two. Junior Carter Krohman and sophomore Mason Howard also pitched combining to strike out two and walk one.
Simon Kenton will play host to Oldham County, Shelby County Henry County or Owen County in the first round of the 10th Region Tournament. Walton-Verona will travel to North Oldham, Woodford County, Henry County or Owen County. The region semifinals and title game take place at the University of Louisville.
10th Region Draw:
Campbell County (20-10) and Bishop Brossart (17-16-1) drew the winner and runner-up from the 38th District in the 10th Region quarterfinals beginning Monday at Harrison County.
Bishop Brossart faces Nicholas County (22-9) at 5:30 p.m. Monday and Campbell County takes on the host Thorobreds (25-8) at the same time Tuesday. The semifinals take place Wednesday at 5:30 and 8 p.m. with the championship game taking place Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
Softball:
33rd District Semifinal:
Cooper 13, Boone County 0 (5 innings):
The Lady Jaguars (24-9) knew it could be over if they did not bear down and play solid softball against the host Lady Rebels (13-17).
But Cooper struck for seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in the third win of the year against Boone County. The Lady Jaguars had no errors and the Lady Rebels had three leading to no unearned Cooper runs.
“What’s important to me is how we approach and how we play the game,” said Rusty Scott, Cooper Head Coach. “(Top-ranked) Ballard got us 1-0 (on Thursday). But the way we played the game is how I want us to play the game. Girls came in very business-like and got to work. I didn’t even have to remind them. We just pushed, pressed and sown together what they’ve reaped all year with all the hard work.”
Cooper batted .545 (12 for 22) overall. Junior first baseman Emily Schmeltz belted her team-high 10th and 11th home runs of the season on her way to four runs batted in and two runs scored.
“I told (Schmeltz) she had about 500 feet worth of home runs between those two,” Scott said. “That was big. When someone hits the ball like that, it is a little demoralizing. She hit one to left field and one to right field. It was good work on her part going with the pitches she needed to go with.”
Senior shortstop Dylan Scott went 3 for 3 with a double, RBI and scored twice. Junior left fielder Claire Poage and senior catcher Gweny Wessling both went 2 for 2. Poage had a double and batted in three. Senior center fielder Amber Chaney batted in two and scored twice for Cooper with eighth grade right fielder Ainsley Scroggie scoring twice.
“We came in with a lot of energy,” Poage said. “We wanted to really just go through the game, have confidence in ourselves and everyone else. We wanted to play our hardest, do what’s best for everybody and play for everybody.”
Junior Kendall Blau (11-4) pitched the first three innings striking out three and walking none. Senior Hanna Hollis pitched the next two innings striking out one and walking none.
Boone County had just one hit from senior left fielder and pitcher KB Irwin. This marked the final game for three Lady Rebels in Irwin, first baseman Abbey Sproles and center fielder Mia Nixson. They helped Boone County to a 33rd District and 9th Region championship last year.
33rd District Semifinal:
Ryle-Conner Suspended:
Ryle (16-14) built an 8-0 lead on Conner (12-11) in the top of the fourth. But lightning and rain forced the postponement until Monday at 5 p.m. The championship game takes place Tuesday back at Boone County.
32nd District Championship:
Simon Kenton-Grant County Suspended:
Simon Kenton trailed Grant County in the top of the seventh by an 8-1 score at Walton-Verona. But lightning and thunder forced the game’s postponement.
Male 12, Dixie Heights 9:
The visiting Colonels (19-6) led the Bulldogs (18-7), 7-5 after two innings. But Male slowly built a 12-7 advantage and held off Dixie Heights at the end.
Dixie Heights batted .400 (14 for 35) overall with eight extra-base hits. Senior second baseman Bri Patsel went 3 for 5 with a double, home run, RBI and scored three runs. Senior third baseman Ava Meyer went 3 for 4 with a home run, double, two RBI and scored twice.
Sophomore first baseman Skylar Mitchell went 3 for 4 with a home run, double, two RBI and scored twice for Dixie Heights. Sophomore pitcher Riley Hopkins went 2 for 4. Junior catcher Becca Cundiff and junior shortstop Ella Steczynski added doubles. Steczynski had two RBI and scored twice.
Dixie Heights faces either Ludlow (2-19) or Lloyd Memorial (2-18-1) on Tuesday at Villa Madonna in the 34th District semifinals. The title game takes place Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
Other May 21 NKY Softball Scores:
Notre Dame 15, Holmes 0 (35th Semifinal)
Beechwood 18, Holy Cross 8 (35th Semifinal)
Bracken County 7, Villa Madonna 0