The Bishop Brossart Mustangs softball team has been playing some good ball since dropping its first two games to open the season.
After three run-rule victories, the Mustangs (4-2) have a signature win after using three unearned runs to knock off the Ninth Region contender Ryle (2-2), 4-3 at Alexandria Community Park. The Mustangs win snaps a nine-game losing streak to the Raiders dating back to a 5-4 win on May 7, 2015.
“Ryle is just a great program. You’re going to have to play well against them,” said Tom Baynum, Brossart head coach. “I said we have no chance if we struck out more than six times. The kids did a great job of putting the bat on the ball. You have to make kids make mistakes. We make mistakes when teams put it in play. (The Raiders) made mistakes and that’s why we won.”
Brossart senior pitcher Morgan Kramer (3-2) pitched a complete game striking out six, walking just one and throwing no wild pitches. The Mustangs played error-free defense behind her. Kramer retired the side three times including the final seven batters she faced.
“Defense is an important thing and they did really well,” Kramer said. “With them being power hitters, switching speeds is really important and I think that’s what really helped us. It really boosted our confidence.”
Ryle junior pitcher Maddie Goddard (2-2) also pitched a complete game striking out six, walking none and throwing no wild pitches. But the Raiders made five errors behind her. Goddard retired the side in the first and fifth innings and pitched around lead-off errors in the fourth and sixth innings.
Goddard also recorded the game’s lone multi-hit game going 2-for-3 with a double, home run and batted in all three Raider runs. Just 10 hits were accounted for in the contest, Ryle with six, Brossart with four.
“We didn’t show up defensively. Offensively, we started off strong then we floundered,” said Jarret Goddard, Ryle head coach. “Defense wins. Details matter and we didn’t execute on either of those.”
The Raiders appeared headed for a big inning in the first when senior third baseman Payton Godfrey singled with one out and sophomore catcher Laney Schuster doubled her to third. Maddie Goddard then doubled them in before the Mustangs escaped the inning with a double play, leading 2-0.
Brossart earned one run back in the bottom of the third. Senior Molly Kramer reached on an error and junior catcher Cecilia Phirman hit into a force out before eighth grader Sophie Schultz ran for Phirman. Freshman right fielder Rachel Shewmaker singled Schultz to third before taking second on a Ryle throwing error. Morgan Kramer then grounded out to second scoring Schultz to make it 2-1 Ryle.
The Mustangs then used their speed at the top to take a 4-2 lead in the top of the third. Senior center fielder Brooke Shewmaker singled with one out and junior shortstop Maddie Kremer bunted her to second. Senior Savannah Seiter then singled her home to tie the game 2-2.
“Speed kills. I’m a slapper so my main focus is to get on base,” Brooke Shewmaker said. “Maddie will usually bunt me in and then we’ll have our power hitters. That was a good win for us.”
Then the game’s biggest play took place. Molly Kramer lined one to right and the ball skipped past the Ryle outfielder all the way to the wall allowing Seiter and Molly Kramer to score giving the Mustangs the lead for good at 4-2.
“We actually aren’t real slow this year for once,” Baynum said. “We’re usually real slow. They’re in shape. Molly (Kramer) is just really getting into softball. She’s only been here for two and a half weeks because of basketball. We have three like that. We look forward to seeing where they’re at toward the end of the year.”
Maddie Goddard made the final score in the top of the fourth. On an 0-2 pitch, she slammed her first home run of the season to center.
The Raiders had a chance to tie and take the lead with two out in the top of the fifth. Senior center fielder Aaliyah Kaseke and senior shortstop Avery Parsons recorded consecutive singles before Godfrey walked on a full count to load the bases. Schuster then hit a high fly to right. But Rachel Shewmaker tracked it down to end the threat.
“All pitch callers have tells. There was a definite sequence of the way things were being called just like our team does and every other team and we knew the sequence,” Coach Goddard said. “We pay attention to those things. It was what it was. We weren’t going with the pitch that was being thrown. We knew the pitch that was being thrown and the girls weren’t ready to attack it.”
Brossart travels to Mason County (4-4) on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game. Ryle takes on Bracken County (3-2) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Campbell County.
Other Softball Scores
Walton-Verona 11, Boone County 1 (5 innings)
Taylor (Ohio) 5, Cooper 2
Dixie Heights 13, Fairfield (Ohio) 3 (6 innings)
Campbell County 15, Grant County 3 (6 innings)
Holmes 12, Augusta 10
Lloyd Memorial 10, Calvary Christian 5
Bracken County 10, Simon Kenton 8
Baseball
Conner 6, West Clermont (Ohio) 2
The Cougars (5-0) stayed undefeated with the road win across the Ohio River.
Conner batted .296 (8 for 27) overall. Senior Cody Henson led the way going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Senior Ayden Lohr scored twice and picked up the pitching win. Lohr (1-0) struck out three and allowed three walks, five hits and two earned run in three innings of work before Henson finished it in the seventh.
Conner travels to Harrison (Ohio) on Wednesday for a 5 p.m. game.
Other Baseball Scores
Ryle 3, Wyandotte (Michigan) Roosevelt 2
St. Henry 15, Ludlow 0 (4 innings)
Beechwood 4, Cooper 2
Grant County 11, Bellevue 1 (5 innings)
Dixie Heights 12, Holy Cross 7