Sophomore Laney Schuster hopped out of her catching stance and ran to the ball that dribbled not far from the third base line quickly.
Schuster made sure she had a clear throwing lane and fired to seventh grade first baseman Korlin Rechtin for the game’s final out. It may not have seemed like a big deal with the visitors up seven runs, but the Ryle Raiders softball team (4-3) did not want to take any chances in the first 33rd District seed game for both teams.
The out secured the 8-1 road win for Ryle over the Conner Cougars (6-6). The Raiders know a lot can still happen among the four teams in the rugged district.
Both teams combined for nine errors with Conner making six and Ryle three. But the Raiders scored seven unearned runs including five in the first two innings on their way to the win.
“Our defense has been a little rocky these past couple games,” Schuster said. “We’ve been trying to clean that up in practice. We had a great practice (Monday) so it just carried into the game. We just have to buckle down like we did that game.”
Ryle junior pitcher Maddie Goddard (4-3) threw a complete game, striking out eight, walking two and allowing just two hits. She retired the side three times.
“Quite frankly, we played really clean ball until the sixth inning when we had two errors,” said Jarret Goddard, Ryle head coach. “Those errors all mean something. We came up the next inning and they turned the lineup. That’s a game changer against a team that can hit, so it makes it harder on our pitcher and everyone has to buckle down more.”
The Raiders collected nine hits and two of them went for extra bases. Senior shortstop Avery Parsons went 2-for-4 with a triple and scored twice with senior second baseman Lerin Moreland going 2-for-4. Freshman center fielder Brooklyn Roland also scored twice.
“The leadoff spot is hard. It’s definitely an adjustment from the other spots in the lineup,” Parsons said. “But you really just have to focus on what (the opposing pitchers) is throwing, what she’s doing in warmups then relay what she’s throwing to the rest of the team.”
Junior left-handed pitcher Mollie Sharp (4-6) also pitched a complete game, striking out 12 and walking two. Sharp retired the side twice.
“What we decided to do in our district this year is play Tuesday and Thursday games for the next three weeks,” said Shawn Sproles, Conner head coach. “We’re glad we have some good weather so we can get out there and compete then by the end of April, know where we line up with the district. It’s a big month.”
The Cougars had one extra-base hit in the game. It came in the bottom of the third when junior third baseman Jalyn Cain doubled in senior leadoff hitter and center fielder Keira Holeman to make it 6-1 Raiders.
Roland scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch in the first inning before Schuster doubled in third baseman Payton Godfrey to give the Raiders the only runs they needed in the top of the first. Seventh grade pinch runner Kiley Patterson later scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0 Ryle.
“We were able to put balls in play, make some things happen against Mollie, putting their defense on the back of their heels,” Coach Goddard said. “Conner is a well-coached team. When we have Maddie on the mound and we get a handful of runs, that should be enough. That was a good start for district play.”
Sophomore right fielder Laci DeLauder and sophomore designated player Makayla Irvin led off the top of the second with singles. Parsons then singled in DeLauder before Irvin scored on a Conner error and Parsons made it all the way to third before scoring on a wild pitch to make it 6-0 Ryle.
The Raiders added to their lead in the top of the fourth. Parsons tripled and scored beating a throw home on a Roland ground ball. Roland later moved to third on a Conner error and scored when Schuster grounded out.
“We had some miscues in the first inning that put us in a bad spot,” Sproles said. “But at this time of year, we’re just looking to make sure we have some resolve. I was happy to see they fought the last five innings. In the last five innings, it was a 2-1 ballgame. We know we have some inexperience on defense and Ryle exposed that a bit. Overall, Mollie (Sharp) pitched a good game to keep us in the game. We have to limit those errors and come out from the gate. In district games, we can’t come out slow and expect the other teams to come out slow.”
Both teams continue district seed play Thursday. Ryle travels to Cooper (10-3) at 5 p.m. and Conner goes to Boone County (4-8) at the same time.
Softball
Cooper 24, Boone County 14
The Jaguars (10-3) won the shootout at Boone County (4-8) scoring eight unearned runs off eight Rebels errors while allowing seven off three errors.
Cooper pounded out 21 hits with junior shortstop Ava Scott leading the way going 5-for-6 with three triples, two doubles, five runs batted in and four runs scored. Senior pitcher Kendall Blau went 4-for-6 with a home run, double, two RBI and one run scored. Senior first baseman Ashley Chaney went 3-for-5 with a double, four runs scored and two RBI.
Freshman third baseman Ainsley Scroggie, junior outfielder Kailey Milburn, freshman catcher Kaitlyn Furnish and junior Maddie Childress had two hits each. Milburn and Furnish added doubles with senior second baseman Emily Schmeltz belting a home run. Furnish and Scroggie knocked in three with Childress batting in two. Schmeltz scored three times with Scroggie, sophomore right fielder Grace Cline and freshman left fielder Sadie James both scoring twice.
Blau (7-2) pitched six innings striking out seven and walking three. Freshman Lily Spraker pitched the seventh walking one.
Boone County tallied 15 hits. Senior second baseman Harper Kinman went 4-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, five RBI and three runs scored. Eighth grade shortstop Alivia Scott went 3-for-5 with one RBI and scored twice.
Junior center fielder Amariana Sweet went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Senior catcher Kailey Richardson and sophomore pitcher Dani Wright had two hits and two RBI each with eighth grade first baseman Ashia Grant scoring twice.
Cooper plays host to Ryle (4-3) at 5 p.m. Thursday. Boone County plays host to Conner (6-6) at the same time.
Other Softball Scores
Central Hardin 3, Bishop Brossart 0
Parma Heights (Ohio) Holy Name 7, Bishop Brossart 6
Lloyd Memorial 26, Bellevue 3 (4 innings)
Calvary Christian 21, Holmes 8 (4 innings)
Campbell County 21, Newport 0 (3 innings)
Dixie Heights 21, Ludlow 1 (3 innings)
Newport Central Catholic 16, St. Henry 1 (5 innings)
Baseball Scores
Walton-Verona 6, Eminence 0
Conner 8, Boone County 2
Simon Kenton 7, Henry County 5
Ludlow 12, Dayton 1 (5 innings)
Ryle 15, Cooper 0 (4 innings)
Villa Madonna 4, Bellevue 3
West Clermont (Ohio) 11, Dixie Heights 7