After winning the first two district seed games on the road, the Ryle Raiders softball team (10-6) knew it needed to defend its home field to earn the top seed in the 33rd District Tournament that will be played there in May.
The Raiders completed the run with a 6-0 blanking of the Cooper Jaguars (13-5) in front of a nice crowd. The hits were nearly even as Ryle batted .227 (5 for 22) overall and Cooper batted .174 (4 for 23). Neither team had any extra-base hits.
Ryle is 5-0 in district seed play and will take on Conner in the district semifinals. Cooper is 3-2 in district seed play and will play Boone County in the district semifinals.
“We’ve had some pretty good practices and we’ve had some pretty good games and some tough losses,” said Jarret Goddard, Ryle head coach. “But this team is progressing. I’m very pleased at what I’m seeing defensively. (Junior pitcher) Maddie (Goddard) is not having to get in there and strike everyone out. That’s what it’s all about. Defense wins championships. That’s what we’re striving for.”
The difference came with the walks and hit batters. The Raiders drew eight walks including five in the second inning when they scored five runs and one hit batter while the Jaguars drew four walks and had no hit batters. Ryle earned all six runs in the win as Cooper committed the game’s lone error in the bottom of the sixth that did not lead to run.
“We put the ball in play. We hit the ball decently,” said Rusty Scott, Cooper head coach. “Their defense made plays. Our defense played well. They did a little more offensively than we did to make it happen. We still have to get mentally tougher. It’s nothing physical. These girls have played softball long enough to where we just have to buckle down and we have a shot at making a run just like anybody.”
Maddie Goddard (8-4) pitched a complete game striking out one, retiring the side once and only allowing three runners to reach third base with solid defense behind her. Freshman center fielder Brooklyn Roland made a web gem on Cooper junior second baseman Ava Scott tracking down a fly for the second out of the third inning.
“I was trying not to miss it because I knew it was a big game for us,” Roland said. “We were trying to go all the way for (fly balls). We’ve improved a lot since our first game. It’s concentration. It’s also in your mind. You have to try hard and depend on your teammates too.”
Ryle’s young outfield of Roland, sophomore right fielder Laci DeLauder and freshman left fielder Makenna Hirshey made a total of six putouts. DeLauder had three and Roland had two including the final out of the game.
Cooper senior pitcher Kendall Blau (9-4) also pitched a complete game striking out five and retiring the side twice. She also had the game’s lone multi-hit performance going 2-for-2 and walking the third at-bat. Her second single came in the third inning with two out. Senior third baseman Ashley Chaney advanced to third on the play and tried to score when the throw got away from Ryle senior third baseman Payton Godfrey. But the Raiders ultimately tagged her out at the plate ending the inning.
Goddard and sophomore catcher Laney Schuster drew walks to start the second inning with seventh grader Kiley Patterson and junior Zoe Coop running for them respectively. With one out, DeLauder walked to load the bases. Senior first baseman Grace Tranbargar singled in Patterson and Coop to put Ryle up 2-0. DeLauder and Tranbarger finished at third and second after the throw home.
Hirshey then walked to reload the bases and senior shortstop Avery Parsons singled in DeLauder to make it 3-0 Raiders. Godfrey then singled in Hirshey before Goddard drew a bases-loaded walk to give Ryle a 5-0 lead after two innings.
“We definitely had patience and did the things we needed to do to get the win,” Coach Goddard said. “I don’t like the innings where we kind of take our foot off the gas pedal a bit. But Kendall (Blau) is a good pitcher and she has the capacity to shut you down at any time. We did a good job those two innings getting some runs. We need to keep working to get better those innings where we’re not scoring.”
Ryle scored the sixth run in the bottom of the third. Senior second baseman Lerin Moreland and DeLauder walked to open the inning. With one out, Hirshey grounded to Cooper senior shortstop Emily Schmeltz. But Moreland avoided the tag and Hirshey beat the throw to first on the fielder’s choice to load the bases. Moreland then scored when Parsons hit a sacrifice fly to center.
“Patience really paid off because you could tell (Blau) was starting to get tired and she was throwing some wild pitches a bit,” Moreland said. “I see the ball and watch it all the way in, especially the high ones. They look like they’re coming right down the middle even if they’re not.”
The teams complete district seed play Thursday. Ryle travels to Boone County (8-11) for a 5 p.m. game. Cooper plays host to Conner (8-12) at the same time.
Softball
Scott 11, Bishop Brossart 9
Scott (8-7) broke a six-all tie in the top of the sixth then held off host Brossart (10-9) in the bottom of the seventh for the 37th District seed win. Both teams are 1-1 in district seed play.
The Eagles batted .273 (9 for 33) overall and drew 10 walks. Senior second baseman Audrey Griffin went 3-for-5 with two runs scored to lead the way. Sophomore catcher Emerson Morman went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in and scored three runs. Junior shortstop Ivy Cochran had a double and two RBI with senior outfielder Mesa McQueen batting in two.
Freshman Scarlett Cochran started the game pitching into the fourth inning striking out four and walked two before junior Emma Scribner (4-1) took over striking out seven and walking 11. But in the bottom of the seventh with two out, Brossart three times with the bases loaded to make the final score.
“It was a pitching struggle all night long just trying to find the corners,” said Lisa Brewer, Scott head coach. “Emma was able to withstand and get it done. We had the tandem of her and Scarlett. It was a big win for them.”
Bishop Brossart freshman Rachel Shewmaker stepped to the plate with the game-tying win on second and the game-winning run at first. Shewmaker worked the count full. But Scribner earned the called third strike to end the game.
“When I was pitching, I thought I was going to lose it. Then I got that (strikeout). I didn’t know what to feel,” Scribner said. “I try my best to block everything out and I just do what I know that I can do.”
The Mustangs batted .179 (5 for 28) overall and drew 13 walks. No one had a multi-hit game. But senior third baseman Savannah Seiter and junior Maddie Kremer walked three times and scored two runs each. Senior Molly Kramer and junior Cecilia Phirman drove in two each. Phirman and Shewmaker had doubles.
Senior Morgan Kramer (9-8) pitched into the sixth inning striking out six and walking seven. Kremer finished the game striking out one and walking three. Kremer worked out of bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh allowing no runs.
Brossart travels to Campbell County (12-3) on Wednesday for a 5 p.m. game. Scott plays host to Calvary Christian (8-9) on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Other Softball Scores
Campbell County 11, Cincinnati (Ohio) Anderson 10
Holmes 7, Bellevue 2
Boone County 12, Conner 2
Lloyd Memorial 12, St. Henry 2 (5 innings)
Villa Madonna 12, Ludlow 9
Highlands 17, Newport Central Catholic 1 (5 innings)
Harrison County 9, Simon Kenton 1
St. Patrick 9, Calvary Christian 5
Baseball
Conner 3, Walton-Verona 0
The host Cougars (16-7) earned the shutout over the Bearcats (16-4) behind a solid performance from senior pitcher Brody Mangold (5-1).
Mangold threw a complete game no-hit shutout striking out 10 and walking two. Conner made no errors behind him.
The Cougars batted .348 (8 for 23) overall. Senior right fielder Brayden Stidham went 2 for 3 with two RBI and Mangold went 2 for 3 with one RBI. Senior left fielder Jackson Bucks had a double.
Senior Evan Kerns (4-1) started for Walton-Verona striking out four and walking one pitching the first three innings. Junior Mason Howard finished the game striking out three and walking none.
Conner travels to Cincinnati (Ohio) Moeller on Thursday for a 5 p.m. game. Walton-Verona travels to Bishop Brossart (11-12) for a 5:30 p.m. game.
Campbell County 13, Bracken County 1
The Camels (16-6) broke their season-high three-game losing streak with a five-inning run-ruling of the host Polar Bears (12-6).
Campbell County batted an astounding .423 (11 for 26) overall blasting six home runs. Senior Braden Kramer went 3 for 4 with five RBI, two home runs, one double and scored twice. Senior shortstop Aydan Hamilton went 2 for 3 with two home runs, four RBI and scored three runs. Senior second baseman Jake Gross went 2 for 4 with one double and scored twice and senior first baseman Evan Clark went 2 for 3 with one home run, one double, one RBI and scored twice. Freshman third baseman Tyler Schumacher hit a home run and scored three times.
“We had good approaches. We had won nine in a row and then hit a lull,” said Scott Schweitzer, Campbell County head coach. “The field is on a hill and has shorter distances. But a home run is a home run.”
Junior Chris Bramley (3-2) started for the Camels striking out two and allowing one hit and one unearned run. Kramer finished the game striking out one throwing just 24 pitches. Kramer escaped the bottom of the third allowing just one run after the Polar Bears loaded the bases with one out.
“I just had to continue what Chris started,” Kramer said. “He threw really well then his back started messing with him. (The Camel fielders) played great for me. They didn’t let anything by them. I threw some pop ups and ground balls. They fielded everything.”
The Camels play host to the Bourbon County Colonels (18-5) at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Other Baseball Scores
Highlands 15, Bellevue 0 (4 innings)
Highlands 10, Dayton 0 (5 innings)
St. Henry 10, Dixie Heights 6
Villa Madonna 6, Ludlow 3