There turned out to be no big surprises in the 9th Region softball quarterfinals as the Ryle Raiders (17-11) and Dixie Heights Colonels (20-13) run-ruled their quarterfinal opponents Thursday on their home fields.
The two meet again in the region semifinals Saturday at Highlands at Noon. Dixie Heights won the semifinal meeting 2-0 last year and the two split their two regular season meetings this year.
Ryle 12, Beechwood 1 (5 innings)
The Raiders batted .433 (13-for-30) overall in the lopsided win. Senior shortstop Avery Parsons went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in ad scored three times. Sophomore Laney Schuster went 3-for-4 with four RBI and junior pitcher Maddie Goddard went 2-for-2 with a triple and RBI. Freshman Rayne Patsel added two RBI and a double. Freshman left fielder Makenna Hirshey, seventh grader Kiley Patterson and senior first baseman Grace Tranbarger scored two runs each.
Goddard (14-8) pitched four innings striking out six before senior Lerin Moreland pitched the fifth. The two combined to walk none.
Beechwood batted .235 (4-for-17) overall. Senior first baseman Lexi Engelman scored Beechwood’s lone run and senior Brooklyn McGuire (13-14) pitched a complete game.
The Tigers graduate six seniors in Engelman, McGuire, Katie Rolf, Addison Durrett, Lynden Noll and Laney Hatridge. Beechwood captured the first All “A” Region championship in Mary Beth Odom’s second season as head coach going 1-2 in the All “A” State Tournament.
Dixie Heights 15, Newport Central Catholic 0 (3 innings)
The Colonels took care of the Thoroughbreds (13-11) in convincing fashion.
Junior pitcher Riley Hopkins (12-8) pitched a perfect game for the Colonels. Skylar Mitchell and Taylor Ingram belted homeruns. Then the lone senior in Ella Steczynski hit a two-run double to complete the run-ruling in her final at bat on the home field.
NewCath graduates seven seniors completing Mark Watts’ first season as head coach. They are Casey Berry, Kayleigh Brooks, Mia Buemi, Ava Combs, Morgan Davis, Annika Obert and Natalie Haigis.