The Cooper softball team had a lot of motivation to defend the home turf in the latest Battle of Union rivalry game Thursday.
The Jaguars not only wanted to take the top seed in the 33rd District Tournament later in the month back at the same location, but also end a five-game losing streak to Ryle. Cooper scored three runs off three Ryle errors in the bottom of the first and never looked back, shutting out the Raiders, 6-0.
“We kind of pride ourselves on our base running,” Cooper head coach Rusty Scott said. “Of course we have to get runners on to make things happen. Our girls try to make electricity happen on the bases if they can and we got a couple breaks. We ran pretty well on the bases.”
Cooper finished 5-1 in district seed play to win the top seed. Ryle finished 3-3 and will be the second or third seed depending on the outcome of the Conner and Boone County game Friday. Conner is 2-3 and Boone is 1-4 in district seed play. If Conner wins, the Cougars could take the second seed based off a higher Ratings Percentage Index after the Cougars and Raiders split their two district seed meetings.
“We just need to settle down and focus back on the ball that we’ve been playing for the last couple games,” Ryle head coach Mary Beth Odom said. “We hit a streak of understanding who we are as a team in the things that we can do and the damage we can cause. We just need to get back into the zone and we’ll do better next time.”
Not many balls were barreled, the two without an extra-base hit. Cooper made the routine plays better committing two errors to Ryle’s six.
Lily Spraker (6-6) earned the win pitching a complete game for Cooper, walking two and pitching out of two jams. They came in the top of the fourth and sixth innings.
“It’s very rewarding knowing my defense has my back,” Spraker said. “I don’t have to worry about it most of the time. It’s easier to just go out there and throw my game. Positivity from my teammates helps. I haven’t heard anything that they don’t want me to hear.”
In the top of the fourth, Laney Schuster sparked a rally attempt with a single and pinch-runner Karysa Lowery went to third on a Cooper throwing error. Maddie Goddard appeared to hit a sacrifice fly to get Lowery home, but the umpires converged and called Lowery out for leaving third base too early. Spraker then worked out of the jam, leaving Makenna Hirshey stranded at second getting Korlin Rechtin to pop out for the third out.
“(Spraker) was jamming us inside,” Odom said. “We took our first at-bats and didn’t adjust in the second at-bats. That’s something we’re trying to get back to. We’ll definitely regroup and do it the next one.”
Ryle put the first two runners on base in the top of the sixth after Zoe Coop walked and Schuster singled her to second. Coop then reached third after Goddard reached on a fielder’s choice with two out. Spraker got Rechtin to line out to Kailey Milburn in center field to end the threat.
“They did a good job. Lily’s out there pitching to contact,” Coach Scott said. “She’s keeping the ball down in the zone. I’m kind of happy with what our defense has been doing all year long. They know not to get too high or too low on anything and it’s all going to balance out. We’re going to win some, we’re going to lose some, so no need to get too emotional about anything.”
Goddard (7-8) took the loss pitching a complete game for Ryle. She struck out five and walked two.
Cooper outhit Ryle, 6-2. Ava Scott led the Jaguars with two hits and Schuster had both hits for the Raiders.
“(Goddard) hits her spots,” Ava Scott said. “It’s about adjusting. You take what you learned from the first game (a 9-7 Ryle win on April 16) and put it into play in the second game.”
Cooper scored all three runs in the bottom of the first with one out. Grace Cline walked and moved to third when Milburn singled. Sadie James then reached on a Ryle fielding error scoring Cline and Milburn scored on another Raiders error. James later scored.
Cooper added an unearned run in the bottom of the second to go up 4-0. Emory Sullivan singled, stole second and moved to third when Ava Scott grounded out. She then scored when Cline reached on a Ryle fielding error.
The Jaguars made the final score with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Kat Furnish singled with one out. Pinch runner Abby Fuller stole second and scored when Ava Scott singled. Scott took second on the throw home, stole third and scored on another Ryle fielding error.
Ryle (8-10) travels to Scott on Friday for a 5 p.m. game.
Cooper (13-9) does not play again until Monday, hosting Scott at 5:30 p.m.
JAGUARS 6, RAIDERS 0
RYLE — 000-000-0 — 0-2-6
COOPER — 310-200-X — 0-6-2
WP — Spraker (6-6). LP — Goddard (7-8)
Records: Cooper (13-9, 5-1), Ryle (8-10, 3-3)