Year one of the Dave Meier coaching era at Ryle is off to a successful start.
Meier, a veteran high school coach leading his third local softball team, has guided Ryle to a 7-2 record after one month of play. It’s the Raiders’ best start since 2018 and one of their many points of improvement. They were 3-6 at this juncture last season.
Already, they’ve collected decisive 33rd District wins over Boone County and Cooper and remain unbeaten against 9th Region competition. Their lone in-state loss is a narrow two-run battle against Campbell County.
“We have a really good team dynamic with the girls and our new coach,” said Hannah Dunn, one of two regularly playing seniors. “Our hitting has been a major factor. I think we have some of the best pitching. We work really well defensively.”
Teammate Laci DeLauder echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the team’s balance and energy. Despite Ryle’s youth, the senior sees the potential for immediate success.
“I really like our team this year,” said DeLauder, a Shawnee State signee. “I feel like we’re capable of winning the district and the region. And we can go to state if we work really hard.”
Those are ambitious goals for a program adjusting to a new head coach after a rare losing season. But the Raiders are already more than halfway to last year’s win total. Their 13-14 record in 2024 was their first sub-.500 finish in five years, and their 3-4 district record was the first losing mark there since 2015.
This year, things are different. Ryle has powered through a five-game winning streak, setting the tone for a promising campaign with a good mix of leadership and youth.
“This is our year and our time,” Dunn said. “We want to have fun and grow as a team and win games.”
Mission accomplished, thus far. The Raiders are determined to bend the rest of the schedule to their will.
“Ryle has a great softball tradition with some pretty good coaches and a lot of great players,” Meier said. “These girls want to get back to that. This is a proud program with regional championships and they want to win, especially the seniors. And that starts with the district.”
The Raiders had this week’s 33rd District game against Conner rained out, spoiling a chance to nail down a win against each of the three rivals in Meier’s first tour of the district. They beat Boone County, 10-1, April 2. They downed Cooper, 11-7, on Wednesday. Each of the four teams have won a 33rd District crown over the past five seasons. The Raiders lost to all three rivals at least once last year.
“One thing about the 33rd District is you play each team twice instead of just once,” said Meier, who previously coached at Villa Madonna and Notre Dame. “The other thing is this is probably the most competitive district in our area so there are a lot of pressure games.”
Laci, Rayne And Pray For Sun
The battle for 33rd District supremacy may ultimately come down to pitching, where the Raiders have seized an early advantage. Ryle’s team ERA entering Wednesday was a sterling 2.13. That number far and away led the district. The fact they were able to get consistent results without consistent weather impressed their new coach.
“It’s been tough getting on the field,” Meier said. “But we are doing really well.”
With DeLauder and junior Rayne Patsel leading the way, the Raiders have one of the district’s strongest one-two punches in the circle. DeLauder (6-2) topped all district pitchers in wins and ERA (1.89) at midweek.
“The main goal is first-pitch strikes,” DeLauder said. “Getting ahead in the count is important. But it’s not all about the strikeouts. It’s about the outs so getting weak ground balls and pop-ups is OK, too.”
Still, DeLauder is second in the district with 46 strikeouts while averaging more than one per inning.
“She has a great repertoire and she can be very hard to hit,” Meier said. “She throws a fastball, curveball, screwball, a rise ball and a changeup. Because Ryle had Madi Goddard (now a freshman pitcher at Transylvania) for so many years, there’s still plenty of tread left on the tires. Laci hasn’t been overused or anything like that. She’s strong.”
Goddard carried the bulk of Ryle’s pitching duties last season, starting 22 of 27 games, while DeLauder made just three starts and five relief appearances. This season, DeLauder has already surpassed her previous workload, pitching 44 innings compared to 32 last year. That consistency has made a difference. Her ERA last season was 5.47.
“I think a lot of it has been mental,” DeLauder said. “I like starting games rather than finishing them. It gets me in the groove.”
Patsel, meanwhile, has smoothly transitioned into DeLauder’s previous role. After eight games, she held a 1-0 record with a 3.11 ERA — the second-best mark in the district behind her teammate.
Yet, one big hurdle remains: the weather. Ryle didn’t play for a week in late March. The Raiders were out of action nine days the first two weeks of April. From March 22 through April 11, a three-week stretch, they played a grand total of three games.
“We had the infield in decent shape Tuesday for Conner but the outfield was just too wet,” Meier said. “We reschedule that and looked forward to playing Cooper.”
Bats Hit The Ground Running
On Wednesday, Ryle kept rolling, knocking off the defending 33rd District champion Jaguars to start 2-0 in district play. The Raiders received a 4-for-5 day at the plate from eighth grader Emily Gehring, who drilled a pair of doubles. DeLauder went 3-for-4 with a triple. Freshman Leah Broussard smacked two doubles and made the play of the game in right field while starting a 9-6-3 triple play with a bases-loaded catch.
DeLauder picked up the win, putting the Raiders on the inside track for the No. 1 seed in the 33rd District tournament. That top spot comes with a significant advantage. The No. 1 seed faces the No. 4 seed in the semifinals, with the winner automatically qualifying for the 9th Region tournament.
The Raiders missed the regional tournament last season for the first time since 2021, falling to Conner in the district semifinals. Historically, though, they’re used to winning. Over the past 20 seasons, Ryle has racked up 12 district titles and eight regional crowns, including recent back-to-back district championships in 2022-23. The last regional championship came in 2018.
If the Raiders want a return to the top, their hitting must continue its early-season surge. Ryle leads the district with a .352 team batting average, nearly .100 points above last year’s .256 mark.
The charge is led by freshmen Korlin Rechtin (.536) and Kiley Patterson (.522), who have taken their games to new heights. Patterson hit .296 last season, while Rechtin batted .234. Gehring (.476) and Dunn (.421) have also made significant strides, with Gehring improving from .125 and Dunn collecting her first varsity hits. Meanwhile, DeLauder (.346) and Patsel (.278) have raised their averages by .100 points.
Patterson is the catalyst. She leads or co-leads the team in doubles, triples, home runs, stolen bases, RBI and runs scored. The Raiders are averaging 9.5 runs per game. They have scored in double figures in six contests matching last season’s total. Ryle averaged 5.7 runs in 2024.
Speed is also a major factor. Ryle was 26-for-28 on stolen bases through eight games, with Patterson a perfect 8-for-8. If they maintain this pace, the Raiders could rack up 90 steals, far surpassing last year’s 34.
It’s still early, and plenty can change before the postseason. But under Meier’s guidance, Ryle is checking all the right boxes.
“I’m their fourth head coach in five years so I came in with the idea of playing well and having fun,” Meier said. “I shared my vision, my philosophy and my plan. If we commit to it and execute it, there’s no reason why we can’t compete for the region year in and year out.”