Dixie’s sixth straight 34th District softball title wasn’t about the past, it was a glimpse into the future.
With a lineup anchored by underclassmen and middle school talent, the Lady Colonels surged to a 17-5 win over Lloyd Memorial in six innings Monday night at Ludlow’s Hollingsworth Field, claiming their sixth consecutive district championship.
Just one senior took the field for Dixie, surrounded by a seventh grader, two eighth graders, four sophomores, and two juniors.
It’s a group that’s weathered its share of growing pains, entering the championship with a 4-17 record.
Hoisting the trophy wasn’t just a want, it was a need.
“They needed this one,” Lady Colonels head coach Sarah Osborne said. “We’re really young. A lot of these girls have never played high school ball before. We’re inexperienced, and this year has been a challenge. So to see the girls come together at the end of the year, when it counts, is what made this really special.”
Seventh grader Sullee Sheehan, named tournament MVP, commanded the circle with poise well beyond her age. She went the distance in the circle, allowing six hits, one earned run, walked one and struck out five.
At the heart of the offense, though, was the team’s lone senior, and she made every at-bat count.
Callie Lewis delivered a standout performance, finishing with three hits — including two triples — while scoring three runs and driving in six.
The sophomore class stepped up behind her. Ava Niemer collected two hits, including a double, scored four times and added an RBI. Emma Buford chipped in with a hit, two RBI and a stolen base, while Sam Skees added a hit and crossed the plate four times.
Junior catcher Sydney Schumacher also made her presence felt with a home run as Dixie combined for 10 hits in the win.
“The girls were relaxed at the plate,” Osborne said. “They were finding their pitch. That’s something we’ve preached all year. It’s a big deal to find the pitch you can do damage with, and they did that really well.”
Defensively, the Lady Colonels still showed signs of inexperience, committing five errors, but Lloyd struggled as well with seven fielding miscues.
“Defensively, we had a bit of a letdown today,” Lady Juggernauts head coach Chris Fogt said. “We didn’t make the plays we should have, and that led to them building a big lead.”
Despite trailing 10-1 at one point, Lloyd hung around with five-run efforts in both the third and fourth innings, briefly keeping Dixie from ending things even earlier.
Madysen Godsey had a triple and scored a run. Layla Laudick tallied two hits and a run while pitching the full game, allowing nine earned runs with four walks and a strikeout. Railynn Brown drove in a team-high two RBI.
The hole was already too deep, and Dixie kept piling on adding seven more runs over the final two frames.
“Offensively, we didn’t have the best day in the world, but we did decent enough to win the game,” Fogt said. “We had to be able to hold them, and we didn’t.”
The good thing about district championships? A loss doesn’t mean the season’s over.
Lloyd Memorial (12-13) advances to the 9th Region tournament, where it will face one of the other three district champions: Ryle, Notre Dame, or the winner of Highlands/Newport Central Catholic.
“It’s going to be a tough week of practice,” Fogt said. “Hopefully we right the ship so we give whoever we draw a fight and give ourselves a fighting chance.”
Dixie Heights (5-17) heads into the same tournament with a renewed sense of confidence. The Lady Colonels will face one of the other three district runners-up: Conner, Holy Cross, or the Highlands/NewCath runner-up.
“Anytime you can roll into region with a win, it’s a big deal,” Osborne said. “They needed it, and I’m super proud of them.”
Photo gallery below, provided by Charles Bolton:
LADY COLONELS 17, LADY JUGGERNAUTS 5
DIXIE HEIGHTS— 005-534-x — 17-10-5
LLOYD MEMORIAL — 000-140-x — 5-7-7
RBI — (DH) Lewis 6, Buford 2, McHargue, M. Skees, Neimer, Schumacher, (LM) Brown 2, Kuhn-Stevenson
2B — (DH) Neimer
3B — (DH) Lewis 2 (LM) Godsey
HR — (DH) Schumacher
WP — Sheehan. LP — Laudick.
Records: Dixie Heights 5-17, Lloyd Memorial 12-13