Ryle ace Haylee Smith delivered with her arm and her bat Thursday and the Raiders defeated visiting Bishop Brossart 3-1 in a battle of regional contenders. The Raiders (19-8), ranked first in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll, handed fifth-ranked Brossart (18-4) its first loss against a local team.
“There’s no question in my mind the top two softball teams in Northern Kentucky played here today,” Brossart coach Mel Webster said. “They won today. But if we played five times, one would win three and the other would win two.”
Ryle, the defending Ninth Region champion, has clinched the top seed in the 33rd District tournament. Brossart, a 10th Region All “A” finalist this season, has clinched the top seed in the 37th District.
Smith, coming off back-to-back, district-clinching 2-0 shutouts against Boone County and Conner, extended her streak of consecutive innings without allowing an earned run to 18. She outdueled Brossart senior left-hander Alicia Miller, the area’s ERA leader.
“I really didn’t think about who I was pitching against,” said Smith, who threw a four-inning shutout against Boone County on Tuesday and followed that with seven scoreless innings against Conner on Wednesday. “All I was thinking about today was we needed hits.”
Smith, an eighth-grader, pitched a three-hitter against the Mustangs. She struck out seven and did not walk a batter while allowing one unearned run in the seventh. She smacked a pair of base hits off Miller, including a line-drive single that sparked Ryle’s two-run fourth.
“Haylee’s a competitor,” Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said. “When she needs a big out, she gets it. And she had big hits today.”
Smith’s fourth-inning smash to left field did not stay in Shannon Kremer’s glove after Kremer hit the ground following a fully extended dive for the ball.
“I thought she had it, but I can’t fault Shannon,” said Miller, who entered play with a 0.17 ERA. “She made a great play just to get to it.”
Emilie Garnier ran for Smith and advanced to third on Kate Cremer’s infield single. Cremer, who went 2-for-3, stole second and scored behind Garnier on Paige Dickerson’s infield single to give Ryle a 2-0 lead.
Cremer’s single through the left side in the sixth plated the Raiders’ third run.
Smith lost her bid for a third straight shutout when Brossart scored a run in the final frame on Gretchen Trumbo’s single into left field. The Mustangs had runners at first and second with one out later in the inning, but Smith struck out Natalie Woeste on three pitches and induced a game-ending fly ball to center field.
WP: Smith (18-6) 7 K’s. LP: Miller (18-4). Leaders: R-Smith 2-3; Cremer 2-3. Records: B 18-4, R 19-8.
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