Ryle blanks Conner in 9th region final

By Terry Boehmker  Go to Ryle blanks Conner in 9th region final

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Ryle softball coach Patti Oliverio had a long talk with starting pitcher Haylee Smith before the 9th Region championship game on Thursday at Northern Kentucky University.

 Oliverio said they sat in the dugout and went over how to pitch to every batter in the Conner lineup to make sure Smith knew what she needed to do.

The eighth-grader was so well prepared that she gave up only four hits in a 3-0 shutout and the Raiders claimed their sixth regional championship in the last seven years.

 “Haylee is the best in big games and she proved it again (Thursday),” Oliverio said. “I call all the pitches, and there wasn’t one pitch I called that she didn’t hit the spot.”

This was the fifth consecutive year that Ryle and Conner met in the regional final. The Raiders have won four of those five title games.

Ryle earned a return trip to the state tournament with Thursday’s victory. The Raiders will play 15th Region champion Magoffin County in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Jack Fischer Park in Owensboro.

Smith had only three strikeouts in the regional final so she needed some steady play from her teammates to post the shutout. The Raiders didn’t make a single error on 22 fielding plays.

After giving up three hits in the first three innings, Smith was able to retire 10 consecutive Conner batters before allowing a walk and a single in the seventh.

“With my defense, I’m never afraid to put the ball in there because I know they’ll make the plays behind me,” Smith said.

Conner committed three fielding errors in the game. Two of them came in the third inning and Ryle capitalized on those mistakes. The Raiders took a 2-0 lead on run-scoring singles by senior shortstop Jenna Sander and Smith.

Sander, who was named the regional tournament’s most valuable player, knocked in the first run by ripping a two-out single past Conner second baseman Paige Thompson.

“I love to be put in that position,” Sander said of her clutch hit. “I just focus more because I know I have to get the job done.”

The Raiders scored again with two outs in the fourth inning. Kate Cremer led off with a single and went to second a throwing error. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to third, Cremer scored on a single by Ali Crupper to make it 3-0.

Conner wasn’t able to get anybody on base in the fourth, fifth or sixth innings, but only one player struck out during that stretch.

“I think we did a pretty good job at the plate,” said Conner coach Kristin Koors. “It’s not like we didn’t put the ball on the bat. We just hit it right at them.”

In the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars got two runners on base for the first time in the game, but they still weren’t able to score.

“In any sport, I think defense is the key, and our defense is so good,” Oliverio said. “Haylee doesn’t give up big hits or walks and we don’t make errors. And if you want to win that’s the key -- don’t beat yourself.”

CONNER 000-000-0–0 4 3

RYLE 002-100-X–3 7 0
WP: Smith. LP: Sims. Hitting leaders: C–Volz 2-3, 3B; Kring 2-3. R–Smith 2-3. Records: Ryle 30-8, Conner 17-11.

 

All-tournament team Ryle - Jenna Sander (MVP), Bella Steinle, Haley Smith, Cassie Hamilton.

Conner - Ellery Kring, Katelynn Halcomb, Paige Volz.
Dixie Heights - Katie Tekulve and Megan Erdman.
St. Henry - Noelle Butts and Sami Ives
Highlands - Brooke Hollingsworth
Holmes - Whitley Slover
Newport - Kelsey Taylor
Notre Dame - Mickie Terry