Both the Ryle and Notre Dame softball teams faced measuring sticks in different ways when they faced each other on Wednesday afternoon and both showed that they measured up just fine in different ways.
Ryle, which has won six of the last seven Ninth Region championships, showed despite its mediocre record that it’s still among the teams to beat for the regional title again this season, while Notre Dame showed that it’s continuing to make giant strides as a program in the 5-0 Ryle win in Union.
Ryle (15-13) started the season with a 1-6 record and was 3-8 at one point thanks in large part to a difficult schedule that featured games against teams from South Carolina and Tennessee, but the Raiders have lost just two games all season to Ninth Region teams (4-2 to Conner on April 12 and 4-1 to St. Henry on May 10).
“I knew going in we were going to have to fill in some positions, but I didn’t weaken the schedule at all, because I think as they play tough competition they learn to make adjustments and learn their weaknesses real quick and it allows us to come back to practice and work on those weaknesses,” said Ryle coach Patti Oliverio. “We’re getting better.”
That’s due in large part to the emergence of sophomore Ali Crupper as a pitcher. Crupper, who allowed just two hits, walked none, struck out 10 and allowed just five balls to be hit out of the infield, has eased the move of former standout pitcher Haylee Smith to shortstop. Smith, a freshman, was the Enquirer Northern Kentucky Player of the Year last season.
“Ali’s done a great job for us,” said Oliverio. “She’s averaging 10-11 strikeouts a game and that takes a lot of pressure of our defense and has allowed our defense to develop and relax behind her. We’re just a better team with Haylee at shortstop.”
Crupper, who needed just 79 pitches (56 of which were strikes) in Wednesday’s win and retired the first 11 batters in a row to start the game, said facing such a tough schedule this season has helped her learn to focus on locating her pitches.
“You really have to hit your spots or they hit off of you,” said Crupper. “Those games definitely helped me become more consistent and hit my spots.”
Oliverio said Crupper missed just one spot the entire game and that came when Notre Dame sophomore catcher Lauren Finke looped a two-out single to center in the sixth inning.
“You can tell them how important it is to hit spots and if you’re facing weaker competition it doesn’t expose itself, but against good competition if they don’t hit their spots they get hit,” said Oliverio. “Mentally that has brought her along.”
Notre Dame sophomore Bridget Stewart matched Crupper almost pitch for pitch through the first three innings before Ryle broke through for a run in the fourth.
Smith hit a looping double to right center that narrowly eluded a diving attempt by Notre Dame sophomore center fielder Amanda Meagher and scored when Stewart knocked down sophomore Katelyn Stephens grounder through the box and threw to first where the ball glanced off the glove of sophomore first baseman Maria Schaefer allowing Smith to score.
Ryle then plated four more runs in the sixth on two hits and two more Notre Dame errors. Sophomore first baseman Kelsey Hammes drove in two runs with a bases-loaded double down the left field line. Another run scored on a sacrifice fly by Crupper and the final run came home on a wild pitch.
Despite the loss, first-year Notre Dame coach Joe Stephenson was upbeat about his team’s performance. The Pandas, who started eight sophomores, a junior and an 8th-grader (who was the assigned hitter), fell to 21-7 on the season. The program began making strides last season when it went 15-16 under Dave Meier after having won just 33 games in its previous five seasons under three different coaches.
“I think it was a huge measuring stick,” said Stephenson. “We beat some really good teams this year, but Ryle sets the bar around here. That’s who everybody compares themselves to. We were in it for five innings, but one or two mistakes and that shows how young they are. I think we can play with anybody, but we have to play error free. We’re right there and I think the region is wide open, but somebody needs to get it in their mind they can beat Ryle and Conner, including us.”
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