Ryle offense too much for St. Henry

By John Lachmann 
Kypostsports@yahoo.com
   
FLORENCE, Ky. – Ryle entered Wednesday having scored 58 more runs than any team in Region 9.  And the Raiders wasted no time demonstrating their offensive prowess.

   Ryle belted three extra base hits in a four-run first inning en route to an 8-0 win over St. Henry in a regional semifinal at the Florence Freedom’s home field. 

   “The first inning put me at ease a little bit,” Ryle coach Pat Roesel said. “We came out really strong, we hit the ball really well, so that gave Josh a little bit of a relaxation feeling.”

   All nine Raiders starters finished with at least one hit, an impressive feat considering just two played all seven innings.

   Senior shortstop Tyler Lonnemann tripled to lead off the game, and he came home on senior second baseman Jackson Brennan’s single. Junior left fielder Mason Forbes doubled to put runners on second and third, and senior designated hitter Tyler Mason’s grounder to first plated Ryle’s second run.

   After senior center fielder Thomas Baumann launched a ball just left of the left field foul pole, he smashed a gapper to make it 3-0. He would score on a dropped fly ball an out later.

   “It’s always good to start off – right even before you even go out there – and you already have the lead, so you have that much to work with, more ease,” Bellew said.

   Junior first baseman Tom Deters singled in the third and eventually scored on a double steal to extend the Raiders’ lead to five.

   In the top of the fourth, Lonneman, Brennan, Forbes and Mason all singled to open the inning to plate two more runs, and senior catcher Jake Ashley capped the scoring in the fifth with an RBI single that scored senior third baseman Dylan Plvan, who had opened the frame with a double.

   Junior right-hander Josh Bellew went five scoreless frames and struck out eight to earn the win. His only hiccup was the third, when the leadoff runner singled and was balked to second, and the next batter walked, and another balk moved the runners to second and third.

   “He got a little tight there in the third inning, but the fourth and fifth innings he was really strong, and we only took him out because we had the lead and to get some guys some work,” Roesel said.  

   Roesel would not reveal what he said to Bellew, but he responded by striking out the side. He also fanned all three batters in the fifth to end his night with eight whiffs and just three hits and one walk allowed.

   “Coach came out and talked to me, told me to settle down, so then I focused on the three batters coming up and mowed them down, 1-2-3 after that,” Bellew said.

   Ryle senior right-hander Tanner Pulice came in for the final two innings, and he retired all six batters he faced, striking out a pair.

   The Raiders will face Dixie Heights in the regional championship game, which will be played at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

RYLE 401-210-0—8 15 0 
SHHS 000-000-0—0 3 3

   WP: Bellew (8 K’s). LP: Rose. HITTING LEADERS: R—Lonnemann 2-4, 3B; J. Brennan 2-4; Forbes 2-3, 2B; Mason 2 RBI; Baumann 2-4, 2 2B; Plvan 2B; Ashley 2-3. RECORDS: Ryle 31-7, St. Henry 17-19.


Read more: http://www.kypost.com/dpp/sports/ryle-offense-too-much-for-st-henry#ixzz2UljMFnSu