Cougars collapse against Raiders

Written by Marc Hardin, Enquirer contributor -  Cougars collapse against Raiders

For four innings Thursday at Ryle, Conner coach Kristin Koors watched her team give an uncharacteristically disappointing effort, and four innings was all it took.

Ryle, the top-ranked softball team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, clobbered second-ranked Conner 16-1.  It was the Cougars' worst beating since a 15-0 loss to the Raiders in 2007, Koors' first season as coach.  "I guess, if anything, we learned something from it," Koors said. "We can't go out and play like that and expect to win."

The Cougars made errors in the field, compounded them with mental errors and managed just one hit. It got so bad that Koors pulled her ace, Elizabeth Sims, who had thrown three straight one-hit shutouts.

When the ninth run scored with one out during Conner's disastrous fourth inning, Ryle was declared the winner. The Raiders (11-3) sent 12 batters to the plate in the frame against Conner (8-5) and forced Sims to throw 133 pitches before she was replaced.  "We did not play very well behind our pitcher, who wasn't that bad," catcher Katelynn Halcomb said. "I can't believe we played like that. I just hope we got it out of our system."

The Raiders know how the Cougars feel. They were shut out twice on the same day last week by Pleasure Ridge Park at the Robin Monroe Classic at Fern Creek.  "We play a tough schedule that gets us ready for these district games, and Pleasure Ridge Park really hit the ball against us," Ryle coach Patti Oliverio said. "We were able to put the ball in play today and force them to make plays."

The Raiders scored 11 unearned runs with the help of three Cougars errors. Ryle scored three runs in the first inning and four in the second.

With the bases loaded in the first, Kate Cremer delivered a two-strike single to make it 2-0. Sims threw 38 pitches in the inning and was up to 80 after two.  "Our hitters are very disciplined and they don't often swing outside the strike zone," Oliverio said.

Cremer went 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI for the Raiders. Bella Steinle went 3-for-3 and Kate Rouse had two hits and two RBI.

The lone hit off of Ryle pitcher Haylee Smith was Amber Clark's single in the fourth.
"Haylee did what Haylee does and that's stay ahead and keep them off-balance," Oliverio said. "She pitches to her defense and we made the plays behind her."

WP: Smith (10-2). LP: Sims (7-4). Leaders: R-Steinle 3-3, 2B; Cremer 3-4, 2B, 4 RBI; Rouse 2-4, 2 RBI. Records: C 8-5, Ryle 11-3.