Ryle upsets CovCath

Isler pitches Raiders past No. 1 Colonels

Written by Marc Hardin - NKY Enquirer Contributor

Ryle baseball coach Pat Roesel stepped out of the dugout at Champion Window Field during the bottom of the seventh inning Monday and visited to his starting pitcher.

Senior Matt Isler, who had just put a Covington Catholic runner on first base with no outs in a game well in hand for the Raiders, was having control problems after pushing his pitch count past 100.
"I told him he had a big lead and to throw strikes because they'd have to hit it a lot to win," Roesel said.

Four pitches later, Ryle's 10-2 upset victory was complete as Isler induced a double-play grounder and a ball hit back to the mound which he turned into the third out with an easy throw to the first baseman.

With that, Isler accomplished several notable milestones. He earned his first win of the season in five starts after being boosted by Conner Hempel's two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Pitching the entire way with the lead, Isler threw his first complete game with a three-hitter and struck out a career-high nine.

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