Walton, NewCath softball teams end All 'A' runs
Northern Kentucky softball teams returned empty-handed from the Touchstone Energy All "A" Classic state tournament in Owensboro.
Eighth Region champion Walton-Verona and Ninth Region champion Newport Central Catholic were sent packing after losing championship bracket quarterfinals Sunday at Jack Fisher Park.
Walton-Verona, the Pool A winner, was edged 4-3 by Pikeville. NewCath, the Pool B runner-up, was routed 12-0 via mercy rule by Louisville Holy Cross.
Tenth Region champion Bracken County was eliminated during Saturday's pool play.
Walton-Verona (16-6) nearly made the semifinals. But the Bearcats, who rallied to win each of their pool-play games, had the tables turned when they watched Pikeville (16-11) rally from a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the top of the sixth to tie it and the go-ahead run in the seventh.
Walton-Verona took a 1-0 lead in the first when Caroline Rouse singled in Olivia DeZarn, who led off with a triple. Pikeville scored a run in the second. The Bearcats scored two in the fourth with three singles, Rouse's two-run base hit making it 3-0. Pikeville plated a pair of runs in the sixth, tying it at 3, and went ahead in the seventh on seventh-grader Lindsey McNamee's single to left, which produced a fluke play.
"The score was tied in the seventh, and there were two outs on a 2-2 pitch," Walton-Verona coach Marlin Gregg said. "Our pitcher (Hannah Thacker) throws a change-up, and the girl got the end of the bat on it, and hits it to short left. There's a runner on second, and they send her home to get the lead. We throw her out at the plate, but the runner bumped our third baseman, and they get the run on an obstruction call."
Walton-Verona put the lead batter on in the bottom of the seventh with a single by Julann Ginn. Abby Wassem followed with a line-drive out to right-center field. Pikeville got the double play at first after Ginn rounded second on a steal attempt. Walton-Verona grounded out to the pitcher for the final out, sending Pikeville to the semifinals and the Bearcats back to Walton.
"It was a sudden finish," Gregg said. "That was an awful way to lose."
DeZarn, Rouse and Ginn went 2-for-4. Thacker, who earned every win in pool play, was named all-tournament.
NewCath played four tournament games and all were decided by mercy rule. The Thoroughbreds (13-4) were on the wrong side of a four-inning rout Sunday against Louisville Holy Cross (20-4), allowing 11 runs in the second on seven hits and five Thoroughbreds errors, for a total of seven NewCath errors in the game.
Holy Cross freshman pitcher Kameron Bowling no-hit the 'Breds, who were missing leading hitter and starting shortstop Michaela Ware, away at a basketball tournament. An error in the first by the Holy Cross shortstop kept Bowling from a perfect game. Bowling also hit a home run in the second. Teammate Bayley Brutscher added a grand slam in the inning.
"We made it to the next day for the first time in three state trips, so it was a great experience for the kids," 'Breds coach Denny Barnes said. "We saw some really good teams and some outstanding pitching."
Pikeville 4, Walton-Verona 3
W–Cochran. L–Thacker (13-6). Leaders: P–McNamee 2-3, Conn 3B. W–DeZarn 2-4, 3B; Rouse 2-4, 3 RBI; Ginn 2-4. Records: P 16-11, W 16-6.
Lou. Holy Cross 12, Newport Central Catholic 0
W–Bowling. L–Meyers (12-3). Leaders: H–Hale 2-2, Bowling HR, Brutscher GS, 4 RBI. Records: N 13-4, H 20-4.