Walton-Verona holds off rival Pioneers
When Simon Kenton and arch rival Walton-Verona get together on the softball diamond, it's usually close and always intense.
Friday lived up to the tradition in a key district seeding game as the visiting Bearcats held off the Pioneers, 8-7 with their head coach ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
Developments came fast, with twists and turns.
Walton-Verona, ranked No. 7 in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, bolted to a 7-0 lead after three innings, moving ahead 4-0 on Aubrey Anderson's two-run single.
With the lead firmly in hand, Bearcats coach Marlin Gregg was ejected and asked to leave.
Simon Kenton scored three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Samantha Perkins' two-run triple in the fifth made it 7-5. Hayley Reynolds' single scored Perkins, pulling the Pioneers to within one.
Walton-Verona speedster Abby Wassen reached third in the sixth and scored on a wild pitch for an 8-6 Bearcats lead.
Undaunted, youthful Simon Kenton cut it to one again with a run in the bottom of the seventh on Chelcey Broughton's double to right-center field. Lilly Brummett, representing the go-ahead run at the plate, grounded back to reliever Hannah Thacker, who threw to first for the save.
It was the rivals' third one-run score in five decisions, and fifth in a row that was decided by two runs or fewer. The previous results have been 1-0, 2-0, 3-1 and 3-2. They have met in the past two district tournament finals, splitting the decisions. Simon Kenton won the title last season, and Walton-Verona won in 2012, both beating each other in the final.
Walton-Verona, fresh off the Eighth Region All "A" Classic tournament championship, won its sixth game in a row and ninth in 11 outings and improved to 10-4. The Bearcats remained unbeaten in the 32nd District at 2-0.
Simon Kenton (5-6) lost its first district game, falling to 2-1.
The win avenged the Pioneers' shutout in last season's district final at Walton-Verona. Simon Kenton swept all three games last year. Walton-Verona, district champ from 2010-12, earned its last previous win over the Pioneers in the 2012 district final, completing a three-game sweep of Simon Kenton.
The Pioneers were playing their third game in three days against a quality opponent, and the going has been rough. They have dropped three straight following Thursday's 13-2 rout at home against Boone County and Wednesday's 11-2 loss at St. Henry.
There was a consolation. They get another crack at the Bearcats on Monday in a 5:30 p.m. rescheduled contest at Walton-Verona.
VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE: "Thacker closed it right up," said Walton-Verona assistant coach Alex Gregg, the head coach's son. "The girls did what they're supposed to do."
Said Pioneers coach Jeff Morgan: "We're young, but we can play with them if we hit the ball and make plays in the field. We've had some trouble fielding lately, but we did better today."
PLAYS OF THE GAME: Wassen's alert dash home with a hard slide in a cloud of dust was the go-ahead run, and Thacker slammed the door on the Pioneers after moving from third, where she started. "I was pretty confident in our defense," Thacker said of the Bearcats' error-free play in the field.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Wassen went 2-for-4 before crossing the plate with the difference-maker. "I think it's fun," she said of the close games between the rivals. "It makes it exciting. Next time, hopefully we'll come back with more power.
Walton-Verona 151 001 0 -- 8 - 9 - 0
Simon Kenton 000 3330 1 -- 7 - 8 - 2
WP: Rouse (2-0). LP: Broughton. Leaders: W-DeZarn 2-4; Wassen 2-4; Anderson 2-3, Ginn 2 RBI. S-Perry 2-4; Reynolds 2-4; Perkins 3B, 2 RBI; Broughton 2B. Records W 10-4, 2-0 32nd District, S 5-6, 2-1.