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Wednesday, March 9 Lady Aces Ranked #4 in Pre Season Poll by KSCA March 8, 2011 Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Mercy (11) 2. Christian Co. (7) 3. Allen Co. (5) 4. Owensboro Cath (2) 5. North Laurel (2) 6. Lafayette 7. Ballard (1) 8. Reidland (4) 9. Meade Co. 10. Green Co. 11. Scott Co. 12. Butler Co. 13. Ryle 14. Marshall Co. 15. Greenwood 16. PRP 17. Heath 18. Franklin Co. 19. Butler 20. Ashland 21. Eastern 22. Male 23. Lexington Catholic 23. South Laurel 25. Western Hills Others receiving votes: Clark County 13, Henry Clay 12, Fern Creek 12, Barren Co. 10, Manual 10, Oldham County 10, Calloway Co. 8, Johnson Central 8, Montgomery Co. 8, Glasgow 7, Grayson Co. 7, Edmonson Co. 6, Dixie Heights 4, Dunbar 4, Hopkins Central 4, Bullitt East 3, Union Co. 3. Muhlenberg Co. 2, Lone Oak 2, Central Hardin 2, Shelby County 3, Henry County 2, Anderson County 2, Boone Co. 2, North Hardin 2. Monday, March 28 2011 High School Softball Previews
OWENSBORO CATHOLIC Monday, March 28 Competition fuels Catholic's Randolph Competition fuels Catholic's RandolphBY JIM PICKENS, MESSENGER-INQUIRER
When the 2010 high school softball season began, Owensboro Catholic head coach George Randolph had every reason imaginable to be optimistic.
After all, the Lady Aces had captured the esteemed program's record fifth fast-pitch state championship the previous spring, and every player was returning. What transpired, however, was a major letdown to Randolph, his coaching staff and everyone else associated with the program that wasn't just expected to reach the state tournament again, but win it. Catholic won 9th District and 3rd Region championships, but an undercurrent of instability began to rear its ugly head during the second half of the season. Team chemistry had declined dramatically by the time the Lady Aces arrived at Jack C. Fisher Park for the state tournament, where they promptly lost two straight games and were, thus, quickly eliminated.
"That's the first time in all my years here that chemistry became a major issue," said Randolph, who is 489-153-6 entering his 16th season. "For whatever reason, we had some players who couldn't get along with one another and we lost our focus as a team.
"I tried to let it work itself out, but there came a point when I knew that wasn't going to happen. Some of the way it played out may have been my fault -- maybe I should've stepped in earlier. "I felt bad for the players who stayed the course all the way through with good attitudes; the ones who played for the good of the team. You can't win state every year, I understand that, but we were better than 0-2." Despite the stunning disappointment -- and the fact that he has won virtually every team and individual coaching honor there is -- giving up the reins never even crossed Randolph's mind. "I still love to compete," Randolph said. "I'm 51, and it's not me competing anymore, but I'm competing through these girls, and helping them learn how to compete -- that still drives me. "Plus, I really like the game of fast-pitch softball. It's exciting and fast-moving, and there's a lot of strategy involved. It's a real challenge in the sense that you've got to keep your head in the game on every pitch, but the challenge is what I get a kick out of." He shares that competitive mindset with Ray Zuberer, who has been Randolph's softball assistant throughout his tenure. "He's been great to work with," Randolph said of Zuberer, who earlier this month guided the Lady Aces' basketball team to the program's first 3rd Region title in 25 years. "There's a chemistry between us that's just sort of evolved over the years. "He has a lot of insight, and I lean on him. Sometimes, I want to react to situations in a game before thinking them through. Ray's more likely to step back and see the bigger picture. So, it's a good combination of approaches, and we complement each other very well. "Ray's become a really close friend. With me being an only child, he's sort of become like the brother I never had." And family is essential to the makeup of Randolph. His daughter, Olivia, was a star pitcher for Catholic and was selected Kentucky's Class 2-A Player of the Year as a senior in 2007. His sons, Jacob and Jared, both competed in sports for the Aces, and wife Pam has always played a vital role. "Pam was the one getting the kids to their games whenever I was on the road -- the times I couldn't be there," Randolph said. "I think the softball thing has grown on her through the years. Then, when all the kids were finished playing, we sort of looked at each other and said, 'What now?' After all those years, it was an adjustment not going to our kids' games." The Lady Aces have long been considered extended family, however, and Randolph is proud of the legacy his program has carved over the past 15 years. "It's pretty astounding that we've won 10 straight regional championships," he said, "and our ability to raise the bar through the years has contributed to other teams in the region improving their programs. The 3rd Region has become very sound in softball, and we have to work very hard to maintain our position at the top. "Some people might think it's easy for us to win, but it's not. We've worked our tails off through the years to reach this level. "It's been a great ride, and we're not done yet." Wednesday, March 30 Lady Aces Ranked #5 in March 29th Poll by KSCA 2011 KSCA Coaches Poll Top Teams in the State as voted by the KSCA. Current Poll March 29, 2011 Coaches Poll 1. Allen County (21) 2. Mercy (3) 3. Ballard (1) 4. North Laurel 5, Owensboro Catholic 6. Christian Co. (1) 7. Lafayette 8, Reidland 9. Meade County (1) 10. Scott County 11. Greenwood 12. Butler County 13. Male 14, Ryle 15, Green County 16. Marshall County 17. Heath 18. Ashland 19. Lone Oak 20. Central Hardin 21. Franklin County 21. Lexington Catholic 23. Clark County 24. PRP 25. Butler Others Recieving votes: Eastern 106, Glasgow 83, Oldham Co. 77, Assumption 43, South Laurel 38, Grayson County 36, Calloway 36, Barren Co. 33, Western Hills 33, Johnson Central 26, Grant Co. 26, Lou. Holy Cross 23, Woodford Co. 20, Fern Creek 19, Garrard Co. 18, Edmonson Co. 15, Union Co. 15, Collins 13, East Jessamine 13, Mercer Co. 10, Daviess Co. 12, Madison Central 11, Henry Clay 8, Muhlenberg County 8, Anderson Co. 7, Boyd Co. 6, Jenkins 5, Sacred Heart 5, Bullitt East 4, Somerset 4, Montgomery Co. 3, Dunbar 2, Madisonville 2, North Hardin 1, Hopkins Central 1 Wednesday, April 6 Lady Aces Ranked #7 in April 6th Poll by KSCA 2011 KSCA Coaches Poll Top Teams in the State as voted by the KSCA. April 6, 2011 Coaches Poll 1. Allen County (17) 449 2. Mercy 436 3. Ballard (1) 421 4. North Laurel 372 5. Christian County 342 6. Lafayette 308 7. Owensboro Catholic 303 8. Male 265 9. Greenwood 247 10. Scott Co. 246 11. Meade Co. 234 12. Butler Co. 211 13. Reidland 192 14. Ashland 179 15. Ryle 177 16. Lone Oak 159 17. Green Co. 137 18. Oldham County 134 19. Franklin County 134 20. Clark County 122 21. Central Hardin 114 22. Heath 92 22. Calloway County 92 23. Lexington Catholic 76 24. Marshall County 74 Tuesday, April 19 Lady Aces celebrate milestone Lady Aces celebrate milestoneBy Mark Mathis, Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro Catholic High School’s softball team rolled out a banner Monday night to commemorate its 500th win as a fast-pitch program, and to honor head coach George Randolph and assistant Ray Zuberer, who have been with the program the whole way.
“We were the only two people who applied for the job,” Randolph said, laughing, as he accepted congratulations from fans at Parents Park. “We wanted to learn something new, and we thought we had the athletes to make the transition from slow-pitch.” The Lady Aces tacked on win No. 503 at the expense of Owensboro High School, who they beat 12-0 in five innings prior to the banner presentation. They collected the 500th win last Wednesday night against Evansville Memorial. Randolph is the winningest coach in state fast-pitch history. His fast-pitch career record is 503-148-6.
Putting up those numbers point to a consistency of hard work and talent which has led to excellence that has been virtually unmatched across Kentucky, and certainly in the 3rd Region.
The Lady Aces have also won when the pressure was at its greatest — in the postseason. They have won five state championships and 10 straight 3rd Region titles. “The thing I’ve been most proud of was how our girls adjusted to fast-pitch, it was amazing how fast they made the transition,” Randolph said. Equally astonishing has been the talent level, and how the program has developed players through the years. “The consistency we’ve had has been another thing, teams would lose players, and we would have others step in and do the job,” Randolph said. This year’s group of Lady Aces, ranked No. 6 and 14-5 overall, has stepped in and done well after they lost a big senior class that won the state championship in 2009. Players from year to year understand that they need to uphold the tradition of winning big that has been established over the last 15 years. “It’s a lot of pressure on coach George and coach Zub to keep it all going,” said Carly Kaelin, a center fielder who has started for four years. But that pressure is lessened because Catholic’s players know what is expected to get them ready for each season. “I think our players work a lot harder,” said Elizabeth Church Brey, who is pitching coach for Catholic. “When nobody else is putting the time in, during the mornings and in the offseason, we are working.” Brey knows of what she speaks. She was a star pitcher herself in the early 2000s, earning state tournament Most Valuable Player in 2003 when the Lady Aces won their third state title. Right now, the Lady Aces are being led by an assortment of players. Kaelin collected three RBIs and hit a triple against OHS. Hayley Frey hit two triples and an RBI, and Alexis Dominick contributed three RBIs. Owensboro (1-10) was in the game until Catholic plated seven runs in the third inning. “We’ve been doing better,” OHS coach Steve Strong said. “Our last four games we’ve had four errors. We still need to bring runners across.” The Lady Aces have been getting runners in, making plays in the field and having pitchers deliver wins 503 times, so far, since 1996. It all still leaves Randolph a little shocked. As Randolph said: “I never thought it would turn into anything like this.” OWENSBORO 000 00 - 0 4 1 OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 127 2x — 12 8 1 WP-Murphy. LP-Strong. 2B-McBride (C). 3B-Frey 2, Kaelin (C). Mark Mathis, 691-7313, mmathis@messenger-inquirer.com Monday, April 25 Lady Aces are flexing muscles at plate Lady Aces are flexing muscles at plateBY MARK MATHIS, Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro Catholic High School’s softball team has benefitted this season from nearly everyone in the lineup having home run power.
The seventh-ranked Lady Aces’ power, coupled with their usual high batting average, has helped them to a 15-5 record. While past Catholic clubs have often had power from the top of the lineup, this year’s squad boasts six regular starters who have gone deep at least once. Taylor Fogle has led the way the Lady Aces’ power surge, having hit four home runs.
“We have hit 12 as a team,” Catholic coach George Randolph said. “They can almost all hit for power. Their swings are good. We talk about hitting the ball hard, but it’s good to know we’ve got eight or nine players who with one swing of the bat can make an impact with the deep ball.”
The Lady Aces nearly had two more home runs this week when Kendyl Bahnick and Andrea McBride each hit the top of the fence against Daviess County and ended up with doubles. “We have confidence in every single player when they go up there,” Fogle said. The Lady Aces are hitting .322 as a team, which is even more impressive when the level of competition Catholic has faced so far this spring is factored in. Center fielder Carly Kaelin is a four-year starter and leads the Lady Aces with a .420 batting average. She said dedication to getting in the batting cages and conditioning are the keys to the way the Lady Aces’ hitting success. “We put in a lot of hard work,” Kaelin said. “We lift a lot (weights), about three or four times a week. We knew hitting would be a big thing for us.” McBride, who is best known as Catholic’s top pitcher, is hitting .395. The Lady Aces have six other players batting over .300. Catholic has several first-year varsity starters, but each have embraced the Catholic tradition of stepping up and performing when their time arrived. “I feel good about the way they are swinging the bats,” Randolph said. “A lot more kids are getting opportunities this year. The work they have put in has transferred to the field. They take a game-type approach in practice, and they don’t get nervous in games. “These kids have settled in, and they are relaxed on the field.” Wednesday, April 27 Lady Aces Ranked #5 in April 27th poll by KSCA Rank-Team (FPV)......Pts......Pvs 1. Allen County-Scottsville (15)......447......1 2. Christian County (1)......405......3 3. Louisville Ballard (2)......401......2 4. Louisville Mercy......367......4 5. Owensboro Catholic......326......6 6. Bowling Green Greenwood......303......9 7. North Laurel......285......5 8. Lexington Lafayette......253......8 9. Louisville Male......247......7 10. Union Ryle......229......10 11. Scott County......226......12 12. Butler County......211......11 13. Meade County......209......16 14. Oldham County......204......13 15. Paducah Lone Oak......162......17 16. Central Hardin......147......15 17. Ashland Blazer......135......18 18. Paducah Heath......126......T22 19. Louisville Pleasure Ridge Park......112......NR 20. Marshall County......111......T22 21. Franklin County......110......20 22. Paducah Reidland......105......14 23. Green County......97......19 24. Calloway County......68......21 25. Louisville Eastern......66......NR Wednesday, May 4 McBride hitting stride McBride hitting strideSenior has 9-2 record, 2.28 ERA for No. 5 Lady AcesBy Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer
At the start of the 2011 season, Owensboro Catholic’s Andrea McBride found herself in the position many before her had been in — the new No. 1 pitcher on the most successful high school softball program in Kentucky.
A senior, McBride would be replacing Martina Riney, a two-year No. 1 starter who earned state tournament Most Valuable Player honors in 2009 as the Lady Aces secured their record fifth fast-pitch state title. “Being in the Catholic program, you always feel a little pressure, but it’s the good kind of pressure,” McBride said. “Along with that comes the confidence of pitching for such a great team. We’ve got great players behind me on defense, and when you’re pitching you know they’re going to make outstanding plays behind you. “More than feeling pressure, I looked at it as a challenge — to maintain the tradition so many great pitchers established here before me.” The rangy 5-foot-8 right-hander has been equal to the challenge, with a 9-2 record and a 2.28 earned run average for a fifth-ranked Catholic squad that has won 15 of its first 20 games against a typically strong schedule. “Andrea’s done very well,” Lady Aces head coach George Randolph said. “She pitched a lot on varsity last year, and that’s helped her coming into her senior season. “She knows how to pitch. I wouldn’t classify her as a power pitcher, but she gets it up there in the high 50s (miles per hour), and her fastball is good enough to set up her other pitches. She throws the whole arsenal at you, and she does a good job hitting her spots. She knows what she’s doing out there.” McBride, who plays third base when she’s not pitching, also knows what she’s doing at the plate. She’s hitting .396 with two homers, a team-best seven doubles and 13 RBIs. “I don’t think as much as I react when I’m hitting,” McBride said. “The key for me, and any hitter really, is to hit ahead in the count. As a pitcher, I know you’re sort of at the pitcher’s mercy when you’re hitting behind in the count. When I’m ahead in the count, I’m hitting the pitch I want to hit, and it’s not the other way around.” McBride’s experience as a pitcher also helps her focus in the field. “I want to do everything I can to come up with any ball hit my way, because I know how much that helps the pitcher,” McBride said. “On days when I’m pitching I expect the same type of effort and commitment from our fielders, so when I’m playing third I want to be at my very best.” Randolph said McBride’s value to the team extends far beyond the pitching rubber. “She’s a complete softball player,” he said. “Andrea hits the ball with authority and is one of our better run-producers. “At third base, she’s got good range, good instincts and a good glove. And, obviously, she’s got a good arm. She does a very good job for us over there.” McBride said she and the Lady Aces are driven to succeed by last year’s state tournament disappointment. See McBride/Page C3 Catholic entered the 16-team event at Jack C. Fisher Park as the defending champion and was ranked No. 2 in the state, but lost its first two games and was eliminated. “I think that drives every player on this team, even the ones who didn’t play much varsity last season,” McBride said. “I mean, 0-2 at state — that’s just not Owensboro Catholic softball. “After last year, we knew we had to come back and work harder than ever to re-establish the credibility and tradition of the program, and that’s what every player and coach in this program has done. “It’s driven us every day since we were eliminated, and it will continue to drive us the rest of the season.” Jim Pickens, 691-7314, jpickens@messenger-inquirer.com Friday, May 6 Tourney features high-profile teams Tourney features high-profile teamsBy Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer
The Owensboro Sports Warehouse Catholic Classic has long been renowned as one of the best regular-season softball tournaments in Kentucky, and the 2011 edition — to be played today and Saturday at Jack C. Fisher Park — is no different.
This year’s 16-team event is different in one respect, however, according to Lady Aces head coach George Randolph. “It’s been such a wet spring, I think all of these teams will just be looking forward to playing a game — period,” Randolph said with a chuckle. “Over the 10 years we’ve hosted this event, there have been years where teams had to back out of the tournament because of (KHSAA) game limitations. Obviously, that’s not a problem this time. “It’s a bonus to have a field this outstanding — every team in this thing will be tested.” Fifth-ranked Catholic is one of seven teams in the event ranked among Kentucky’s top 25. Others include No. 1 Allen County-Scottsville, No. 3 Louisville Mercy, No. 12 Oldham County, No. 14 Central Hardin, No. 21 Heath and No. 23 Calloway County. “There’s nothing quite like playing quality competition in terms of finding out where you stand,” Randolph said. “You can’t simulate it in practice, and during the middle portion of the regular season you’re playing teams that, for the most part, aren’t of this caliber. “This tournament allows coaches to see how their players perform against the best of the best. Some young players might do well against mediocre competition, for instance, but the real test is how they perform when they go up against the types of teams that will make it to the state tournament.” As good as this year’s field is, it would likely have been stronger had the tournament not coincided with Kentucky Derby weekend. “We lost a couple of quality Louisville teams because of the Derby, but this is still a very strong field,” Randolph said. “In addition to the Kentucky teams, we have Benedict from Tennessee and, of course, South Spencer from Indiana.” Other teams include Daviess County; Owensboro; Louisville Fern Creek, which upset Mercy on Wednesday; Lexington Henry Clay; Hopkins County Central; Anderson County; and Madisonville-North Hopkins. For Kentucky teams, in particular, competing in the event holds other advantages — including playing at the site of the state tournament and playing multiple games each day. “Playing and coaching in this event gives teams a feel for what competing in the state tournament is like,” Randolph said. “None of us are used to playing two or three games in a day, but this event offers you a chance to do that. “It’s important, because you want to see how your team performs with multiple games over a two-day period. Also, if you happen to get beat, you want to see how your team reacts having to play so soon again after a loss. In those respects, it really prepares you for the postseason tournament grind.” Rain washed out the second day of the tournament in both 2009 and 2010, and Catholic won the last completed tournament in 2008. The weather forecast is favorable this time around, Randolph said. “We’ve got a good chance to get the entire tournament in,” he said. “They’re not calling for rain until Saturday night, so I think we’re probably going to be OK. “For so many of the teams, us included, just playing some games is going to be so advantageous. A lot of teams in Kentucky have been relegated to practicing indoors for the better part of two weeks with all the rain we’ve had. I think everyone’s just anxious to get out on the field and play.” Jim Pickens, 691-7314, jpickens@messenger-inquirer.com Saturday, May 7 McBride twirls perfect game McBride twirls perfect gameBy Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer
Senior right-hander Andrea McBride pitched a five-inning perfect game as No. 5 Owensboro Catholic defeated No. 21 Heath 8-0 in the Owensboro Sports Warehouse Catholic Classic softball tournament on Friday night at Jack C. Fisher Park.
The Lady Aces, rebounding from a shutout loss to No. 3 Louisville Mercy earlier in the evening, pounded out 13 hits against the Lady Pirates. Carly Kaelin went 3-for-3 and Mallory Richardson belted a triple and drove in three runs to pace the attack. Alexis Dominick and Brittany Murphy each added two hits for Catholic (17-6), which also got a double from Brooke Payne and a pinch-hit homer from Liza Brown. McBride struck out four batters. OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 013 22 — 8 13 0 HEATH 000 00 — 0 0 3 WP-McBride. LP-Quint. 2B-Payne (OC). 3B-Richardson (OC). HR-Brown ( Sunday, May 8 Catholic plays way into semifinal round Catholic plays way into semifinal roundBY MARK MATHIS Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro Catholic High School’s softball team has long made a habit of playing late into the night in fast-pitch tournaments.
That was no exception in the Owensboro Sports Warehouse Catholic Classic on Saturday at Jack C. Fisher Park. The Lady Aces reached the semifinals of the single-elimination portion of the tournament. Due to rain showers on Saturday morning that pushed the tournament schedule back throughout the day. The semifinal contests started too late to make today’s edition. The fifth-ranked Lady Aces beat No. 23 Calloway County 10-1 to reach the semifinals. Catholic dropped Lexington Henry Clay 6-0 in its first single-elimination game.
Kaelin and Lewis each had two hits against Henry Clay. Lewis also scored three runs. Kendyl Bahnick had three hits. Catholic lost 3-1 to St. Benedict (Tenn.) in its pool play game Saturday morning. Lewis had two hits, including a triple, in that game. First game CATHOLIC 100 0 — 1 6 2 ST. BENEDICT 200 1 — 3 6 0 WP-Haney. LP-Murphy. 3B-Lewis (C). HR-King (SB). Second game HENRY CLAY 000 00 — 0 3 3 CATHOLIC 201 03 — 6 10 1 WP-McBride. LP-Mathis. Third game CATHOLIC 032 23 — 10 13 0 CALLOWAY COUNTY 000 01 — 1 5 1 WP-McBride. LP-Rucker. 2B-Kaelin, McBride, Lewis, Murphy (C); Gallimore (Call). Monday, May 9 Catholic knocks off top-ranked Allen County-Scottsville Catholic knocks off top-ranked Allen County-ScottsvilleBy the Messenger-inquirer
Owensboro Catholic High School’s softball team rallied from a three-run, first-inning deficit to defeat top-ranked Allen County-Scottsville 5-4 on Saturday night in the semifinals of the Owensboro Sports Warehouse Catholic Classic at Jack C. Fisher Park.
Tied 4-4 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the fifth-ranked Lady Aces’ Emily Woodward led off with a single. Lillie Goetz pinch ran and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Dominick and to third on Hayley Frey’s groundout. Carly Kaelin then delivered a single that plated the winning run. Allen County-Scottsville (24-3-1) had previously been undefeated against teams in Kentucky. The Lady Aces improved to 20-7. Jessica Carmon, who relieved Kaelin with one out in the second inning, earned the win. Dominick had a double for the Lady Aces’ lone extra-base hit. In the other semifinal, No. 3 Louisville Mercy defeated Hopkins County Central, 2-0. Due to the number of games each team had played and the late start caused by rain delays, the championship game was canceled. Mercy was named the tournament champion based on it having defeated Catholic during pool play. ALLEN CO.-SCOTTSVILLE 310 00 — 4 7 3 OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 112 01 — 5 7 1 WP-Carmon. LP-Pardue. 2B-Dominick (OC), Proce (ACS). Thursday, May 19 Patience has paid off for Catholic's Frey Patience has paid off for Catholic's FreyBY MARK MATHIS, Messenger-Inquirer
Hayley Frey waited last season for her time to make a major contribution to Owensboro Catholic High School’s softball team.
The sophomore first baseman was behind a large and talented group of senior starters who were defending a state championship. She had a handful of pinch-hitting opportunities, but was mostly a pinch runner. “That’s my fault for not giving her more opportunities last year,” Catholic coach George Randolph said. “I feel like I should have given her more.” Frey has shown what patience can do by becoming the most consistent hitter for the Lady Aces this season. She bats leadoff and has grown from being more than just a slap hitter. Frey is batting .375 and has been very selective with opposing pitching. In 112 plate appearances, she has struck out once while drawing 14 walks. “Last year I was usually a slapper, but this year I’ve been practicing hitting a lot,” Frey said. “They said we’re going to let you hit a little bit more this year, and I was kind of surprised about that. They started letting me (swing away) more, because I actually started hitting the ball.” Frey has been extremely versatile at the plate this season. “She’s got the ability to drop the bunt down, slap and hit with power,” Randolph said. “She one-hopped the fence at Union County, and turned on an inside pitch (in a 12-0 win at Apollo in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday).” Frey has also learned when to bunt and when to swing away. “It’s how the defense lines up, and she’s got a lot of freedom at the plate to bunt or slap if the defense lines up accordingly,” Randolph said. “She does a good job making the right choices. One thing she worked hard on in the offseason was hitting the pitch inside. If they throw it inside, she can turn on it. She can hit with authority to the right side now.” Frey sprayed the ball all around two parks Tuesday when Catholic swept Apollo with an offensive explosion that saw the Lady Aces score 19 runs and crank out 24 hits. Also solid defensively, Frey has been able to relax at the plate and get on base consistently. “Really, when I’m getting in the batter’s box, I’m just thinking hit the ball hard,” Frey said. “Sometimes I used to think keep my head in, don’t bring my shoulder out. I was thinking all that and you get your head all mixed up. But now when I get in there, the fundamentals and mechanics I practice, they just come together.” Tuesday, May 24 Lady Aces not lacking for incentive entering postseason Lady Aces not lacking for incentive entering postseasonBy Jim Pickens, Messenger-Inquirer
Owensboro Catholic High School, unceremoniously ousted in its first two games of the 2010 KHSAA State Tournament at Jack C. Fisher Park, is anxious to put last year’s postseason disappointment behind it.
A perennial state power, the Lady Aces enter today’s 9th District Tournament ranked No. 4 statewide — and coach George Randolph’s team is a heavy favorite to repeat as champion. “We pride ourselves on what our program has established in the postseason,” Randolph said, “and we’re excited about coming back strong this season. “We did the job in the district and (3rd) regional tournaments last season, but 0-2 in the state tournament is just not acceptable. This team has worked hard all year to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
The championship game is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Catholic (28-8) lost a wealth of talent from last year’s team, but has been significantly bolstered by the return of Andrea McBride, the team’s top pitcher, a key run-producer and an anchor at third base when not on the mound. “It’s helped in a lot of ways to have Andrea back,” Randolph said. “She’s stepped in as our No. 1 pitcher and responded very well, and she’s also stepped up as a leader for this team.” In addition to McBride, Catholic features five other seniors — catcher Taylor Fogle and outfielders Carly Kaelin, Mallory Richardson, Alexis Dominick and Leah Lewis. Owensboro (3-22), winless in six games against district competition during the regular season, is a youth-laden squad that continues to rebuild under second-year coach Steve Strong. Daviess County, meanwhile, opened the season with 17 losses in its first 23 games, but since then coach John Biggs’ Lady Panthers (12-21) have played significantly better. “Our pitching has improved and we’ve started to hit better with runners in scoring position.” Biggs said. “Overall, we’re just playing with a lot more confidence than we were earlier in the season — we’re playing now the way I expected us to play all season.” Daviess County relies on sophomore Caitlin Armstrong on the mound. “She’s really come around for us,” Biggs said. “She’s throwing strikes more consistently and letting the defense work behind her.” Apollo struggled down the stretch and will be without the services of standout junior shortstop MacKenzie Weedman, who recently suffered ligament damage to her left (glove) hand. The E-Gals (8-20) dropped seven of their final eight contests and were outscored 37-3 as they closed out the season with four consecutive defeats. Apollo split with Daviess County during the regular season, however, and Biggs said his team will be taking nothing for granted. “Any time we play Apollo it’s a toss-up,” he said. “Throw the records out, whatever you want to say — this game will be a battle. “I think it will come down to who gets the key hit, who makes the key play, who produces with the game on the line.” 10th District It hasn’t been the best of seasons for Muhlenberg County (15-20), but the Lady Mustangs are nonetheless the No. 1 seed in the 10th District Tournament at Hartford. In today’s opening round, No. 2 seed and host Ohio County (5-14) faces No. 3 seed McLean County (12-15) at 6:30 p.m. Muhlenberg County meets tonight’s winner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday for the championship. Niki Peveler is a standout pitcher for the Lady Mustangs, who won last year’s title with an 8-0 shutout of McLean County in the finale. Friday, May 27 Lady Aces Place 6 on All 9th District Team Selection Based on Sason Play. Owensboro Catholic - Hayly Frey, Carly Kaelin, Leah Lewis, Andrea McBride, Brittany Murphy, Mallory Richardson. Daviess County - Laurn Daugherty, Natailie Hoesle, Marrisa Massie, Hannah Tipton. Apollo - Alyssa Barnett, Taylor Fenwick, Chassidy McNeely, Brooke Robbins, MacKenzie Weedman. Owensboro - Samantha Glover, Lexie Tutt, Candice Vanover.
Wednesday, June 1 Catholic keeps streak alive Catholic keeps streak aliveLady Aces, Butler County in rematch for state berthBY ZACH GREENWELL Messenger-Inquirer
BRANDENBURG — Owensboro Catholic put itself in position to make some more history on the second day of the 3rd Region Softball Tournament at Meade-Olin Park.
The Lady Aces, winners of 10 straight region championships, beat Muhlenberg County 8-3 on Tuesday to advance to tonight’s title game. They’ll meet Butler County, which got 13 strikeouts from CheyAnne Gaskey in a 5-0 win over host Meade County in the second semifinal. The championship, a rematch of last year’s final, is set for 6:30 p.m. Owensboro Catholic 8 Muhlenberg County 3 The Lady Mustangs had their chances to chip away at No. 4 Catholic, but they couldn’t get over the hump as the Lady Aces rolled to their 32nd consecutive region game win. Catholic (32-8) benefited from three Muhlenberg County errors in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs despite just one hit. “I liked the way we started it out,” Catholic coach George Randolph said. “Getting on top first alleviates some of the pressure. We were opportunistic, and luckily our speed players were running the bases well.” Senior Carly Kaelin first drove in sophomore Hayley Frey with a single, and Kaelin came around to score on a sacrifice bunt by junior Brooke Payne. But the Lady Mustangs (17-22) still couldn’t escape the first, as eighth-grader Lillie Goetz gave Catholic a 3-0 lead after scoring on an error. The Lady Aces added another run in the second inning when senior Leah Lewis walked with the bases loaded. Freshman Kendyl Bahnick, who went 3-for-4, said Catholic showed good balance up and down the lineup with timely hitting. “A good hitting team is about having people throughout the lineup,” Bahnick said. “It shouldn’t matter what spot in the order someone’s hitting.” The backbreaker for Muhlenberg County came in the top of the fourth, when the Lady Mustangs loaded the bases with no outs and left with no runs. Kaitlyn Walley, Markie Smith and Kara Drake hit consecutive singles to start the inning, but Catholic senior pitcher Andrea McBride struck out two and got a fly out to work out of the jam. Catholic put the game out of reach with three more runs in the fifth, highlighted by a two-run single by senior Alexis Dominick. Dominick later scored on an error, Muhlenberg County’s sixth of the night. “We couldn’t catch it, throw it or field it. That about sums it up,” Muhlenberg County coach Fred Gibson said. “We just had too many errors and weren’t able to hit earlier in the game when the pressure was on.” The Lady Aces capped their scoring with an RBI single by Bahnick in the sixth inning. Muhlenberg County scored three runs in the top of the seventh, but it was too little, too late. Walley went 2-for-4 for the Lady Mustangs with an RBI, and Camrie Gray drove in a run with a single. Christina McDonald hit a double and scored on an error. McBride recorded the win. Junior Niki Peveler took the loss. Catholic will try to keep its long region winning streak alive with a team that lost seven starters from 2010, but Randolph said familiarity is still a weapon. “You can’t substitute for experience,” he said. “No one thought this group would be able to come in and keep it rolling, but they’ve risen to the occasion.” MUHLENBERG COUNTY 000 000 3 — 3 8 6 OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 310 031 x — 8 9 2 WP-McBride. LP-Peveler. 2B-McDonald (MC). Tuesday, May 31 District champions advance District champions advanceBy Zach Greenwell, Messenger-Inquirer
BRANDENBURG — Monday’s opening round of the 3rd Region Softball Tournament wasn’t the day for the underdog.
Each of the region’s four district champions advanced to today’s semifinals at Meade-Olin Park, including 10-time defending region champion Owensboro Catholic. The Lady Aces fought off a late spark by Hancock County for a 7-2 win, while host Meade County sent Daviess County home early, 14-0 in five innings. In Monday’s other action, Butler County used 16 strikeouts from CheyAnne Gaskey to beat McLean County, 5-1, and Muhlenberg County edged out Grayson County, 2-1. Catholic plays Muhlenberg County at 6 tonight in the first game of a doubleheader, while Butler County will meet Meade County in the 8 p.m. nightcap. The championship game is slated for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Owensboro Catholic 7 Hancock County 2 Although Hancock County managed to get two runs across in the seventh inning, the Lady Aces’ offense still proved strong enough to get the job done. But the win didn’t necessarily leave No. 4 Catholic (31-8) with the best taste in its mouth. “We were aggressive at the plate at times,” Catholic coach George Randolph said. “But we also had some mental mistakes with some bad swings. We didn’t take good angles in the outfield at times, and we had some baserunning mistakes. Those were all things we talked about leading up to the game.” The Lady Aces grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI double by freshman Kendyl Bahnick that scored senior Mallory Richardson. Catholic got another run in the third when freshman pinch runner Olivia Foster scored on an error, while Hancock County (19-16) left three runners in scoring position through the first five innings. After the Lady Hornets failed to capitalize on their chances, Catholic busted the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Junior Emily Woodward started with an RBI single, Hancock County pitcher Mariah Hays hit a batter and walked another with the bases loaded to give Catholic two runs, and Catholic senior Alexis Dominick rapped a two-run single to make it 7-0. “We knew that to win, we’d have to play error-free softball and hit the ball,” Hancock County coach Jake Schwindel said. “You keep things in control, and then suddenly you don’t do those things, and in the blink of an eye it’s 3-0, then 5-0, then 7-0.” The Lady Hornets staged a comeback effort in the final inning with two runs before Catholic senior pitcher Andrea McBride was able to shut the door. Senior Sara Morgan scored on a wild pitch for Hancock County’s first run, and junior Jadale Daughtery came home on an error after hitting a double. Despite the late surge, McBride still held the Lady Hornets to five hits over seven innings. She walked two and struck out five. “We started off strong defensively, and it took our offense a few innings to come around,” McBride said. “We’re just going to take it each game at a time and try to fix the little things.” Catholic spread the wealth with its offense, as only McBride and Richardson had multiple hits. The Lady Aces had eight total hits, including three doubles. HANCOCK COUNTY 000 000 2 — 2 5 4 OWENSBORO CATHOLIC 011 050 x — 7 8 1 WP-McBride. LP-Hays. 2B-Daugherty (HC), Bahnick, McBride, Paige (OC). Meade County 14 Daviess County 0 No. 18 Meade County unloaded on the Lady Panthers for five runs in the first inning, four in the second and five in the fourth, sparking a mercy-rule win. The Lady Waves’ (25-6) victory avenged a 4-1 loss at Daviess County on May 16. “I think we came out a little more focused on the strike zone and hit the ball hard,” Meade County coach Mike Harreld said. “Once we got a couple hits and they made a couple errors — their season’s been a lot like that. They’ve got some young kids that I feel like the pressure got to them.” Meade County seniors Kayla Padgett and Chelsea Cummings first scored on an error, and an RBI single by junior Ashley Funk brought home freshman Ashley Nikolao. A two-run single by senior Raymie Greenwell then pushed the Lady Waves’ early lead to 5-0. Cummings scored on another DC error in the second inning. The Lady Panthers (13-23) had six errors in the game, which resulted in five Meade County runs. “The tone was set early on. From there, the wheels kind of fell off,” DC coach John Biggs said. “We haven’t been here for a while, and Meade County’s a staple, so part of it may have been that. But I feel like our kids were ready. “We’ve been kind of susceptible to big innings, and when you give yourself that big of a hole, it’s tough to come back from.” Funk rapped another RBI single for Meade County in the second that plated Nikolao, and senior Erin Benton followed with a two-run single to make it 9-0. Meade County tacked on five more runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run single by Cummings and a two-run double by senior Scarlett Powers. Junior Amanda Logsdon pitched four innings for the Lady Waves for the win. DC sophomore Jaclyn Peveler surrendered six runs in an inning of work for the loss and was relieved by Catlin Armstrong, who gave up eight runs in three innings. The Lady Panthers were held to just three hits, two of which belonged to junior Hannah Tipton. “Our season has been up and down,” Biggs said. “But I think there’s something for us to build on, and our goal is for being back in region to be something we do all the time.” DAVIESS COUNTY 000 00 — 0 3 6 MEADE COUNTY 540 5x — 14 9 4 WP-Logsdon. LP-Peveler. 2B-Powers (Meade). Butler County 5 McLean County 1 As they have so many times before, the 11th-ranked Lady Bears rode the dominance of senior pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey to a convincing win. Gaskey struck out 16 in a complete-game effort, allowing just three hits and one run. “It started out a little rough for us, and I think the heat got to us a little bit,” Gaskey said. “But we kept it together, and our hitting eventually came around.” Gaskey was at her strongest at the beginning and end of the game, striking out six of the first seven batters and six of the final seven. “We knew coming in she was probably ranked one of the best pitchers in the state,” McLean County coach Ed Ward said. “We tried to adjust and play some small ball against her, but they were still able to get some things done.” Senior Lindsey Blair led off the first inning for Butler County (27-5) with a double to left-center field and later scored on an error. The Lady Bears extended their advantage in the third inning with an RBI triple by freshman Amy Rogers and a single by sophomore Madeline Drake that scored Rogers. McLean County (13-17) pushed its lone run across in the top of the fourth. Senior Bailey Roberts reached base and advanced to second on an error, and she later scored on an RBI single by fellow senior Brooke Little. But Butler County added its final offense in the fifth inning when Drake knocked an RBI single and freshman Lynsie Clark scored on an error. Gaskey cruised the rest of the way. Blair went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored to lead the Lady Bears. Sophomore pitcher Jessica Jones struck out nine in six innings for McLean County, which committed four errors. “The only thing I wish is that we’d had a few better at-bats at times, but we stayed focused,” Butler County coach John Embry said. “We’ve just got to keep chugging away.” MCLEAN COUNTY 000 100 0 — 1 3 4 BUTLER COUNTY 102 020 x — 5 5 1 WP-Gaskey. LP-Jones. 2B-Blair 2 (BC). 3B-Rogers (BC). Muhlenberg County 2 Grayson County 1 The Lady Mustangs struck late in a pitchers’ duel with Grayson before staving off the Lady Cougars in the final inning. “We’ve come back strong in the last three weeks or so,” Muhlenberg County coach Fred Gibson said. “Good teams win close games, and the girls have started coming together to win these games.” Muhlenberg County (17-21) junior pitcher Niki Peveler struck out seven in seven innings, allowing just three hits and no walks for the win. Her effort was enough to let the Lady Mustangs take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. They struck first with a sacrifice fly by sophomore Markie Smith, and Peveler later helped her own cause with an RBI single that scored junior Kaitlyn Walley. Grayson County (18-14) put up a fight in the top of the seventh, scoring one run on an error and placing runners on second and third with no outs. But Peveler struck out two straight batters and then got a fly out to escape the jam and end the game. “I’m really surprised we held them off as long as we did,” Peveler said. “But we stuck it out at the end even though it was getting tight, so that’s good going forward.” Grayson County pitcher Victoria Decker struck out nine in six innings with six hits. The Lady Mustangs had all singles, led by junior Kara Drake, who went 2-for-3. GRAYSON COUNTY 000 000 1 — 1 3 1 MUHLENBERG COUNTY 000 002 x — 2 6 3 WP-Peveler. LP-V. Decker. |
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