NKU was filled tonight with a bunch of past NKY softball legends to watch this matchup. I haven't seen some of these guys in quite some time. I thought for a moment Al Lowe was going to pop out from around the corner with a bucket of wings.....Cue it "Al your wings are ready"....Just wish my better half would of allowed me to play just a few more years. Miss it really bad!

 

Too funny, played many a tourney with "Uncle Al". I know what you mean when you say you miss it, right there with ya.

My daughter would have needed "Stretch Armstrong" arms to haul that one in. :lol2: With all due respect to Tourney MVP Kristen Schreiber, she just didn't set her feet and rushed the throw. That being said, the young lady can flat out get it done behind the "dish". :ylsuper:

 

Schreiber is a hustler for sure, Little Lawngirl had a nice game at first also.

By Terry Boehmker

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky.

 

Winning a district championship is nothing new for the Newport Central Catholic fast-pitch softball team. The Thoroughbreds have done it five times in the last seven years. But NewCath’s 2-1 win over Highlands in the 34th District title game on Thursday at NKU was something special for a young team that finished the regular season with a 13-13 record. “This was a real nice game for us,” said NewCath coach Denny Barnes. “When we play good defense, we usually do good.” Both teams advance to next week’s 9th Region Tournament that’s set to begin on Tuesday at NKU. A draw for the first-round pairings will take place over the weekend. NewCath committed just one error and sophomore pitcher Sarah Neace gave up only two hits during the district final. But Highlands also played good defense and the game was scoreless until the sixth inning.

 

NewCath sophomore catcher Kristin Schreiber led off the inning with a double and scored when sophomore outfielder Morgan Martini drilled a line drive into center field. Martini stole second base, went to third on a ground out and came home on junior designated hitter Molly Mertle’s single down the first base line to make it 2-0. Neace retired the first two Highlands batters she faced in the bottom of the sixth. But freshman shortstop Haley Coffey cracked a long fly ball over the center fielder’s head and rounded the bases for a solo home run. Martini nearly caught the ball on the run, but it popped out of her glove. She chased down the ball and got it to a teammate who made a nice throw to the plate, but Coffey sidestepped a sweeping tag to make it 2-1. “I didn’t think two runs was going to be enough (to win),” coach Barnes said. “I was scared all the way to the last pitch.” Neace nailed down the victory in the bottom of the seventh, however, by retiring three Bluebirds in order. It was a rewarding victory for the sophomore right-hander after losing to Highlands twice during the regular season. “I just kind of pitched harder this time and made sure I kept the ball lower,” she said. “That’s really all I did.” Neace got off to a shaky start in the first inning of the district final. She hit the leadoff batter and walked two others to load the bases before ending the inning with a strike out. She then retired 18 of the next 20 batters he faced.

 

“She’s got our number, and they played good defense behind her,” Highlands coach Robert Coffey said of Neace. “They make it tough to get a hit. That’s their strategy and we just couldn’t put the bat on the ball.” Schreiber was named most valuable player on the all-tournament team. She drove in three runs in NewCath’s first-round win over Newport, but it was her leadoff double in the right-center field gap in the sixth inning of the championship game that clinched the award. “I just tried to hit the ball and get on base,” Schreiber said. “I was aiming for a gap somewhere, and that’s where it went.”

 

NEWCATH 000-002-0–2 5 1

HIGHLANDS 000-001-0–1 2 1

WP: Neace. LP: Spencer (6 Ks). HITTING LEADERS: NC–Schreiber 2B. H–Coffey HR. RECORDS: NewCath 15-13, Highlands 17-11.

 

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

NewCath – Kristin Schreiber (MVP), Morgan Martini, Sarah Neace. Highlands – Whitney Quillen, Haley Coffey. Dayton – Felicia Watts. Newport – Taylor Tyler. Bellevue – Jordan Smith.

 

 

Read more: NewCath tops Highlands in district final

Sounds like a great game. no doubt these two teams with the scores this year are evenly matched the regional will be fun to watch play out. can't wait to see some games

Too funny, played many a tourney with "Uncle Al". I know what you mean when you say you miss it, right there with ya.

Congrats LB and the Lady Breds on the victory. Always fun watching Big Al eat them wings. Especially when he had no chicklets in the front and resembled a jack-o-lantern. Great guy.

I thought I read in a thread last week that Neace was on a short leash?? Why was the leash even put on? Is there a pitcher on your team that much better? Just curious.:popcorn:

I thought I read in a thread last week that Neace was on a short leash?? Why was the leash even put on? Is there a pitcher on your team that much better? Just curious.:popcorn:

 

There are times Sarah has control issues and when they come they seem to come in bunches, plus there are times she seems to hit her peak after 5 innings, thus a "short leash". 8th grader Haley Meyers definitely has more "pop", but she is in the same boat when it comes to control. It's Jykell and Hyde with her.

Highlands 6th - PO6, GO5-3, Coffey triple to center (scores on E4), GO4-3. NewCath 2-1.

 

E9 on throw.

 

Not that it matters in the outcome of the game, but I like to get things right. After talking to a few folks that were at the game last night I need to amend the scoring decision, the error goes to the rightfielder on the play, not 2nd baseman. With so much going on with the play, as it unfolded I was wavering on who to give the error to, it could have gone either way. The relay throw was short, thus forcing Kohls to run to it and kicking it away. Even though she recovered the ball quickly, it was all Coach Coffey needed to send his "speedy" daughter home to beat the throw from Kohls.

 

I'm a "stickler" to details.

Highlands 6th - PO6, GO5-3, Coffey triple to center (scores on E4), GO4-3. NewCath 2-1.

 

E9 on throw.

 

Not that it matters in the outcome of the game, but I like to get things right. After talking to a few folks that were at the game last night I need to amend the scoring decision, the error goes to the rightfielder on the play, not 2nd baseman. With so much going on with the play, as it unfolded I was wavering on who to give the error to, it could have gone either way. The relay throw was short, thus forcing Kohls to run to it and kicking it away. Even though she recovered the ball quickly, it was all Coach Coffey needed to send his "speedy" daughter home to beat the throw from Kohls.

 

I'm a "stickler" to details.

 

Did the runner stop at third and then go home or did she keep running? I believe if she did not stop it is ruled a home run and therefore no error. Please correct me if I am wrong. The Post has it scored as a home run which is what I thought it was.

Did the runner stop at third and then go home or did she keep running? I believe if she did not stop it is ruled a home run and therefore no error. Please correct me if I am wrong. The Post has it scored as a home run which is what I thought it was.

 

I can't speak for coach Coach Coffey but I don't think she goes home with clean relay. It was bang bang at home if the catcher could have held onto the ball and thats with the ball being kicked around on the throw. Either way heck of an effort on both sides..

Well I know we all score things a little different but I had it as a home run. Spoke with coach Coffey after the game and as soon as the ball kicked off the glove on the dive he was sending her. I scored the HHS book as a home run. Obviously it didn't make a difference in the outcome, but I guess if you would have to go by the book, the centerfielder touched it so give her the error if you must give one... Standing by the homer here...

Fun game to watch defensivly with a lot of pretty good plays.... Pretty depressing on our offensive side for the Birds.... Hopefully they can get it straightened out quickly... For some reason they stuggle with slow to medium speed pitchers... They hit Butts, Crupper and even Smith much better than they have Neace and a couple others.

Did the runner stop at third and then go home or did she keep running? I believe if she did not stop it is ruled a home run and therefore no error. Please correct me if I am wrong. The Post has it scored as a home run which is what I thought it was.

 

Do be perfectly honest IMO (and I was right behind Coach Coffey) he was not sending her until the errant relay. However I could be wrong. Either way just another classic battle between these two programs.

 

I can't speak for coach Coach Coffey but I don't think she goes home with clean relay. It was bang bang at home if the catcher could have held onto the ball and thats with the ball being kicked around on the throw. Either way heck of an effort on both sides..

 

That's how I saw it.

 

Agree. :thumb:

 

Well I know we all score things a little different but I had it as a home run. Spoke with coach Coffey after the game and as soon as the ball kicked off the glove on the dive he was sending her. I scored the HHS book as a home run. Obviously it didn't make a difference in the outcome, but I guess if you would have to go by the book, the centerfielder touched it so give her the error if you must give one... Standing by the homer here...

 

Playtowin, no problem here, very tough call to make from both sides.

Well I know we all score things a little different but I had it as a home run. Spoke with coach Coffey after the game and as soon as the ball kicked off the glove on the dive he was sending her. I scored the HHS book as a home run. Obviously it didn't make a difference in the outcome, but I guess if you would have to go by the book, the centerfielder touched it so give her the error if you must give one... Standing by the homer here...

 

I hate that saying, just bc it hits the glove does not make it an error....no way no how was that an error on the center fielder, she made a heck of an effort to just get a glove on it.

 

My opinion doesn't really matter but I would have given her a triple with an error on the relay from the outfield to the 2nd baseman, but I have no problem with it being scored a HR either.

Great competition!!!