Highlands 6 Newport Central Catholic 0

March 21, 201412 yr

While the home opener was moved to Tower Park, the Birds prevailed 6-0 in this one. Bailey Spencer pitched a two hit shutout recording 3 Ks.

The birds jumped out to a 3 run lead in the first on some nice hitting with two outs. Graybill started it off with a single to short and then Brennah Dutcher and Kendall Turner followed with back to back doubles to center driving in the first two. KC Broering was hbp and Spencer singled to right scoring Turner.

Some pretty good defensive plays for this early in the season were pretty to watch as Quillen layed out and stole a hit away from Schreiber and threw her out from her knees.

Nice game by both squads and a big thank you to the city of Fort Thomas for getting the field playable.

March 21, 201412 yr

Was there for the 1st 2 innings of the game and I will go ahead and say it now. This is not the same Highlands program that my girl started playing for 2 years ago. A very different culture of how you play the game. Very efficient and just an all around much better program. Highlands is getting better each time they take the field. Can't wait to watch this team later in the year. They are going to be a very good team come regionals....

March 21, 201412 yr

I thought the Birds would win this game but didn't see a shutout coming. Can't wait to read Lawnboy's report.

March 21, 201412 yr

Congrats to the HHS!

I am guessing this is all part of NCC's plan to lay low then get them in the districts again...

March 21, 201412 yr

Congrats to the HHS!

I am guessing this is all part of NCC's plan to lay low then get them in the districts again...

The LAST game of the season is the only one that REALLY counts!

March 21, 201412 yr

More in the morning, but I'm guessing this will be the play most discussed...

Edited March 21, 201412 yr by AllenR

March 21, 201412 yr

NewCath 1st (Bailey Spencer pitching)

Kohls bunts and reaches on an error at 1st, following a K, Schreiber walks, a passed ball and stolen base has them at 2nd & 3rd, but Burkart and Meyers both pop-out.

Highlands 1st (Taylor Burkart pitching)

1st two Birds hitters pop-out. Shelby Graybill pops one up behind short that falls between SS and left-fielder. :no::facepalm::banghead: Brennah Dutcher and Kendall Turner both with RBI doubles and a Bailey Spencer single to right scores the 3rd run of the inning.

NewCath 2nd

Molly Mertle leads the inning off with a BB and is stranded at 3rd.

Highlands 2nd

With 1-out, Whitney Quillen is HBP, then Ashley Grosser bunts up the 1st baseline where Breds 1st basemen Kennedy Bin fields on the LINE and Grosser collides with Bin who drops the ball, all ends safe as Quillen races to 3rd on the play. Graybill gets an RBI groundout to SS for the only run of the inning.

The Breds would get singles in the 4th & 7th by Molly Mertle for their ONLY hits and base-runners for the rest of the game.

Highlands 3rd

Kendall Turner hits one to Casey Kohls at SS, she knocks it down, but her throw is off the mark and Turner reaches on the error. A GO5-3 moves Turner to 2nd and then Bailey Spencer hits an absolute "missile" past Kohls and into left-center to drive in Turner. Next two batters go down PO-5 FO-7.

Highlands 4th (Haley Meyers pitching)

Quillen reaches on a leadoff walk, following a WP & SB, she's at 3rd. One out later, Graybill hits one back to Meyers in the circle...she looks Quillen back to 3rd, but her throw to 1st is off the mark:facepalm: and Quillen scores. Next to batters go down GO-3, GO2-3.

That's it for the scoring in this one. No telling how different this would have been if the Graybill "flare" is caught in the 1st??????

Birds with some solid hitting in this one, the Breds not so much. Spencer threw a very nice game. Meyers 3 innings of no-hit ball. :thumb:

Like Playtowin29 said, some really nice plays in this one, two standout above all.

Whitney Quillen's play on Schreiber's drive was flat out AMAZING, diving stop, collects ball on her knees and fires a missile across the diamond. :ylsuper:

Taylor Burkart's "sliding" catch in leftfield on a sinking "laserbeam" shot off the bat of Gabbard, very nice. :ylsuper: