StraightShooter

Conner is better than NCC at this point in the season. So, it will make for a better final game to have Nutini pitching rather than Isler. I expected Krumps to pull Ice after getting up 7-0 after 2. Like most everyone around here, I still expect CC to win but the chances for an upset will be higher without the big man on the rubber (literally). (Assuming Conner wins of course - BW w/o Smith will have zero chance vs. CC).

Ok, then it does make sense for the Beechies to try to beat Conner without Smith starting. My bad.

Didn't CC run rule Beechwood with Smith on the mound? Beechwood would have a better chance against CC with a junkballer than a fastballer. I have not seen Beechwood play, only going by what others have observed and their results. I have seen Conner play and they have been inconsistent but have a very, very capable ball club. I think that Conner is definitely the next best team remaining and the only team with a shot at giving CC a game (since Jeramie Connor is not available to hurl for NC against CC). I would rather play in the final than get knocked out in the semis with my ace at another position. My personal opinion is that Beechwood has very little chance vs. CC with or without Smith (been proven already this year), so the Beechies might as well try to get to the finals and throw an off-speed pitcher vs. CC. I have no dog in the fight, so good luck to all remaining teams.

Roesel's decision was very sound. Two late-inning errors doomed Ryle. NC did not hit the ball hard off Etscheid. Etscheid would have been Ryle's best chance to hang in with CC. The other Ryle pitchers threw well enough to win. Ryle played GREAT defense until the last 4 outs were needed.

Congrats to Beechwood. They will need Smith to have a chance to beat Conner IMO.

Congrats to Conner. Beechwood will be making a grave mistake if they don't throw their best against Conner as I see the Beechies with no chance to beat Conner without Smith. Good luck to the Cougars!!!!!

I believe that Ryle's first 3 runs were unearned and NC's last 5 runs were unearned. It was exciting in spite of the miscues, but it probably was not real easy to throw the wet ball around the field. It is unusual to be able to play baseball when the ball is wet the whole game and I would attribute many of the errors to the unique wet ball situation. NO way the games were played in Florence today without synthetic turf. Had to be a heartbreaking loss for the Raiders after controlling the whole game until that fatal first error with 2 outs in the top of the 7th. Ryle had turned some very nice DP's in the poor conditions. Great job by both teams of hustling and battling the whole way. Very entertaining h.s. baseball game. Good luck to the Breds. They are really gonna need it vs. CovCath.

Kinda like Holmes in basketball this year.

Isler would be the first to say that one of his teammates should start vs. St H. Definitely see no way Ice waits til game 3 since NC is a solid team and the defending champ, beat CC last year and Ryle has played CC close 3 times.

If St. Henry beats CC, then it will be a national day of mourning in Park Hills. It will be a victory for SH if they don't get run-ruled.

Hard work and mental toughness have put him where he is today. I agree with everything you said and best wishes to Travis and the Ryle Raiders this season. I like the way they schedule and it is a reflection on Coach Warner's fearless mentality. The NKY 6A district should have some great battles again this year.

Classic draw situation where one team gets to the finals that really was not expected to be there. I believe that the Dixie/Conner winner gets to the finals. Good luck to all teams and to all of the young men who have worked so hard to get to this point. Also, I believe it is justice for CovCath to draw the team with the worst record in the field. The tourney is CovCath's to win, but they will feel an awful lot of pressure if someone takes them into the 6th or 7th inning and the game is tight.

I would say that is a fair statement to this point. They have a losing record and were favored to win the district. A strong performance at regionals could erase memories of a disappointing season to this point.

I just noticed that my bracket "wish list" is not possible because NC and Highlands cannot be in the same bracket. So, the pairing choices get somewhat limited. Any way it works out, I see several teams that are much more dangerous in round one than round two. I've got this gut feeling that Ryle and CovCath are the two best teams at this time as they have played the toughest schedules. It would be a shocker if CovCath does not win the region.

Favorite is CC regardless of the draw. Dark horse is much easier to assess after we see the draw. Coaches will have big decisions to make re: pitching. Here's what I would like to see: CovCath - NewCath Highlands - Conner Dixie - Beechwood Ryle - St. Henry

Good job by the Raiders. Certainly did not see them winning the district but they really handed it to the Cougars today. Good luck in the region.

Hardly see any way this will be anything other than a very close game. I'd be shocked if it was a 10-run rule affair. Remember - these teams have split 3 games down the middle (1-1-1).

Congrats to CovCath on blistering Beechwood. It will take a lot of things to go wrong for CC and an equal amount of things to go right for their opponent over one 7-inning contest to keep the Blue Colonels from wearing the crown next week. But, stranger things have happened.

Point well taken. Boone's schedule was not nearly as demanding as was the Ryle schedule. Good luck to the Raiders. As I already stated, they deserved to win in the final analysis. Good nite.

Conner is swinging the bats well, so it could be a Cougar kind of day. Good luck to both teams. Ryle will certainly need to hit better tomorrow to pull out the district championship.

Boy was I wrong. I thought Boone would win handily by 4. Congrats to the Raiders on hanging in to win a game they probably should not have won. I think they only had one hit (and that was on a Boone misplay) until the sixth inning and did not hit the ball well at all until Boone switched pitchers. Deno and Etscheid were very good and both deserved to win. Boone made key mistakes and cost themselves a trip to the region. Ryle played excellent defense all day except for one miscue. They deserved to win in the final analysis. Good luck to the Raiders.

CCH in a romp (5 or more run margin)

My thoughts - the far superior team won easily as expected. Congrats to Cooper on getting some wins in their first season. They will be good soon enough. Conner can make some noise in the postseason even though I think they have a losing record entering the tourney.

Boone comfortably. I guess comfortable depends on whether your boy is playing or not. At any rate, I look for the Rebs to win by 4 runs again. To me, a 1-run win is uncomfortable, a 4-run win is comfy. I believe that Ryle's pitching and infield defense is better, but Boone's outfield defense and hitting is quite a bit better than the Raiders.

Congrats to Conner. I guess people thought they were the top team in the district in the preseason and they got it done. This win puts them in the region IMO so it is a very big win.