heavy duty

Those MaxPreps Rankings you're referencing are the Writer's poll. The MP Computer ranking had Russellville at #334 and Ballard at #174. Russellville must not play any strong opponents because their Strength of Schedule rating is 0.4117. Ballard's is higher at 6.1484. Male has highest Str. of Schd in KY with 14.0383 rating. Shortcoming of MP's system is reporting....not all teams across the nation report, but many do, and it is probably the most accurate representation I have found. Many of those writers polls, like most polls, rely on opinion not fact. So, a girl is signed to go to an SEC powerhouse and they are 14-0, so they've got to be Top 5 material, especially to the writer's from the Southeast. It's a fun exercise that really proves you can't rank HS sports. Ballard played well when I saw them. Curious how Parker stole home, though. Straight steal on release of the ball, or delayed steal and catcher didn't see her when throwing back to pitcher, maybe? Pretty cool, if that's the case. She's quick.

Could not have imagined a better night for softball!! The weather was 180 degree opposite of last night. Bulldogs were able to coax 8 BBs, but K'd 11 times against Mercy pitcher, Thomas. They also only registered 2 hits....both HRs, though. McIver sent her 6th of the year out in the 3rd plating 3, and making it a 4-0 game, then in the 6th Mudd got her 1st of the year with a screaming line drive over the LF fence, a 2 run shot making it 7-1. In the 1st inning Wireman got the scoring going by drawing a lead off walk, then stealing 2nd, 3rd and home. Mudd scored in the 5th when Mercy catcher Hackel threw the ball into LF trying to catch the Bulldog SS stealing 3rd. Wireman was sharp in the circle for Male with 7 Ks, 0 BBs and 5 Hs, only having multiple hits in the 6th inning. Mercy's Vorbrink accounted for 3 of the Jags 5 hits, and was driven in by Thomas' RBI 2B in that inning. Good, needed win for the home team tonight. Dawgs travel to Indy for a d/h with Carmel HS Sat, then host District foe, Assumption next Wed.

looks like a painful game!! Lot of collision photos

Smith did a good job in the circle for OC. She is really growing into a nice pitcher. Poynter and Suski never put it together in the circle for Male, nor did the batters. Walks, hits and errors made for a long cold night in Buckner.

Actually it wasn't as chilly tonight as I thought it would be. May have been the heat One-Five was bringing. Butler Bears batters got just two looks each at Wireman pitching tonight in their 5 frames, and with 2 down in top of 5th their 8-hole hitter smacks a 2B to left to break up the no-hitter. Final line for the Bulldog's Senior pitcher was 1H, 2BBs, 10Ks over 5 innings. At the plate Mciver and Mudd each had 3 RBIs each while Mciver and Wireman each went 3-3 for the Bulldogs. Bulldogs visit Oldham Co. tomorrow and host Mercy Thursday.

Great story!! Did the Track/Soccer/LAX dad's build that Olympic Village the AD was sitting in front of?!?

I know mercy won 1 on Lasley's walk off HR yesterday, and was put out by Hilcrest today in bracket. Male came out flat as a pancake this AM, and was sent home by Wilson Central, TN. Assumption eliminated by Spain Park. No word on the other KY teams, but it's good to see the Ws in the Bluegrass column.

This was matchup was requested by both coaches, and was a battle to the last pitch of the game. Sparkman came in as 2 time, defending 7A State Champs, 34-2, and ranked #1 state/#4 nationally by MaxPreps. Another tall order for the Bulldogs. Both teams swapped runs in the first 3 innings, going into the 4th tied up 2-2. Bottom 4th with time expired, Sparkman gets a 2 out, 2 strike single from their 9 hole batter to roll the lineup over to their lethal lead off batter, Brevia Robinson. She is the fastest player I have ever seen on a softball field, hands down. Male intentionally walks her, and on a 3-2 count 2 hole batter jerks a hanging screw ball, line drive over LF wall to close it out, 5-3. Highlights for the Bulldogs included 10 strikeouts and 5 hits (2 ea to the 1 & 2 hole batters) for Wireman and another HR for Suski, her 2nd of the night. Heartbreak of a loss, but awesome job of competing with one of the top HS teams in the country....and shushing a couple obnoxious Sparkman dads who we're spouting off about how Male was "about to see how softball is done down here, AL style" before the game......crickets afterwards :whistling:

First game of the day for Male at the Bob Jones Invitational was against Riverdale HS from Murfreesboro, TN, 4th ranked by MaxPreps in the state. Game was tight, and first run was scored by RD in top of 4th when a 2 out RBI single brought in a lead off walk issued by Male's freshman pitcher Suski. Bottom of the frame Suski made them pay with a towering 3R Homer over the left field wall. RD added 1 more in top of 5th, but that was it as senior pitcher, Wireman, was brought in for the save. WP - Suski SV - Wireman HR - Suski

McCracken went down to Gulf Shores and beat #2 state ranke, Baker, AL 6-5, and we'll have 6+ KY squads down here in Huntsville, AL this weekend for the Bob Jones Invitational representing the Commonwealth. Nice to see some of our better teams taking it to the south to prove it on their home ground. This is my last year, but I have seen KY softball grow by leaps and bounds over the last 6 years.

if 32" is her size, that would be a good deal to pick up on.

sooooo many variables involved here. How old is your DD? How big and strong is she? Does she hit away or is she a slapper? Any of the top end bats, i.e. +$299 Xeno, LXT, Worth, Mako, etc. will give you pretty close to the same amount of "pop" from the bat side, but as stated above, your $$ are best spent on hitting lessons with a QUALITY, REPUTABLE, PROVEN instructor.

This game had everything. Scoreless through 3 1/2 innings, Niceville scores 5 unearned in bottom of 4th. Male never gave in though, and countered with a big inning to come roaring back to 5-4. Niceville adds 2 more on HR. Male doesn't relent, and breaks it open in the 5th, to take the lead, 11-7. Niceville ends with an unearned run in bottom of 7th for the final of 11-8. For Male, Jr. McIver hits Grand Slam and 3R HR on back to back at bats!! Sr. Luckett hits 2 2Bs in same inning, Jr. Mudd 3-5 with 2 2Bs, Fr. Suski, 3-4 with 2 2Bs. Sr. Wireman ends with 10 Ks, including 2 for Niceville's 3 hole hitter (Arkansas recruit) who had only struck out 1 time this year in 67 ABs. Game went 3hrs 12mins. Niceville, one of the best teams in FLA and 2011 State Champ, had never lost to a team from KY, and only lost twice this year, both times to Nationally ranked rival, Tate. They have 6 seniors this year going on to play college ball including 4 D1s at Arkansas, West Point, North Florida and Providence. Final line had Niceville with 8 runs on 6 hits, Male with 11 runs on, I think 13 or 14 hits. They have a local internet radio broadcast, so we were able to hear entire game from home. Announcer guy was a homer, of course, and was a little out of sorts by what he was seeing. He even said "In all my years, I have never seen a team come in and do this to the Eagles"

Ah, I was referring to the Custom Air Classic they have each year...it's May 9th & 10th wknd...7 or 8 teams...I'll give you a report on Sacred Heart after tonight's game...their pitcher, KJ Holden, former Cincy girl, is quite good and can hit very well.

yep...combining 3 quality softball programs will do that for ya.

NDA, Manual, Anderson and Green Counties should be ranked...I think it's early, and you have some coaches still voting on last year's info and name recognition and little else in some cases....it's good to see the shame campaign has gotten a couple more coaches from the 9th involved with the KSCA so the players can get some deserved recognition, but 6 out of 19 is still low...let the Pandas and Rebels roam west a little and get into some of the better tournaments...I know Ryle is still the "name" many think of from the 9th, and they'll be at Greenwood's tourney this year and Boyle County's....just sayin'...

assumption is a little stouter than I thought during off-season, but man, O.C. is hurting bad in the circle...assumption kicked off the bottom of the first inning with fusseneger Homering on the 1st pitch...not very gracious hosts....O.C. held out for a few innings, but rockets plated 7 in a brutal bottom of the 4th.

Bullitt East should be higher, as well as Assumption...Greenwood and Ballard a little lower, and Oldham County off the list from the games I have seen...#1 looks about right.

male/eastern played last night at 530....dropped jv so varsity could play the early slot....yes it was cold, and windy, but sunny and playable....i know ballard cancelled their game....guess it's call between coaches....seems weak to me....parents complain, but don't they always, about everything, all the time? :lol2:

isn't that the pre-season poll?

Will do, dear...If your husband let's you know what state your wonderful daughter is playing in this weekend, send her a big bear hug from me!!

"...my minimalist husband...".....'nuff said :woot:

Nice matchup tonight at the Big M Chevrolet Tournament.....Male jumped on top in the bottom of the 1st with a 3R HR by Jr., Amanda McIver....Jessica Wireman pitching for Male, held the Dragons to 1 run through 5....Top of 6th Greenwood fights back and 9 hole hitter delivers a 2 out, 2R seeing eye single up the middle off SS's glove to even it up...Male leaves one stranded in bottom of inning, and game is called as a tie since it was a pool game....Wireman(Male) 7Ks, 0 BBs, 1 HBP, 8 Hs, 2 ERs.....Kirby(GW) 2Ks, 1BB, 10Hs, 3ERs.....(sigh) ....No one in the fine Commonwealth of KY wanted this one to end in a tie, including me!!!.....large crowd gathered to watch this one, including 6 college coaches, that I saw. Side note, with Mercy/Central Hardin battling next field over and Scott Co./Eastern behind us, I can without a doubt say this is the best HS gathering of teams outside of "Owensboro in June" in the state.....Great Job by those that put this thing together....."Got Damned" shame the State Tournament won't be played at this AWESOME facility!!!

i read on another forum that ridolfi was pitching for mccracken, but that is not confirmed.

fusseneger pitched...and i misreported, it was sweeny's 3rd consecutive game with a dinger...still gets her listed in the book, though...great, great kid.