By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Maclai Branson ranks among the leading hitters in the history of the Ryle fast-pitch softball team. One thing the senior shortstop had never done during her seven-year varsity career was hit a grand slam home run, but she added that to her resume Tuesday in the semifinals of the 9th Region tournament at Newport Veterans Park.
With bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning, Branson blasted a ball into the trees behind the left field fence to provide the spark her team needed in a 9-2 win over Notre Dame.
After her home run put the Raiders ahead, 5-0, they scored four runs in the next two innings to secure the win and advance to the regional final for the second time in three years. Ryle (23-5) will play Highlands (20-10) in the championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday.
“We’ve got seven kids that have hit home runs this year, but Maclai has been our leader all year long,” said Ryle coach Craig Milburn. “She plays the game hard and it’s easy to follow somebody like that.”
The last time Ryle won the 9th Region softball championship was 2012, which was the first year Branson made the varsity roster as a sixth-grader. She’d like to end her high school career with another regional title and a return trip to the state tournament.
“It feels really good,” she said of being in the regional final. “We’ve all worked really hard this season and we deserve it. It would be good my last year to go back (to the state tournament).”
In her first two at-bats on Tuesday, Branson popped out to the shortstop and flied out to left field. When she stepped to the plate in the fourth inning with the bases loaded, she knew what to expect from Notre Dame senior pitcher Lauren Durstock.
“I knew they were coming inside on me because they jammed me twice,” she said. “I flied out twice against the inside pitch so I was ready for it.”
Branson, a University of Kentucky recruit, was voted Division I Player of the Year by local coaches after finishing the regular season with a .608 batting average and 12 home runs. When she came to bat with bases loaded, Notre Dame coach Joe Stephenson called a timeout to talk with his pitcher.
“She’s a great ball player and we just didn’t get the pitch and location we wanted to against her,” Stephenson said. “That’s what we talked about in the timeout before her at-bat. We could’ve put her on base (with an intentional walk), but we’re here to compete.”
Notre Dame scored its first run in the top of the fifth on a two-out double by senior Lindsey Meier. But Ryle senior Morgan Smith cracked a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to extend her team’s lead to 7-1.
A lead-off homer by Notre Dame junior Ruthie Franzen in sixth inning made it 7-2. The Raiders answered once again, scoring two runs on a double by Annalysia Tashijan and a fielding error to produce the final score.
Six of the nine players in Ryle’s lineup got hits during the game, including two home runs and three doubles. The Raiders also had two players reach base on errors or walks.
“Hitting is the key for us,” said coach Milburn. “That’s not to say we can’t pitch and can’t field, but even the bottom of our lineup can get on base. I don’t feel like we’ve got any easy outs in our lineup.”
Highlands found that out in a 14-4 loss to Ryle on May 11. Since that setback, the Bluebirds have won eight of their last nine games, including a 13-0 win over St. Henry in the other regional semifinal on Tuesday.
Two years ago, Highlands defeated Ryle, 8-2, in the 9th Region final so Thursday’s championship game will be a rematch for the last two local teams remaining in the playoffs. Walton-Verona’s season ended with a 8-1 loss to Collins in the 8th Region semifinals on Tuesday.
NOTRE DAME 000 011 0 — 2 6 3
RYLE 010 422 x — 9 8 1
WP — Bishop (6 Ks). LP — Durstock (2 Ks) HITTING LEADERS: ND — L. Meier 2B, Franzen HR, Paterno 2-3. R — Branson HR, 4 RBI; Tashijan 2-4, 2B; Bishop 2B; Smith 2-3, HR; Morgan 2B. RECORDS: Ryle 23-5, Notre Dame 16-14.
9th REGION AT NEWPORT VETERANS PARK
Monday scores
Notre Dame 20, Dayton 0
Ryle 8, Dixie Heights 4
St. Henry 8, Holy Cross 3
Highlands 2, Boone County 1
Tuesday
Ryle 9, Notre Dame 2
Highlands 13, St. Henry 0
Thursday
Championship: Ryle (23-5) vs. Highlands (20-10), 6 p.m.
8th REGION AT HENRY COUNTY
Monday scores
Oldham County 1, Shelby County 0
Owen County 5, Simon Kenton 1
Walton-Verona 2, Carroll County 0
Collins 14, South Oldham 0
Tuesday
Oldham County 10, Owen County 1
Collins 7, Walton-Verona 1
Wednesday
Championship: Oldham County (35-4) vs. Collins (17-12), 7 p.m.