By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Ryle and Cooper won 33rd District baseball playoff games on Sunday and clinched berths in next week’s 9th Region tournament.
Strong pitching performances carried both teams to shutout victories. Cooper senior Brendan Reid had 10 strikeouts and allowed only three hits in a 1-0 win over Conner. Ryle senior Ben Lloyd went the distance and struck out seven in a 4-0 win over Boone County.
The district championship game between Cooper and Ryle is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Boone County. Last year, Cooper won the district title and went on to play in the regional tournament for the first time since the program started in 2009.
Cooper scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning against Conner. Devin Eha singled and was replaced by pinch runner Roman McLane. After a passed ball put McLane on second base, pinch hitter Jyorgi Mariushi delivered a run-scoring single to end the game.
Beechwood blanked Holmes, 15-0, in a 35th District game on Sunday at Meinken Field. The win puts the Tigers in the regional tournament for the sixth consecutive year. They’ll play the winner of Monday’s game between Covington Catholic and Holy Cross in the district final on Thursday. Both of those games begin at 5:30 p.m.
There were shutouts in three of the four fast-pitch softball district games played Sunday. In the 33rd District, Ryle knocked off Conner, 6-0, and Boone County eliminated Cooper, 4-0. The winners will meet in the district final at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Boone County.
In the 35th District, Covington Latin sacked Holmes, 15-0, and Holy Cross defeated Beechwood, 11-1. Tournament host Notre Dame plays Covington Latin at 5:30 p.m. Monday and the winner of that game will face Holy Cross in the district final at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Here are the updated baseball and softball district tournament schedules:
BASEBALL DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS
32nd DISTRICT AT WALTON-VERONA
Monday
Simon Kenton vs. Williamstown, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Walton-Verona vs. Grant County, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 5:30 p.m.
33rd DISTRICT AT BOONE COUNTY
Tuesday
Championship: Cooper vs. Ryle, 5:30 p.m.
34th DISTRICT AT LLOYD & ST. HENRY
Monday at Lloyd
Dixie Heights vs. Lloyd, 5 p.m.
Monday at St. Henry
Villa Madonna vs. Ludlow, 5p.m.
St. Henry vs. Villa Madonna-Ludlow winner, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday at Lloyd
Championship game, 5 p.m.
35th DISTRICT AT MEINKEN FIELD
Monday
Covington Catholic vs. Holy Cross, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday
Championship: Beechwood vs. CovCath-Holy Cross winner, 5:30 p.m.
36th DISTRICT AT MORSCHER FIELD
Monday
Dayton vs. Newport, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Newport Central Catholic vs. Bellevue, 3 p.m.
Wednesday
Highlands vs. Dayton-Newport winner, 5 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 5 p.m.
37th DISTRICT AT SCOTT
Monday
Calvary Christian vs. Silver Grove, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Campbell County vs. Calvary-Silver Grove winner, 5 p.m.
Brossart vs. Scott, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 6 p.m.
SOFTBALL DISTRICT TOURNAMENTS
32nd DISTRICT AT GRANT COUNTY
Monday
Simon Kenton vs. Grant County, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Walton-Verona vs. Williamstown, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 5:30 p.m.
33rd DISTRICT AT BOONE COUNTY
Tuesday
Championship: Ryle vs. Boone County, 5:30 p.m.
34th DISTRICT AT DIXIE HEIGHTS
Monday
Lloyd vs. Ludlow, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
St. Henry vs. Lloyd-Ludlow winner, 5 p.m.
Dixie Heights vs. Villa Madonna, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 5 p.m.
35th DISTRICT AT NOTRE DAME
Monday
Notre Dame vs. Covington Latin, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship: Holy Cross vs. Notre Dame-CovLatin winner, 5:30 p.m.
36th DISTRICT AT NEWPORT VETERANS PARK
Monday
Bellevue vs. Newport, 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Newport Central Catholic vs. Dayton, 4 p.m.
Highlands vs. Bellevue-Newport winner, 6 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 5 p.m.
37th DISTRICT AT CAMPBELL COUNTY
Monday
Brossart vs. Campbell County, 5 p.m.
Scott vs. Calvary Christian, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 5:30 p.m.