By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Fast-pitch softball teams from Boone County and Cooper will face each other for the fourth time this season in the championship game of the 9th Region tournament at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Dixie Heights High School.
Boone County knocked off Notre Dame, 8-2, in the first semifinal game on Monday on post its 15th consecutive victory and advance to the region final for the first time since 2006.
Cooper defeated Dixie Heights, 5-3, in the other semifinal game and will make its first appearance in the region championship game since the program began in 2009.
Boone County has a 2-1 record against Cooper this season, including a 2-1 win in the 33rd District final last week when senior Morgan Daniels and sophomore Kailey Richardson drove in the Rebels’ two runs.
Cooper shook off that loss and won its first two region tournament games, but getting past Dixie Heights in Monday’s semifinals wasn’t easy.
The score was tied, 2-2, in the fourth inning when a bunt by freshman Lexi Hamblin put the Jaguars ahead. In the sixth inning, a double by freshman Kailey Milburn and single by junior Amber Chaney drove in two more runs that extended Cooper’s lead to 5-2.
In the bottom of the seventh, Dixie Heights sophomore Ella Steczynski knocked in a run to make the score 5-3 before Cooper sophomore pitcher Kendall Blau ended the game with a strikeout.
The Jaguars will take a 23-13 record into Wednesday’s region championship game. Boone County’s record now stands at 23-10.
Campbell County advances to 10th Region baseball title game
Campbell County cruised past Nicholas County, 10-0, in the 10th Region baseball semifinals Monday with junior pitcher Jake Napier getting 10 strikeouts in the five-inning game.
The Camels (24-14) will play Harrison County (32-5) in the region championship game at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Scott High School. The last time those two teams played for the title was 2013 when Harrison County edged Campbell County, 1-0.
Harrison County defeated Scott, 8-5, in Monday’s other region semifinal game. It was the 13th consecutive win for the Thorobreds, who got past Campbell County, 7-6, in 11 innings on May 10.
Campbell County was 10th Region champion in 2018 and region runner-up in 2019. Last year’s baseball season was cancelled due to the pandemic.