By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Both seniors on the Highlands softball roster started their varsity careers in the seventh grade and will end them playing in the Kentucky state tournament for the third straight year.
Highlands defeated Notre Dame, 6-2, in the 9th Region championship game on Wednesday at Thomas More University to earn a return trip to the state tournament. The Bluebirds had 11 hits in the region final with seniors Michelle Barth and Bailey Markus each getting a pair of singles.
“It’s bliss, there’s nothing better,” Barth said of playing on three straight region championship teams. “It’s my senior year, going out with a bang and leaving a three-peat for everyone else is very nice.”
The two seniors’ farewell season would be even better if the team does well in next week’s state tournament at the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium.
The Bluebirds were knocked off in the first round of the season finale the last two years and hope to break that streak when they play the 7th Region champion on June 6.
“This will be our third year going in a row,” said Highlands sophomore pitcher Kaitlyn Dixon. “I think it’ll still be stressful, because we all want to go down there and do well, but now we know what to expect.”
Dixon was named most valuable player on the 9th Region all-tournament team. In the championship game, she allowed just one hit through the first five innings before Notre Dame got two runs on three hits in the sixth.
But that wasn’t enough to offset a strong start by the Bluebirds. They opened the game getting five runs on five hits in the first inning. A run-scoring double by sophomore Peyton Brown made it 6-0 in the second.
“Anytime you can put a five spot on the board, I mean it’s like scoring the first touchdown in football, right, you put them back on their heels,” said Highlands coach Milt Horner. “They kept bunting and we fielded most of them, but (being behind) takes the small ball a little bit away from them.”
Notre Dame junior Ava Auberger drove in her team’s two runs with a two-out double in the sixth inning. In the bottom of seventh, the Pandas’ first two batters reached base on a single and error. Dixon retired the next two batters and a diving catch by freshman third baseman Allison Meyers ended it.
Notre Dame’s first-year head coach Chris Schreiber was proud of his team’s effort after falling behind 6-0. Junior pitcher Abby Turnpaugh had five shutout innings after that rough start to keep the Pandas’ comeback hopes alive.
“This group has never experienced the opportunity to play in a regional final so obviously there was probably a few jitters starting out,” Schreiber said of his team. “After everybody settled down, I was proud of the way we battled back. I knew we weren’t going to quit. We just needed a few more innings.”
Notre Dame pulled out a 4-3 win in the regular season game against Highlands on May 7. One week later, the Bluebirds lost one-run games to Dixie Heights and Ryle. That could have shaken the players’ confidence, but they came through in the playoffs. Highlands became the first team to win three consecutive 9th Region championships since Ryle did it in 2010-12.
“We knew there was a target on our back (as defending region champions),” coach Horner said. “We had a great start this season, then we hit a bump in the road, and to come back and pull this off is amazing.”
HIGHLANDS (27-12) 510 000 0 — 6 11 1
NOTRE DAME (19-8) 000 002 0 — 2 5 2
WP — Dixon (5 Ks). LP — Turnpaugh (5 Ks). HITTING LEADERS: HIGH — B. Markus 2-3, Brown 2-3 2B; Barth 2-3, Zepf 2-4. ND — Auberger 2B, 2 RBI.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Highlands — Kaitlyn Dixon (MVP), Michelle Barth, Layla Zepf. Notre Dame — Ava Auberger, Addison Zinser. Cooper — Maddie Childress. Conner — Mollie Sharp. Dixie Heights — Riley Hopkins. Dayton — Keiara Nickell. Lloyd — Madysen Godsey. Holy Cross — Maddie Urlage.