By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
With a four-leaf clover tucked in the back pocket of her softball uniform, Holy Cross senior pitcher Evie Thomas was hoping something magical would happen when her team played Highlands in the 9th Region championship game on Wednesday.
Highlands had won the region title the last three years and Holy Cross was making its debut in the region final. But the lucky charm Thomas said she received from her grandfather before the game lived up to its mystical legacy.
In the seventh inning, Holy Cross freshman outfielder Kayla Fledderman hit a grand slam home run over the centerfield fence at Thomas More University to give the Indians a 5-3 upset victory over the Bluebirds, who had not lost to a 9th Region team all season.
Thomas started the inning with a single. She was on third base when Fledderman, who entered the game with a .197 batting average and struck out twice, connected with a rising fastball for the first home run of her life.
“I was praying on third,” Thomas said. “I was literally saying to God, ‘Please make something happen here, we need a Hail Mary.’ And then Kayla sends it over the fence. I don’t think I’ve ever had this high of a feeling in my life.”
Thomas retired the three Highlands batters she faced in the bottom of the seventh to clinch her team’s first post-season region championship in softball. The Indians won the 9th Region All “A” Classic for small-school teams earlier this season. They defeated three teams from much larger schools in this week’s region playoffs.
“No one believed we could do it and we just did it,” Thomas said. “Biggest underdog story. I’ll remember this the rest of my life. I’m sure we all will.”
Fledderman wasn’t nearly as exuberant following the victory. After striking out in her first two at-bats, the coaches used a pinch-hitter for her. But that didn’t phase her when she stepped to the plate in the seventh inning.
“I kept my head up,” Fledderman said. “It happens. I was striking out. I wasn’t thinking I was going to hit the ball, but I saw the ball and hit the ball.”
Holy Cross (18-12) will face the 10th Region champion in the first round of the state tournament on June 6 at the University of Kentucky.
No one expected the Indians to be in the 16-team bracket, but they proved everyone wrong.
“All the credit to them,” said Highlands coach Milt Horner. “I mean, great at battling back. We talked about it since Monday, don’t count them out. They came in sort of playing with house money and did the job.”
Highlands scored two runs in the second inning on a squeeze bunt by Bailee Class and a single by her sister, Kate. In the fourth inning, junior Cam Markus led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bailee to make it 3-0.
At that point, Highlands junior pitcher Kaitlyn Dixon had a no-hitter going with nine strikeouts in the first four innings. She gave up one run on two hits in the fifth, but then she retired the Indians in order in the sixth.
Holy Cross had two on with two out in the seventh when a short pop-up by freshman Jaden Jones fell in front of the Highlands first baseman to load the bases. That’s when Fledderman’s grand slam homer put the Indians ahead for the first time.
“Our seniors, our leaders on the team, they were keeping everybody up and we knew we just had to stay in the game,” said Holy Cross coach Courtney Turner. “We had seven full innings to play and we’re not going away.”
Thomas was named most valuable player on the region all-tournament team. She only had four strikeouts in the championship game, but 12 of the other 17 outs came on fly balls that her teammates handled easily.
The pitcher’s positive attitude was another reason the Holy Cross coaches wanted her to have the award. Her leadoff single in the seventh inning seemed to motivate her teammates.
“When she got that single I knew we had a chance,” coach Turner said. “I knew we had more hope. I knew we were going to put something together. And then a freshman hits the grand slam. Outstanding.”
HOLY CROSS 000 010 4 — 5 6 0
HIGHLANDS 020 100 0 — 3 4 0
WP — Evie Thomas (4 Ks). LP — Kaitlyn Dixon (15 Ks). HITTING LEADERS: HC — Kayla Fledderman HR, 4 RBI, Jordyn Reiselman 2B. HI — Cam Markus 3B, Bailee Class 2 RBI. RECORDS: Holy Cross 18-12, Highlands 29-7.