By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Two crucial hits that went drastically different distances carried Ryle to a 9-8 win over Dixie Heights in the 9th Region softball semifinals on Thursday at Thomas More University.
A three-run homer by sophomore Kiley Patterson that cleared the scoreboard behind the left field fence put the Raiders ahead, 7-6, in the sixth inning.
After Dixie Heights went back on top, 8-7, in the top of the seventh, the Raiders scored two runs on four hits to win it. Their final hit was a two-out infield single by senior Makenna Hirshey, who beat the throw to first base while freshman Keegan Murr scored.
“We’re most definitely a momentum team,” Patterson said of the dramatic ending. “When we get one big hit, everybody will rally off of it. And even though we did get down, we still had confidence in each other in the seventh inning to keep going.”
The victory puts Ryle (22-11) in the 9th Region final for the first time since 2018. The Raiders will play Highlands (31-6) at 5:30 p.m. Friday with the winner advancing to the state tournament.
Highlands defeated Notre Dame, 6-0, in the other region semifinal game on Thursday to reach the championship final for the fifth consecutive year.
The only hit Highlands senior pitcher Kaitlyn Dixon gave up came with one out in the seventh inning. She recorded 14 strikeouts in the shutout and has a 0.74 ERA going into the region championship game.
Ryle got hits from eight players and coach Dave Meier used three pitchers during the game against Dixie Heights that lasted more than two hours and 30 minutes. Murr was the winning pitcher in addition to scoring the winning run. Senior outfielder Brooklyn Roland was the only Raider with two hits and two RBI.
“It’s a team game, no one’s more important than the next person in the dugout,” coach Meier said. “I’ve had people tell me we’ll be the first team in our (33rd) district in the region final in a while. And I think our district is as tough as any district in the state, so I’m really proud of our girls.”
Hirshey’s game-winning single was a short blooper that dropped between third base and the pitcher’s circle. It’s the third time this season she had a walk-off hit for the Raiders. One of them came in a 33rd District semifinals against Cooper that kept her team in the playoffs.
“All that I was thinking was I needed to put the ball into play,” Hirshey said. “I can’t strike out again because that would give (Dixie Heights) too much momentum going into extra innings.”
Patterson’s home run was her fourth of the season and she never expected it to clear the scoreboard.
“I was just hoping to get the ball, not in the air, on the ground and actually get on first base,” she said. “Then she pitched me a low meat ball and I had to swing as hard as I can. I threw my bat out there and it went over (the fence).”
Dixie Heights got all eight of its hits during the last three innings. That’s when senior Sydney Schumacher, junior Emma Buford and junior Eva Niemer all had two hits for the Colonels, who finish with a 16-16 record.
DIXIE HEIGHTS 002 012 3 — 8 8 2
RYLE 004 003 2 — 9 10 0
WP — Keegan Murr. LP — Sullee Shehan.
HITTING LEADERS: R — Kiley Paterson HR, 3 RBI; Brooklyn Roland 2-3, 2 RBI; Emily Gehring 2-4, Leah Broussard 2B. DH — Sydney Schumacher 2-3, 2B; Emma Buford 2-4, 2 RBI; Ava Niemer 2-2.
RECORDS: Ryle 22-11. Dixie Heights 16-16.
HIGHLANDS 010 401 0 — 6 11 0
NOTRE DAME 000 000 0 — 0 1 0
WP — Kaitlyn Dixon (14 Ks). LP — Lucy Dillion.
HITTING LEADERS: H — Morgan Pompilio 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Payton Brown 2-4, 2B; Allison Meyer 2B. RECORDS: Highlands 31-6, Notre Dame 13-12.