Highlands softball moves on

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS – The Highlands Bluebirds softball team knew it needed to play error-free ball to advance in the 9th Region tournament.

Conversely, the Bluebirds also knew they needed to take advantage if the opponent did make errors. They found out the importance of both in a 3-1 quarterfinal win over the St. Henry Lady Crusaders at Northern Kentucky University on Wednesday.

This marked the first region win for the Bluebirds since 2008. That team also beat St. Henry, 10-0 before losing 7-0 to Ryle in the region semifinals.

Highlands plays in the region semifinals back at NKU at 6 p.m. against Notre Dame (26-7). Conner faces Dixie Heights at 4:30 p.m. in the other semifinal game with the championship on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

St. Henry (20-12) made three errors to none for Highlands (18-11). The three errors came in the bottom of the third. Payton Leighty and Whitney Quillen reached on errors. Two outs later, they scored when Brennah Dutcher hit a grounder to third. St. Henry third baseman Molly Dietz threw it wild allowing Leighty and Quillen to score to give the Bluebirds a 2-0 lead.

“Defense has been an evolution,” said Rob Coffey, Highlands Head Coach. “We had players out of position in trying some things early in the year. We gave up a lot of runs on errors. We feel like we’ve solidified our defense in the past month. The girls are executing and making the right throws and not the unnecessary throws. That’s really helped keep us in the game.”

That lead gave Highlands freshman pitcher Bailey Spencer and the defense enough to work with. Spencer struck out four and the Lady Crusaders left runners at first and third in the top of the sixth.

The Lady Crusaders outhit the Bluebirds, 5-4. Gabby Stewart went 2-for-3 to lead St. Henry with Noelle Butts and Dietz recording doubles. Stewart singled home Dietz in the fourth for St. Henry’s only run.

The only extra-base hit for Highlands came in the first inning when Haley Coffey tripled. Quillen, Shelby Graybill and Ashley Grosser added singles for Highlands.

The Bluebirds had opportunities to add more runs. But they left Haley Coffey on third in the first and left the bases loaded in the fifth.

“When our sticks are hot, we’re unstoppable,” Quillen said. “We’re going to have to be patient in the box and make contact. If you make contact, it’s eventually going to fall. That’s how we produce our runs.”

Butts finished with three strikeouts for St. Henry. Highlands also beat St. Henry, 8-6 on April 8.

“(Butts) is not only a great competitor. She doesn’t like to lose,” Coach Coffey said. “You can tell by the way she handles herself on the mound. She is in charge out there. When she’s pitching like that and we’re not hitting, it’s tough to get runs.”

But Highlands did add an insurance run in the sixth. Grosser singled and Spencer landed a sacrifice bunt. Grosser moved to third when no one from St. Henry covered the bag. Grosser then scored when Kendall Turner grounded out.

“We really needed that because we always wait until the last second, I feel like, to get it,” Spencer said. “It’s really nice to be on a team that can play together like that.”

The next challenge for Highlands is to beat a loaded Notre Dame Panda squad. The Pandas are 20-0 against region opponents, including 3-0 against the Bluebirds this year. They have outscored the Bluebirds, 27-4.

“I took the job to try to get wins like we’re going to try to get (today),” Coach Coffey said. “You’re talking about an outstanding team. It’s a team we knew we can compete with. If we can get a victory, that puts us back on the map and shows folks we’re up and coming. It’s going to be a challenge. We have to believe we can do it or we won’t be able to beat these teams in the future.”