03-26-2010, 09:41 AM
This must have been some game to watch. Good job girls.
Kittens win duel over Boyd
By MATT FULTZ â For The Independent
Ashland â Thursday nightâs softball game between Ashland and Boyd County can be described in just two words â pitcherâs duel.
Ashlandâs Katelyn Miller and Boyd Countyâs Caitlin Coburn were in midseason form as they dominated opposing hitters with overpowering speed and pinpoint command.
After seven and a half scoreless innings, the Kittens were finally able to push across a run in the bottom of the eighth to capture the 1-0 victory.
Jordan Hensley made Coburn pay for one of her few mistakes, driving a 3-1 pitch all the way to the wall in right-center field for a triple. Eighth-grader McKenzie Vanover drove in Hensley with a sacrifice fly to left field.
âThis time of the season we will take them anyway we can get them,â said Ashland coach Dave Miller. âWe are young. We have got to learn how to win and we have to learn how to do certain things and that was evident tonight.â
The Lady Lions threatened early with they loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, but Miller ended the treat with one of her 14 strikeouts.
âThatâs Katelyn,â said Miller. âShe is a gamer. When it is on the line she really rises up, and she has done that for a long time.â
In the bottom of the second it was Coburnâs turn to thwart a scoring opportunity.
After a walk by Hensley and a double by Vanover gave the Kittens runners at second and third with nobody out, Coburn turned it up a notch and struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.
âThere are not enough adjectives out there to describe the job Caitlin did tonight,â said Boyd County coach Geoff Stewart. âShe did a tremendous job. When she really had to bear down and get the batters, she hit her spots and made them hit her pitches.â
Boyd County would threaten again in the sixth when it loaded the bases with only one out, but once again Miller was able to wiggle out of trouble with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Kittens (2-0) would put their first two runners on in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to capitalize. Marissa Dietrich flew out to left for the first out, then Breanna Ray tried to bunt to move the runners over, but third baseman Sydney Jackson fielded the bunt, spun, and threw to shortstop Emily Stewart to get the lead runner at third. Katie Coran flew out to deep center for the final out.
Even though the Lady Lions (2-1) lost, Stewart was pleased with what he saw.
âI couldnât be more proud of the way we played tonight,â he said. âI was excited coming into the year with all this new talent, but this performance makes me feel even better.â
Jordan Hensley went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and Kat Jackson went 2-for-4 with a double for the Kittens.
BOYD COUNTY 000 000 00 â 0 4 0
ASHLAND 000 000 01 â 1 7 1
Coburn and Roark. Miller and Preece. WP: Miller. LP: Coburn. 2B: Miller (A), Jackson (A), Vanover (A) Dietrich (A), Hensley (A). 3B: Hensley (A).
Kittens win duel over Boyd
By MATT FULTZ â For The Independent
Ashland â Thursday nightâs softball game between Ashland and Boyd County can be described in just two words â pitcherâs duel.
Ashlandâs Katelyn Miller and Boyd Countyâs Caitlin Coburn were in midseason form as they dominated opposing hitters with overpowering speed and pinpoint command.
After seven and a half scoreless innings, the Kittens were finally able to push across a run in the bottom of the eighth to capture the 1-0 victory.
Jordan Hensley made Coburn pay for one of her few mistakes, driving a 3-1 pitch all the way to the wall in right-center field for a triple. Eighth-grader McKenzie Vanover drove in Hensley with a sacrifice fly to left field.
âThis time of the season we will take them anyway we can get them,â said Ashland coach Dave Miller. âWe are young. We have got to learn how to win and we have to learn how to do certain things and that was evident tonight.â
The Lady Lions threatened early with they loaded the bases in the bottom of the second, but Miller ended the treat with one of her 14 strikeouts.
âThatâs Katelyn,â said Miller. âShe is a gamer. When it is on the line she really rises up, and she has done that for a long time.â
In the bottom of the second it was Coburnâs turn to thwart a scoring opportunity.
After a walk by Hensley and a double by Vanover gave the Kittens runners at second and third with nobody out, Coburn turned it up a notch and struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam.
âThere are not enough adjectives out there to describe the job Caitlin did tonight,â said Boyd County coach Geoff Stewart. âShe did a tremendous job. When she really had to bear down and get the batters, she hit her spots and made them hit her pitches.â
Boyd County would threaten again in the sixth when it loaded the bases with only one out, but once again Miller was able to wiggle out of trouble with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Kittens (2-0) would put their first two runners on in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to capitalize. Marissa Dietrich flew out to left for the first out, then Breanna Ray tried to bunt to move the runners over, but third baseman Sydney Jackson fielded the bunt, spun, and threw to shortstop Emily Stewart to get the lead runner at third. Katie Coran flew out to deep center for the final out.
Even though the Lady Lions (2-1) lost, Stewart was pleased with what he saw.
âI couldnât be more proud of the way we played tonight,â he said. âI was excited coming into the year with all this new talent, but this performance makes me feel even better.â
Jordan Hensley went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple and Kat Jackson went 2-for-4 with a double for the Kittens.
BOYD COUNTY 000 000 00 â 0 4 0
ASHLAND 000 000 01 â 1 7 1
Coburn and Roark. Miller and Preece. WP: Miller. LP: Coburn. 2B: Miller (A), Jackson (A), Vanover (A) Dietrich (A), Hensley (A). 3B: Hensley (A).