[16th Region]

Daily Independent (Ashland, KY)
May 30, 2013
No. 5
Vanover, Hensley carry Kittens past Russell for repeat
Rocky Stanley
The Independent

GRAYSON — Electric power hitting and lights-out pitching. Ashland’s McKenzie Vanover and Megan Hensley took the 16th Region softball tournament by storm.

Opponents elected to pitch to Vanover throughout the postseason. And Ashland’s slugging first baseman made them pay dearly, time after time.

Vanover put on one of the best offensive performances in region championship game history Wednesday at East Carter Middle School.

The red-hot junior slammed two home runs and racked up 11 total bases. Meanwhile, Hensley capped a terrific three-day performance in the circle as the Kittens blanked Russell 6-0 to win the region crown for a fifth consecutive year.

“I couldn’t ask for anything better,” Vanover said during the team’s post-game celebration. “In warm-ups, I could tell by the vibe we were going to come out and play well. Russell beat us twice this season. They were not going to beat us three.”

Vanover made sure of it, going 4-for-4 highlighted by her 14th and 15th homers of the season over the left-field fence. She also doubled and singled.

“Every ball she hit tonight was like coming out of a cannon,” Ashland coach Dave Miller said.

Vanover’s thumping bat got the Kittens started with a solo shot in the first, and she clubbed another one in the seventh to put a bow on Ashland’s latest region title.

Senior second baseman Katie Caron has been a part of all five.

“This one’s the best yet,” said Caron, who scored in the Kittens’ four-run fifth inning for a 5-0 lead. “It means more than any of the others because we were underdogs. We did it when we needed to do it.”

Ashland (25-9) graduated four standout players from the 2012 team and had to battle adversity this spring. Centerfielder and leadoff hitter Sydney Whitt went down with a season-ending knee injury late in the season after catcher Hayley Kilburn missed several games with a sprained ankle.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of this group,” Kittens coach Dave Miller said. “I could put a bed of nails and broken glass out there and they would dive on it. The attitude and work ethic have been tremendous. Five is pretty sweet.”

Vanover and Hensley shared the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, selected by media.

Hensley, a sophomore, never faded despite pitching in hot, humid conditions for the third day in a row.

The temperature was in the high 80s at game time Wednesday, but Hensley struck out 11 batters and scattered four Russell hits.

“It’s conditioning,” Hensley said. “We’ve been running a lot in practice, and during the season there were weeks we played every day. I felt pretty strong the whole way.”

Hensley totaled 41 strikeouts in the three region tournament games, including a no-hitter against Greenup County in the semifinals.

“The way Megan pitches, it takes pressure off your hitting and pressure off your defense,” Miller said. “She just put us on her back and packed us, as did McKenzie.”

Vanover went 0-for-6 in the two previous losses to Russell, but there was no getting her out this time.

“She stays back well and comes through the ball,” said Lady Devils coach Ron Osborn. “Inside, outside, it doesn’t matter where you pitch her. She can hit all of them.”

Vanover hit a three-run homer to rescue Ashland against West Carter in a first-round game. Her RBI total has climbed to 56 on the season.

“I said to McKenzie at the start of the season that you’re probably not going to get much to hit,” Miller said. “I told her she might have to hit some iffy pitches. She’s accepted the challenge and carried us all year.”

Vanover singled to lead off the Kittens’ big fourth inning. Megan Griffith put down a bunt single and Kilburn followed with a run-scoring hit. A couple of Russell errors enabled Ashland to push the lead to 5-0.

Russell, which won nine of 11 games entering the final, finished the season at 17-15.

“Our kids played their hearts out every game and have a lot to be proud about,” Osborn said. “We came up short against a very good Ashland team.”



ASHLAND 100 400 1 — 6 7 1

RUSSELL 000 000 0 — 0 4 3

Hensley and Campbell; Powell and A. Gross. W—Hensley. L—Powell. 2B—Vanover (A), Hieneman ®. 3B—Carter ®. HR—Vanover 2 (A).