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CANNONSBURG — Thanks to more dazzling pitching from Megan Hensley, Dave Miller’s last trip to Cannonsburg as Ashland’s softball coach became a golden memory.

Hensley fired her third no-hitter in a week and McKenzie Vanover walloped a two-run homer as the Kittens blanked red-hot Boyd County 5-0 on Thursday night.

Miller, a Boyd County grad who coached JV softball for one year at BCHS, has guided Ashland to five consecutive 16th Region championships. The Kittens’ ninth-year head coach is leaving Ashland after this season to take over Kentucky Christian University’s new softball program.

“I realized this was my last time coming out here,” said Miller, whose team will host the 64th District Tournament. The regional will be at a 63rd District site.

“The game had almost a regional final feel,” Miller said. “This is kind of where it started for me. It was like coming full circle.”

Miller knew not to expect any parting gifts from the Kittens’ archrival. Ashland has won 24 of the last 26 games in the series.

Boyd County entered with a .380 team batting average after outscoring its last eight opponents 83-22 on the heels of an 11-1 loss at Ashland.

Leave it to Hensley to silence opposing bats. The junior star again put the brakes on a tough Boyd County lineup, striking out 11 batters.

“I can’t even remember the last time we got no-hit,” Lady Lions coach Geoff Stewart said. “That was the biggest disappointment, not being able to hit. We had been on a roll, averaging about 12 runs the last six games. Hensley was very impressive.”

Hensley’s high school career includes several no-hitters, including two last weekend against Upper Arlington (Ohio) and Portsmouth West. But Thursday marked her first no-no against Boyd County.

“I didn’t really realize until the last inning they didn’t have a hit,” Hensley said. “When you start thinking about it, that’s when the next batter gets one. Sometimes you lose focus in the seventh (inning).”

Not this time. Hensley retired the last seven batters, including three of the final four on strikes.

“Another great pitching performance from Megan,” Vanover said. “I’ve been playing with her since fifth grade. She steps up every game.”

Hensley, batting a whopping .611 at game time, helped her own case with an RBI single in the fifth inning. She came around to score on Megan Griffith’s two-run double for a 5-0 lead.

Vanover launched her seventh home run with Sydney Whitt aboard in the first inning to give Hensley an early cushion. She finished 3-for-4 and scored two runs.

“I can’t say enough about McKenzie Vanover, what she’s done and what she continues to do,” Miller said. “Great players step up in big games. I think our team stepped up in this one.”

Whitt, the Kittens’ senior center fielder, produced the defensive play of the night in the bottom of the second. The KCU signee stretched to make a running catch of Bri Crooks’ drive in deep left-center field.

“Oh my gosh,” Hensley said. “At first, I was thinking please don’t be out (of the park). Then I couldn’t tell if Sydney held onto the ball. It was awesome.”

Miller was just as impressed.

“Syd got such a great jump and made a great play,” the coach said. “We’ve been blessed to have center fielders that can really go get the ball. It was Kat Jackson for a while, and now Whitt the last two years.”

Ashland, ranked 24th in the state coaches’ poll, won for the 17th time in 19 games this season.

Boyd County (12-9) had four baserunners. Hensley walked one and hit three batters. Taylor Wheeler got plunked in the arm while leading off in the fourth. She stole her 24th base and moved to third on a groundout, but was stranded there.

Four Lady Lions looked at called third strikes.

“Megan did a great job as usual,” Stewart said. “If you swing at pitches out of the zone and let good pitches go into the catcher’s mitt, you are not going to get many hits. We have to be more disciplined.”

The Lady Lions jump back into action with their eight-team Boyd County Days Inn Spring Classic this weekend. All games are set for the Boyd County Optimist Fields. The host team plays Rowan County today at 5. On Saturday, the Lady Lions opponents will be Tates Creek (11:15 a.m.) and Buffalo-Putnam (2:45 p.m.).

Ashland is off until Tuesday, when the Kittens travel to Portsmouth Notre Dame.

ASHLAND 200 030 0 — 5 8 0

BOYD CO. 000 000 0 — 0 0 0

Hensley and Campbell; Thompson and Goins. W—Hensley. L—Thompson. 2B—Whitt (A), Griffith (A). HR—Vanover (A).