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Hensley hits spots, homer

By ROCKY STANLEY

The Independent

ASHLAND A monumental labor effort Sunday transformed Ashland’s softball complex from unplayable to unbelievable for Tuesday’s home opener.

The Kittens showed their appreciation with a 10-0, six-inning victory over Raceland on a chilly evening.

Senior Megan Hensley, the 2014 Gatorade Kentucky Player of the Year, started the new season in blazing fashion. She fired a one-hitter with11 strikeouts and also launched a tworun homer in Scott Ingram’s debut as head coach.

“Tons of people were out here Sunday,” Hensley said. “There was even a group of inmates helping. Even with all that, it took all day and some of Monday.”

Hensley and some of her teammates lent a hand, including painting — maroon, of course.

Snow, rain and flooding in recent weeks practically eliminated all outdoor practices and scrimmages for

area teams. The Kittens worked out on their field in full for the first time Monday.

“It was a small miracle,” said Ingram, who Saturday was convinced that there would be no game Tuesday. Mud was ankle deep on some parts of field Sunday.

“There was a lot of hard work by middle school and high school parents, just a big team effort on everybody’s part,” Ingram said. “(New assistant coach) Shane Campbell and some of the other parents worked like dogs. This place was transformed.”

That included three tons of Turface conditioning material applied on the infield surface.

The Kittens, six-time defending 16th Region champs, gave the base paths a workout Tuesday, aided by seven Raceland errors that contributed to most of the scoring. Five of the Lady Rams’ miscues came in the first two innings, when Ashland pushed across five runs off eighth-grade pitcher Rylee Austin.

“They made some errorsthat hurt them,” Ingram said. “Raceland has a lot of good young players. They are going to be fine as the season goes along.”

The Kittens tacked on single runs each of the next three innings, then closed it out on Hayley Kilburn’s tworun single in the sixth following a Raceland two-base error in the outfield.

“It’s all kind of a blur,” said Ingram, admittedly anxious about his first game guiding Ashland after previously working as an assistant on Dave Miller’s staff. “I tried to give them some goals after each half-inning. This is a great group to have the first year.”

Hensley worked out of an early jam and did not allow a hit over the last five innings.

“She’s spoiled everybody,” Ingram said. “Honestly, I knew she would come out and compete. She hit her spots phenomenally for a first outing.”

Raceland, a 14-6 winner at Rowan County on Monday, threatened in the first on Madison Johnson’s one-out triple down the right-field line. Morgan Curley followed with a walk. Hensley then went 3-0 on Savannah Mackie, but came back to strike her out and also fanned thenext batter.

“For my first game, I felt jittery at the beginning,” Hensley said. “It wasn’t necessarily nerves. I gave up the hit, then a walk. I told myself, ‘what am I doing?’ I stopped over-thinking everything and settled down.”

Ashland got out to a 4-0 lead with Katie Baldock’s single as the only hit, then Hensley homered over the center-field fence to provide herself with a six-run cushion.

“She threw me a changeup and I was early on the ball,” Hensley said. “I was surprised I waited on it.”

Ashland shortstop Megan Griffith, moved to the leadoff spot this season, scored three runs and stole three bases.

Baldock went 2-for-4 and scored twice, while Jordan Meade and Sidney Campbell each contributed a triple for the Kittens.

“A bunch of girls stepped up,” Hensley said. “We lost power hitters (McKenzie Vanover and Sydney Whitt) from last year. Everybody today hit the ball hard at least once.”

RACELAND 000 000 — 0 1 7 ASHLAND 231 112 — 10 8 0 Austin and Curley; Hensley and Campbell. W—Hensley. L—Austin. 3B—M. Johnson ®, Meade (A), Campbell (A). HR—Hensley (A).