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Daily Independent (Ashland, KY)
May 29, 2013
Ashland sophomore carves masterpiece; Kittens on to final
RAY SCHAEFER
CNHI

GRAYSON — The 11th letter of the alphabet is nowhere in Megan Elizabeth Hensley's name.

“K” — softball scoring notation for strikeout — was a good one-letter description of the Ashland sophomore pitcher's performance against Greenup County in Tuesday's 16th Region semifinals. Her 17 Ks and a no-hitter helped give the Kittens a chance at a fifth straight regional title with a 3-0 semifinal win at East Carter Middle School.

Standing in the Kittens' way is Russell, a 9-8 winner over Boyd County. Game time is 7 tonight.

Hensley threw her fifth no-hitter this season, and like she always does, she ran off the field and high-fived and hugged Kittens coach Dave Miller. She said she could tell in warmups whether she'll pitch well, but she didn't expect to hold Greenup County hitless.

“At one point I kind of realized I threw a no-hitter so far, but I didn't let it faze me,” Hensley said. “I get it in my head, when I throw harder, I'd throw worse. So I can't do that.”

Miller wasn't sure whether last night's no-hitter was any different than any of Hensley's first four, but it didn't take him long to see No. 5 was possible.

“The minute she came out, I could tell she had command of about three of her pitches really well,” Miller said. “(She was) spotting well. When she's like that, she's hard to handle.”

Eleven Lady Musketeers swung at third strikes, but Hensley's whiffs and no-hitter weren't the only ways she contributed — she walked, doubled, singled and scored a run. As for pitching, she allowed just three balls to leave the infield.

Greenup County (19-18) coach Eric Keeton said this season was the second step of a softball rebirth (the Lady Musketeers reached the tournament last year). As for Tuesday, there was no uncertainty about which of Hensley's four pitches stymied his team the most.

“The rise ball that she throws seemed to get us,” Keeton said. “We're seeing it out of the hands, but as it comes in there it rises, ends up on top of our heads.”

There were other reasons Ashland (24-9) is still playing. Senior second baseman Katie Caron's single to left led to the Kittens' first run in the third inning, and left fielder Hayley Kilburn's provided the rest of the offense with a two-run single in the fourth.

Tuesday's first two innings could be summed up in two words, but it was difficult choosing which couplet.

For Greenup County, “striking out” was appropriate. Hensley fanned five of the six batters.

Ashland, meanwhile, could have gone with “missed chances.”

In the first, Hensley doubled to center, followed by shortstop Megan Griffith's two-out walk and stolen base, but they stayed there when Kilburn popped to shortstop. In the next inning, catcher Sydney Campbell's double went begging when the Kittens left the bases loaded.

The Kittens grounded into a double play and left the bases loaded again in the third, with one big difference: Griffith scored on Caron's single to left. “Straight down the middle” is how Caron described the pitch.

Hensley's night obscured Greenup County sophomore pitcher Brooke Johnson. Keeton said he didn't know she had an unknown illness the past two days, which caused her to come to the dugout and throw up in the third inning last night, but he praised her for simply stepping into the circle.

“Brooke's a gamer,” Keeton said. “She pushes herself, and she does everything I ask her to do, as well as the rest of the team.”

Russell and Lawrence County are the only two teams to beat Ashland twice this season (the Kittens won the third meeting against the Lady Bulldogs, 5-3). Hensley is the likely starter tonight, and look for Russell to send junior Mallory Powell.

Caron has played on all four Ashland title teams. She said going for a fifth crown would mean more.

“A lot of people have doubted us, and we're just out to prove everybody wrong,” Caron said. “We're just as strong this year as we have (been) the past years.”



GREENUP CO. 000 000 0 — 0 0 0

ASHLAND 001 200 x — 3 6 0

Johnson and Howard. Hensley and Campbell. W—Hensley L—Johnson. 2B—Hensley (A), Campbell (A).