Bluebirds' best soar against NewCath
Highlands' clutch players came through Thursday, fueling a 5-0 shutout against Newport Central Catholic in the 36th District softball tournament championship game pitting neighboring rivals at Winkler Field in Fort Thomas.
Highlands, ranked tied for third in The Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, avenged a regular-season loss to the Thoroughbreds and repeated as district champion. The red-hot Bluebirds improved to 22-8 and are 19-3 since April 11.
The fifth-ranked Thoroughbreds fell to 20-10 with their fourth loss in six outings. Both teams advance to next week's Ninth Region tournament.
"These teams are always going to have a battle because we're rivals, we're close, and a lot of the girls are buddies off the field," Highlands coach Rob Coffey said. "So, it's a good win."
The Bluebirds earned a regional tournament No. 1 seed behind the battery of pitcher Bailey Spencer and catcher Shelby Graybill, clutch hitting from Whitney Quillen, and yet another all-tournament performance turned in by first baseman Brennah Dutcher.
"I almost forgot I didn't play in this game last year." said Spencer. "I just wanted to be there for my team this time, and do my best."
She couldn't have been much better in the circle.
Spencer, out last year's district final following an emergency appendectomy, pitched a four-hit shutout, struck out five and was backed by the error-free Bluebirds defense. She improved to 21-6, lowered her ERA below 1.70 and was named tournament MVP.
Spencer's RBI single in the first began the scoring and gave Highlands the only run it needed to win. The Bluebirds tacked on three more runs in the second, keyed by Quillen's run-scoring triple to the fence in right field that made it 2-0. Rachel Gabbard's RBI single to center in the fourth made it 5-0.
Graybill, a Bowling Green State University recruit, went 3-4. The junior masher smacked a double and a pair of singles.
"My pitcher absolutely got stronger in the game," Graybill said of Spencer. "Since we found out we would only have one pitcher, she's been amazing."
Graybill and Dutcher were named all-tournament. It's Dutcher's third straight postseason all-tournament selection. She was named all-district and regional tournament MVP last season for the defending Ninth Region champions.
"Outside the lines, the girls are friends. But inside the lines, it's a rivalry, which makes our games so exciting," Coffey said. "My family is related to their shortstop, Michaela Ware's family, through marriage. My daughter (shortstop Haley Coffey) played soccer with their third baseman (Loren Zimmerman). Whitney Quillen is friends with their second baseman (Casey Kohls) through summer softball."
Highlands has won 13 of 14 games since Coffey's return to shortstop after the junior tore wrist cartilage. "That put everybody back in their normal spots," Spencer said. "Now, everybody's more relaxed, and we are winning."
Ware, who went 2-for-3, and Morgan Martini were named all-tournament for NewCath.
W–Spencer (21-6). L–Meyers 17-10. Leaders: H–Graybill 3-4, 2B; Gabbard 2-4; Coffey 2-5; Quillen 3B. N–Ware 2-3. Records: H 22-8, N 20-10.