Brooks Warren,Jason FrakesLouisville Courier Journal
Due to an editing error, a previously published version of this story incorrectly identified the sport and prematurely stated that Male had won.
The No. 4-ranked Male High School softball team is headed to the second round of the Seventh Region Tournament after topping No. 10-ranked Eastern, 7-0.
Junior Lily Jones (3 for 4 two home runs) and senior Madison Reed smacked home runs to left field to lead Male.
“We’re feeling amazing,” Jones said. “There’s just so much energy, we just want to keep winning. The energy is just great.”
Bulldogs coach Donald Murphy said it was the best offensive approach Male has had in a month, and said Jones was capable of this kind of production every game.
Male’s win gets them back to the second round of the regions after missing last year following back-to-back region final appearances in 2021 and 2022. Jones said she believes the energy around the team, especially how close the team is, will help them get back to that point.
“It's going to mean a lot,” Murphy said. “(It’s my) second year here, you like to see the hard work and efforts these girls have put in pay off. We're in a really good spot if we come in and stay focused to where we want to get to.”
The Bulldogs got timely hits despite senior Hallie Roberts striking out 18.
After three scoreless innings, Male changed its approach at the plate. Murphy said the difference between Monday's win and the 2-1 win in April was defense and outhitting the Eagles.
“I was just thinking, 'stay on top of the ball',” Jones said. “Just hit a line drive, and see ball, hit ball. Don’t think too much, just hit it.”
For Eastern, Eagles coach Craig Kuhn credited the dominant play of Male junior pitcher Hannah Wright, and lamented being unable to capitalize on chances, specifically pointing out opportunities in the first and fifth innings when they had two runners on base.
“It’s frustrating, the girls put in the time,” Kuhn said. “They're doing the right things working, the swings look great, we just gotta find a way to bring it into the live games in these tough crucial situations. We gotta get over that hump.”
Male will face Sacred Heart at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a Seventh Region semifinal at the University of Louisville's Ulmer Stadium.
MALE 004 100 2 - 7 8 1
EASTERN 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
WP - Hannah Wright (18-4). LP - Hallie Roberts (22-7).
In other Seventh Region quarterfinals:
Sacred Heart 6, Portland Christian 0
Freshman Sadie Hayes (18-8) tossed a six-hitter, struck out 10 and went 3 for 3 at the plate with two RBIs to lead the host Valkyries (23-12) over the Eagles (18-13).
Isabella Boyd was 2 for 4 and scored two runs and Emeline Brown added two RBIs as Sacred Heart finished with 10 hits.
Sacred Heart is in the regional semifinals for the first time since 2015.
PORTLAND CHRISTIAN 000 000 0 - 0 6 3
SACRED HEART 141 000 x - 6 10 0
WP – Sadie Hayes (18-8). LP – Eva Hidrogo (18-13).
Assumption 11, Atherton 3
Lauren Satterly went 3 for 4 with an RBI to lead the No. 14 Rockets (26-11) over the visiting Ravens (19-14).
Maleya Giddens, Grace Sander, Jaelyn Oaks and Rylee Sandifer each added two hits as the Rockets finished with 14. Tia Ice homered and scored two runs.
Assumption will face Ballard at 8 p.m., Wednesday, in a regional semifinal at U of L.
Paige Heselschwerdt hit a two-run homer for Atherton.
ATHERTON 000 102 0 - 3 6 4
ASSUMPTION 020 054 x - 11 14 0
WP – Ava Lou Mattingly (18-6). LP – Charlee Heselschwerdt (8-6).
Ballard 6, Manual 1
Rylee Carter tossed a one-hitter and struck out eight as the No. 9 Bruins (22-6) beat the Crimsons (17-14) at Assumption.
Carter and Mikayla Milby both had two hits to lead Ballard at the plate. Kierstyn Smith had a double and two RBIs for Ballard, which has won two straight state titles.
Bailey Fetcher had Manual’s lone hit.
BALLARD 400 200 0 -6 9 0
MANUAL 100 000 0 - 1 1 2
WP – Rylee Carter (22-6). LP – Hailey Kincaid (5-5).
Sixth Region quarterfinals
Mercy 8, Holy Cross 0
Senior Maya Merrill (13-9) pitched a two-hit shutout and struck out 12 to lead the host Jaguars (19-13) over the Cougars (12-15).
Mercy finished with nine hits, including four doubles. Merrill was 2 for 2 with two RBIs, and Ava Reinhart also drove in two runs.
Mercy will face North Bullitt at 6 p.m., Tuesday, in a regional semifinal at U of L. North Bullitt advanced via forfeit by Western.
HOLY CROSS 000 000 0 - 0 2 2
MERCY 212 003 x - 8 9 0
WP – Maya Merrill (13-9). LP – Casey Cirillo (9-11).
Butler 12, Bullitt Central 1
The Bearettes (16-15) scored nine runs in the third inning to pull away from the visiting Cougars (8-21).
Jenicca Alexander went 3 for 3 with a double to lead Butler’s nine-hit attack. Nina Camara had three RBIs, and Natalie Frye knocked in two runs.
Butler senior pitcher Alysa Malone allowed five hits and struck out seven in five innings of work.
The Bearettes will face Bullitt East at 8 p.m. Tuesday in a regional semifinal at U of L.
BULLITT CENTRAL 100 00 - 1 5 7
BUTLER 129 0x - 12 9 0
WP – Alysa Malone (14-11). LP – LaDonna Whitaker (3-12).
Bullitt East 14, Fairdale 1
Courtney Bass went 3 for 5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBIs to lead the No. 15 Chargers (20-7) over the host Bulldogs (18-10).
Bullitt East pounded out 20 hits and got a 4-for-5 outing from Mollie Johnston, who added three runs and three RBIs. Taylor Pierce and Payton Patterson both added three hits.
Gracie Smithson had the lone hit for Fairdale.
BULLITT EAST300 050 6 - 14 20 0
FAIRDALE100 000 0 - 1 1 0
WP – Mackenzie Mingus (9-1). LP – Kyllie Key (12-10).
Eighth Region semifinals
Woodford County 9, Oldham County 8
Freshman Addison Bryant was 3 for 4 with three doubles and three RBIs and helped the Yellow Jackets (17-13) rally from an 8-0 deficit to beat the No. 21 Colonels (21-13) at U of L.
Lily Slayton went 3 for 3 with three RBIs for Woodford County, which beat Oldham County 15-2 in last year’s Eighth Region final. The Yellow Jackets will face Anderson County at 7 p.m. Thursday in the regional final at U of L.
Jozie Lashley went 3 for 4 to lead Oldham County’s 11-hit attack. Bekah Townsend added a home run as the Colonels took an 8-0 lead in the second inning.
OLDHAM COUNTY 260 000 0 - 8 11 6
WOODFORD COUNTY 040 140 x - 9 13 2
WP – Natalie Kerr (4-4). LP – Jozie Lashley (12-4).
Anderson County 11, South Oldham 1
Faith McGregor was 2 for 2 with two doubles and two RBIs to lead the Bearcats (25-11) over the Dragons (17-14) at U of L.
Aspen Mitchell was 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, and Molly Wooldridge also knocked in two runs as Anderson County advanced to the regional final for the first time since 2017.
South Oldham’s Ella Wells was 2 for 3, and Paige Vermeesch had the lone RBI.
SOUTH OLDHAM 001 000 - 1 6 5
ANDERSON COUNTY 300 404 - 11 9 2
WP – Lacey Osborne (20-8). LP – Kaylee Fitzner (7-9).
Reach sports reporter Brooks Warren at bwarren@gannett.com and follow him on X at @Broookksss. Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.
