New
63rd District Softball: Sister Act: Cooper Siblings Crank Consecutive Homers To Help Greenup Soar; Rams Storm Past Devils
RACELAND It’s not unusual for a younger sister to want to copy her older sister.
When that involves going long-distance on the softball field, it’s a bit less common.
Greenup County’s Laiken and Jaylen Cooper put that sibling relationship on full display Monday, as the pair hit back-to-back homers to propel the Musketeers past Lewis County 13-2 in five innings to advance to the 63rd District title game.
“When Laiken hit hers, I told Jailen don’t worry about a home run, but she did that anyhow,” Greenup County coach Devin VanBibber said with a laugh. “They both had a great swing. It was a great shot.”
Laiken Cooper’s shot batted in three runs and brought her younger sister to the plate.
On the very next pitch, Jaylen Cooper sent the ball flying over the same section of the left field wall as her sister.
“I was just thinking about a hard ground ball,” Laiken Cooper said of her three-run homer. “I just do that every time at the plate, looking for a good barrel.”
“(McBride) missed middle-middle, I was just trying to think top half, hands above the ball,” Jaylen Cooper said of the encore performance. “A good barrel, I was just trying to drive it through the centerfield fence.”
The four runs from the Coopers were part of a six run splurge from Greenup County that put the game into mercy territory.
Madison Ross also belted one out of play for a solo homer in the frame and Laela Matthews batted the other run in with a standup double.
“The girls have been working hard and preparing since the offseason for moments like this,” VanBibber said. “Our goal is to make it to region and now we’ll try our best to win the district. They were ready.”
The Lions found a couple of runs in the top of the third stanza, with Myla Clark stealing home on a passed ball and Kiya Noble got the other with a sac fly to centerfield.
“This team has meant a lot to me and these other coaches this year,” Lewis County coach David Lucas said. “There have been some ups and downs for them the past few seasons, but starting off the year we wanted to build unity.
“We’re only losing one senior this year,” Lucas added. “Kaylen Case has been the backbone of our team as our lone senior. We’ve been trying to instill in the younger ones to have that same fight and try to fill that spot next year.”
Josey Kegley commanded the circle for the Musketeers in the win, recording eight strikeouts, including striking out the side in the fourth frame.
Kegley allowed just three hits in the game.
“We just have to say locked in,” VanBibber said about the championship game. “Josey threw a good game. She battled. Our defense looked good. We just have to stay focused on what we’re doing; prep and be ready.”
LEWIS CO. 002 00 - 2 3 2
GREENUP CO. 142 6X - 13 13 0
Lucas, Clark (4) and Crawford; Kegley and Steele. W - Kegley. L - Lucas. 2B - Steele (GC), Riggs (LC), Grayson (GC), Matthews (GC). 3B - Wells (GC). HR - L. Cooper (GC), J. Cooper (GC), Ross (GC).
RACELAND 16
RUSSELL 1
RACELAND In the second game of the evening, Raceland took care of business against Russell, winning 16-1 in four innings to move on to the championship game against Greenup County.
“We were very patient today,” Raceland coach Greg Adkins said. “We’d worked on it for a while and we’ve been real aggressive here lately, not scoring a whole lot of runs, but today we took a step back in practice. We took a lot of pitches, looked at a lot, and we’ve made sure we hit our pitches. But take nothing away from Russell, they’re a good young team and they’ll be back better next year.”
A nine run surge from the Rams in the bottom of the fourth frame brought the game to an end.
The inning, which saw Raceland have 14 at-bats, was highlighted by a two-run home run from Kali Vance in her first at-bat of the stanza.
Peyton Mackie made the most of her two plate appearances in the fourth, batting in a run on a single before rattling a triple into left field that got two more runs home.
Shelby Gauze and Baylee Burney both managed to steal home on the same passed ball in the frame.
The winning run came via a bases loaded walk with Lily Poplin at bat. The eighth grader, who hits .333 average on the season, saw just 12 pitches in four plate appearances, all of them balls along with an international walk in the first frame.
Poplin leads the team in home runs with 10 on the season.
“Softball is a game that’s all about momentum,” Adkins said. “We got them out, 1-2-3 in the first, and then Brennan hits that shot then we score six and didn’t look back.”
The Rams started the contest right where the Musketeers left off in the previous game, as Bryna Wellman hit a solo home run in the lead off spot to hang the first run in the bottom of the first inning.
That lit the fuse for Raceland, as the Rams put up five more runs in the first stanza.
The scoring spree was capped off by Allie McMackin, who ended the frame with a two-run RBI, though was thrown out trying to take third.
The Red Devils couldn’t find any momentum at the plate, thanks in large part to Davanna Grubb who struck out six of the 14 batters Russell brought up in the four inning affair.
Grubb allowed just two hits.
“Ultimately it didn’t look like we were prepared and it didn’t look like we were locked in,” Russell coach Destiny Goins said. “I hope they learn that champions are made in the offseason. They’re made in that time when no one is looking. Other people are doing that, so we have to step up and do that as well.”
The Red Devils’ lone run amr in the fourth stanza. A double from Bell Hall put herself in scoring position before being batted in by an Ella Wilson single.
“I hope these girls can learn to trust themselves,” Goins said. “If I could give them any advice it’d be to trust their instincts. They have the talent if they’ll just use it. But I love these girls and this team.”
With Greenup County vs. Raceland set for the championship game, Adkins said it’s key for his club to stay focused heading into the contest.
“We have to play our game,” Adkins said. “That’s the whole deal with us. We can’t get out of our rhythm. We have to play our game and hit our pitches. I think that’s what’ll make us successful.”
RUSSELL 000 1 - 1 2 1
RACELAND 601 9 - 16 12 0
McBride, Hale (4) and Wilson; Grubb and Vance. W - Grubb. L - McBride. 2B - Mackie (Ra), Hall (Ru). 3B - Mackie (Ra). HR - Wellman (Ra), Vance (Ra).
(606) 326-2658 |
