Prep softball: Notre Dame lands final punch in outlasting Boyd County

CANNONSBURG, Ky. — The most significant rally began with the biggest bop in a game full of them.

Notre Dame had gone from up five runs to down three in a matter of an inning and a half. Then Kate Entler settled into the batter’s box.

“As you can see, the energy level went up when the ball goes about 230, 240 (feet) into the midst of the night,” Titans coach Shad Ford said.

That’s about how far the Titans catcher clubbed a two-run home run to center field, nearly to the line of pickup trucks and SUVs behind Boyd County’s fence.

That long ball started Notre Dame’s five-run seventh inning in a 13-11 comeback victory in the finale of the Tri-State Softball Showcase on Saturday night.

Entler went 4 for 5 and knocked in five runs for the Titans. The last of them touched off an uprising to win a game that had been on multiple occasions seemingly in hand – and then in serious peril as the Lions slugged their way on top.

“Home runs are great,” Ford said. “Kate’s a great hitter. That’s her job, to get (those) runs in. Definitely a plus for us.”

Notre Dame (20-2) was still down a run after Entler’s round-tripper, but the Titans were only getting started.

Lyndsey Schaefer ripped a game-tying RBI double to score Ava Rush. Maycee Ford motored home from third base on a wild pitch, and Audrey Bach’s sacrifice fly plated Schaefer.

Those were the last hits in a game that featured 24 runs, 25 hits and 21 walks.

“They fought like champs,” Shad Ford said. “Get hit there, things didn’t go your way, took a punch there, and punched back in the end when it mattered and buckled down there at the end and got the win. Proud of everybody.”

Even up five runs on two occasions – halfway to Notre Dame’s average margin of victory in a 17-game winning streak coming in that spanned the whole month of April – the Titans knew the other shoe was coming.

The Lions (14-11) obliged, scoring eight straight runs to put themselves two defensive outs away from a dramatic comeback victory.

Boyd County ninth-place hitter Reagan Robbins got it started in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double. Savanna Henderson’s infield single plated another, Brooke Jacobs worked a bases-loaded walk to force in a run and the Lions had cut the margin to one.

Robbins got it going again in the sixth with a sacrifice bunt that plated Kaylee May to tie the game. Henderson rocketed a two-run double to score courtesy runner Tylar Seasor and Jadyn Goad, and Henderson trotted home when two Titans outfielders appeared to lose Jaycie Goad’s sky-high fly ball in the lights.

“We're playing good situational softball right now,” Boyd County coach Lance Seasor said. “We’re getting runners on, getting them over, hitting the ball backside, moving runners. It helps having people like Savanna and Jaycie in your lineup that swing it well.”

Henderson, a Kentucky commit, went 4 for 4, doubled twice, scored twice and knocked in four runs. Jadyn Goad was 3 for 4 and scored three runs. Grace Stephens had two hits, Robbins drove in a trio and May scored thrice.

Jaycie Goad, a Marshall signee, worked three walks, and May got on base via balls four times.

That glut of offense wasn’t enough for the Lions to stave off the Titans’ clutch response, but Boyd County got the other thing – other than a win – it was after on the big stage of the 10th annual Showcase.

Boyd County is less concerned at this stage with its record, which includes nine losses by three runs or fewer, than with staying in the fire to prepare for the postseason.

“It is what it is,” Lance Seasor said. “But our offense never quit and our defense played great at times. So I’m happy with it, even though we didn’t come out on the right end.”

Schaefer was 4 for 5 for the Titans. She doubled twice, scored three runs and knocked in three. Kennedy Lyon was 2 for 4 and scored twice in the leadoff slot. Maycee Ford scored two runs.

A tough night for pitchers saw both teams’ starters return to the circle after relievers lost their way. Rush left with the lead after 4 1/3 innings, then came back to lock it down again after Alayla Soard got the final two outs of the fifth.

Handed the lead back, Rush turned in the only 1-2-3 inning of the night in the bottom of the seventh, ending the game with her third strikeout.

“I mean, the game lasted 3 hours,” Shad Ford said, checking his watch, of the switches. “Maybe a change of pace, different arm slot. It worked out for us at the end, as it showed.”

For Boyd County, which has two pitchers out for the season, Jacobs went four-plus innings and Mckinli Corey spelled her for 2 1/3 frames before Jacobs took the ball again.

Corey was the pitcher of record for the Lions. Jacobs produced six strikeouts.

Notre Dame stretched its win streak in the series to at least six. Boyd County hasn’t beaten the Titans since comprehensive online KHSAA records became available in 2002.

Lance Seasor was double-booked Saturday evening. Boyd County’s baseball team hosted the Derby Classic on Friday and Saturday, as well as reunions for its 2001, 2006 and 2011 teams. Seasor starred on the Lions’ 2001 state champion club.

Between the end of Boyd County’s 15-4 win over Great Crossing in a Saturday matinee and first pitch against the Titans, Seasor found time to make the short trip from the Lions’ softball complex across Kentucky 180 to Addington Field to fellowship with former teammates, he said, even though he had to miss their being honored on the field before the baseball nightcap. The game before that ran long and he had to get back up the hill to coach the softball Lions against Notre Dame.

“Any time I get to see any of those guys, it’s great,” he said.

NOTRE DAME 023 030 5 – 13 14 3

BOYD COUNTY 002 144 0 – 11 11 1

A. Rush, Soard (5), A. Rush (6) and Entler; Jacobs, Corey (5), Jacobs (7) and Bush. Hitting leaders: ND – Lyon 2-4, 2 R, 2B; Entler 4-5, HR, 5 RBI; Ford 2 R, 2B; Schaefer 4-5, 2 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI; BC – Jad. Goad 3-4, 3 R; Henderson 4-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI; Stephens 2-4; May 3 R; Robbins 3 RBI, 2B.