KHSAA Seventh Region softball: Led by Brooke Gray, Ballard beats Eastern to defend title

Ballard softball will get a chance to defend its state title.

Brooke Gray escaped a couple early jams, and the Bruins bats rattled off three triples to knock off Eastern 5-0 in the Seventh Region softball championship at the University of Louisville’s Ulmer Stadium.

Now that the Bruins (32-1), the top-ranked team in the state coaches poll, have earned a three-peat in the region, they’ll try for a second straight state title. That’s a feat that’s only been accomplished twice in KHSAA history, last by Greenwood in 2007-2008.

“It’s hard to repeat, and this is the third year in a row,” Ballard coach Alan Jones said. “I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. That’s why nobody repeats.”

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Jones’ idea to get the Bruins ready for the state tournament is a little bit of relaxation. He told his team to take a break Wednesday, although Imari Golden said she still planned to go to the cages.

It certainly helps, he said, that the state tournament is more than a week away.

The Bruins will start state tournament play at 9 p.m. June 1 at John Cropp Stadium at the University of Kentucky. They will face the Eighth Region champion, which will be decided Thursday at Ulmer Stadium. Oldham County plays Grant County in the first Eighth Region semifinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday, and Woodford County and Simon Kenton will follow.

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“We need some rest,” Jones said. “We need some time off, and we need to get back to having fun and regroup.”

The Bruins showed some composure early. The Eagles (28-12) mounted threats against Gray, the Louisville commit, in the first two innings. They had the bases loaded with one out in the first and then had runners at second and third in the next.

Gray (25-0) did not give Eastern another chance.

Meanwhile, Ballard used its sticks to get to Eastern pitcher Hallie Roberts. Up 2-0 in the fourth, Macy McCoy hit a one-out single. Then Golden and Kierstyn Smith hit back-to-back triples to double the lead.

While Roberts (25-8) did not start the 27th District final last week against the Bruins, she did pitch six innings in the April 18 game that Ballard won 2-0. She did not give up a hit in six innings, and the two runs were unearned.

“She’s a good pitcher, and we know she throws a lot of junk,” Golden said. “So, as batters, we need to stay really patient. I think this time around, we finally got more patient in our at-bats and waited for good pitches.”

In the next inning, Emory Donaldson hit a towering shot that hit off the top rail of the left-field fence. It bounced back into play, and the senior slid in for another three-bagger. She scored as the throw from the outfield bounced away.

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Unlike last season, Ballard won’t go into this state tournament undefeated. Donaldson said that might have taken some pressure off the Bruins, but it provided a spark, too.

“It was even more motivation to come back and go undefeated the rest of the season,” she said. “So as soon as that game ended, we were like, ‘OK, let’s get this out of our minds. Let’s come back. Let’s win each game from now on, and let’s go to the postseason.'”

When postseason play started, five teams from the Seventh Region were in the top 25. None of them were the Eagles, but they were the ones facing their 27th District rival for the third time this season and playing for their first state title appearance in 24 years.

While coach Craig Kuhn said the two seniors he’ll lose from this year’s team will leave big shoes to fill, the Eagles will definitely not be in rebuilding mode.

“We played a tough schedule that helped us put together a run like this,” he said. “The future’s very bright. We’ll be young again, but I’ll go to war with these kids anytime.”

BALLARD 011 021 0 – 5 7 1

EASTERN 000 000 0 – 0 4 2

WP: Brooke Gray (25-0). LP: Hallie Roberts (25-8). 2B: Ryleigh Sweasy (E). 3B: Emory Donaldson (B), Imari Golden (B), Kierstyn Smith (B).

Seventh Region All-Tournament Team: Ava Gish (Portland Christian); Paige Heselschwerdt (Atherton); Bridget McConville (Sacred Heart); Claire King (Male); Kaley Wade and Emelia Clemons (Manual); Lauren Satterly and Regan Monroe (Assumption); Edie Kretzer, Hallie Roberts and Ryleigh Sweasy (Eastern); Emory Donaldson, Imari Golden, Brooke Gray and Kierstyn Smith (Ballard).

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA softball results 2023: Ballard wins Seventh Region over Eastern