LONDON — South Laurel will have its hands full during first round action of Thursday’s KHSAA Fastpitch State Tournament.
Awaiting the Lady Cardinals are a Highlands team that possesses a 33-6 record that includes a 9-2 win over Ryle in the 9th Region title game.
South Laurel coach Carly Mink said her team’s schedule will have her players ready for whatever the Lady Bluebirds throw at them when the game begins at 10 a.m.
“We’ve prepared and played a certain way all year and we’re not going to waver from who we are as a team and what got us here,” she said. “Our schedule has prepared us to play against the best in the state and we’re confident in our ability to go compete. We’re excited to watch this team go chase a dream.
“We’ve just been very consistent all year, approaching each game one game at a time. We’re very prepared entering Thursday and just going to go be us,” Mink added.
There is a reason Mink’s squad is ranked No. 5 in the state.
South Laurel enters the state tournament with a .370 batting average while hitting 60 home runs, and a team ERA of 0.93.
The Lady Cardinals have four players hitting over .400 and four more batting over .300.
It starts with junior Kenzie Williams, who leads the team with a .481 batting average. She also has 13 home runs, 64 hits, 59 RBI, 14 doubles and 23 runs scored. Senior Bailey Frazier has a .430 batting average, 43 hits, 19 RBI, 50 runs scored, 38 walks, two home runs, and 30 stolen bases while sophomore Lexie Messer has a .402 batting average, 49 hits, 48 RBI, 10 home runs, and 35 runs scored. Freshman Ryleigh Bretz is batting .402 with 45 hits, 48 RBI, 47 runs scored and 11 home runs while senior Aubrie Messer is batting .386 with 49 hits, 37 RBI, five home runs, and 24 runs scored. Junior Morgan Jackson currently has a .357 average, 45 hits, 34 RBI, 49 runs scored four home runs and 21 stolen bases. Senior Audrey Likins has a .333 batting average, eight hits, five RBI, and seven runs scored while senior Kiley Dunaway is batting .318 with 34 hits, 26 RBI, 28 runs scored, and three home runs. Emmie Rice is fourth on the team with nine home runs while batting .264 with 28 hits, and 25 RBI, and Skye Lawson is batting .281 with 27 hits, 27 RBI, two home runs and 34 runs scored.
Pitching-wise, Williams and Aubrie Messer have been dominant all season long.
Williams is 23-1 with a 0.43 ERA while striking out 299 batters in 148 innings while Messer is 11-2 with a 1.95 ERA, and 78 strikeouts. Lexie Messer is 2-1 with a 1.12 ERA, and 25 strikeouts.
Highlands enters the state tournament with a .390 batting average, but only 18 home runs. Its team ERA is 1.48.
The Lady Bluebirds have four players batting over .400, and five players batting over.300.
Senior Cam Markus leads the team with a .482 batting average. She also has 55 hits, 32 RBI, 36 runs scored and one home run. Sophomore Layla Zepf is batting .472 with 58 hits, 39 RBI, two homers and 44 runs scored while sophomore Kate Class brings in a .424 average, 42 hits, 29 RBI, two home runs, and 30 runs scored. Senior Payton Brown has a .414 batting average, a team-best nine home runs, 52 RBI, 46 hits, and 37 runs scored.
Senior Kaitlyn Dixon possesses a 27-3 record, 0.71 ERA, and 312 strikeouts in 187 innings. Sophomore Katherine Heilman is 3-1 with a 4.67 ERA and 23 strikeouts. Junior Ava Dickman is 2-2 with a 6.24 ERA, and 13 strikeouts.
“Highlands has a great record and brings one of the top pitchers in the state to the mound having over 300 strikeouts for the year,” Mink said. “They also have a very good offensive team. We’ve just got to have quality at bats, pitch well, and play solid defensive and we’ll have a chance to be successful.”
