Prep Softball: Boyle shuts out Estill 8-0 in second round of state tournament

OWENSBORO — Boyle County jumped on Estill County early and rode a dominating pitching performance from KK Davis today in an 8-0 win over the Engineers in the second round of the Rawlings/KHSAA State Softball Tournament at Jack C. Fisher Park.
Boyle (32-11) plays Ryle (22-13) for a spot in the state semifinals at 4 p.m.
Davis retired the last 13 batters she faced and finished with eight strikeouts with just one walk and scattered four hits. Estill (31-10), did not get a ball out of the infield after the third inning.
“The nerves were gone by the third inning, so I just settled down and hit my spots, and I knew if they hit it, my team was awake and they were going to field it and get the out,” Davis said.
And Davis got plenty of offensive support, as the Rebels pounded out 13 hits against Estill starter Michaela Gross.
Davis helped herself by going 3 for 4 with a double and drove in a run, Lauren Richards and Hannah Chadwell each went 2 for 3 and Hannah Miniard drove in two runs.
The Rebels jumped on Gross early.
Richard led off the first with a single, then Danielle Mason delivered a two-out double to right center field to score richards. Davis then ripped a double to center which brought in Mason. Shelby Bishop ran for Davis and scored on Sammi Key’s single to left.
“Once we jumped on them, I knew our defense could hold them,” Davis said.
In the second, Chadwell had a bunt single with one out then she scored when Richards crushed a double to the center field wall. Richards went to third on the throw home, and scored on a single by Miniard as Boyle opened up a 5-0 lead.
“Usually pitchers that don’t carry a lot of velocity gives us trouble, we get impatient at the plate,” Boyle coach Brian Deem said. “But we did a good job of being patient and letting the ball get in the zone and we drove it.”
That was all Davis would need, as Estill could not capitalize on its early chances and left six runners on base over the first three innings. Davis struck out seven batters over the final four innings.
“She did a great job today,” Deem said of Davis. “She showed a little nerves as well do early in the game, but she showed composure and she was able to shut it down.”
Boyle added some insurance in the bottom of the sixth.
Chadwell reached on a bunt single and made it around to third on two wild pitches. After Richards drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch, Heather Hasty laid down a bunt which found open space between a drawn in infield to score Chadwell.
Richards scored on a Miniard’s sacrifice fly, and MacKenzie Wray, who was running for Hasty, went to third on the throw home. However, the throw got away from Estill catcher Shelby Arthur, and Wray also came in to score for an 8-0 lead.

Rawlings/KHSAA State Softball Tournament
At Jack C. Fisher Park, Owensboro
Second Round
Estill County     000    000    0    —    0      4    1
Boyle County    320    003    x    —    8    13    0
Michaela Gross and Shelby Arthur. KK Davis and Heather Hasty. W—Davis (11-7). L—Gross. 2B—Lauren Richards (BC), Danielle Mason (BC), Davis (BC).