State softball tournament preview: LexCath opens vs. record-breaker from Montgomery County

Lexington Catholic, high school softball’s 11th Region champion, faces one of the toughest paths to a state title of any of the 16 teams playing in the state tournament this week and next at the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium.

The Knights begin play on day two of the tournament at 5:30 p.m. Friday against Montgomery County, a powerful offensive team with a record-breaking home run hitter.

Indians senior catcher Reaghan Oney, a Troy State signee, broke two state records in Montgomery County’s win over Harrison County in the 10th Region title game last week.

Oney’s two-run jack in the bottom of the sixth inning against Harrison County marked both her 24th home run of the season and her seventh straight game with a homer. She moved ahead of the previous record total of 23 set by Madisonville’s Kaylee Tow in 2017 and broke out of a three-way tie for consecutive games with a homer to hold that distinction all by herself.

“I started coaching her her sophomore year, and each year she’s gotten better,” Montgomery County coach Matt Puckett said. “Last year she had 21 home runs and this year she was on pace and we knew she had a chance (to break the season record). … One swing and two records is a pretty good accomplishment.”

Puckett credits Oney and her teammates for those marks. Montgomery County leads the state in runs scored, home runs and runs batted in and is second in hits. The Indians have four other players batting better than .400, meaning pitching around Oney sometimes isn’t an option. Walking Oney only sets up players like Sara Zink (11 home runs and 48 RBI), Madison Cox (51 RBI) and Ryleigh Martin (42 RBI) to mention a few.

“She’s well protected,” Puckett said. “To be honest, we hope she gets on because of her speed (20 stolen bases). We’d obviously like her to hit a home run but any way she can get on base, we feel, is an advantage for our team.”

Lexington Catholic boasts 2022 Kentucky Gatorade player of the year Abby Hammond, a junior Kentucky commit who leads the state with 26 wins and an earned run average of 0.50. Hammond has 265 strikeouts this season and struck out 12 Montgomery County batters in a 9-0 win over the Indians on May 15.

The Knights are no slouch offensively either with a team batting average of .354 led by Hammond’s .597 average and 13 home runs. Fellow Kentucky commit Ava Emmert hits .319 and is second on the team with 35 RBI.

Puckett believes the loss to Lexington Catholic galvanized his team for their postseason run. It was their second loss in a row and fourth in seven games. They’ve won seven in a row since, including the program’s first region title since 2015.

“After that game was over, we kind of held court, so to speak,” said Puckett, who noted the Indians were able to get runners on base against Hammond, but couldn’t capitalize. “We had some situations going on in that game and if you go and look, after that game, it really brought us together.”

Tournament notes

Top teams: The tournament field includes nine teams ranked inside the KHSAA’s RPI Standings’ top 25 — No. 1 South Warren, No. 2 Henderson County, No. 3 Lexington Catholic, No. 12 Lawrence County, No. 13 Daviess County, No. 14 Montgomery County, No. 19 McCracken County, No. 23 Elizabethtown and No. 25 Assumption.

Tournament history: Boyd County and Mercer County are making their first state tournament appearances. North Laurel has the most state trips with 18 and won it all in 2001. McCracken County (2015) and Mercy (2012) are the other past champions in the field.

LexCath’s path: The No. 3 Knights’ side of the bracket is loaded. A win against No. 14 Montgomery County could set up a rematch with No. 1 South Warren in the quarterfinals. LexCath beat the Spartans 1-0 on April 27. No. 2 Henderson County is a potential semifinals opponent.

College commitments: In addition to Oney (Troy State), Hammond and Emmert (both Kentucky), players who’ve announced their future athletic plans include: Henderson County’s Taylor Troutman (Mississippi State), Alyse Rollings (St. Mary of the Woods) and Hallie McCracken (Oakland City); Lawrence County’s Dani Crum (UPike); McCracken County’s K.G. Walker (Campbellsville); Assumption’s Rylee Sandifer (Centre); Mercer County’s Haylee Ransdell (Asbury); Highlands’ Michelle Barth (Thomas More) and Bailey Markus (Muskingum) and Mercy’s Maya Merrill (Cedarville).

Top offensive threats: South Warren’s McLaine Hudson (.640 avg, 21 HRs, 65 RBI), Kinleigh Russell (.621 avg) and Layla Ogden (15 HRs, 63 RBI); Montgomery County’s Oney (.595 avg, 24 HRs, 75 RBI); Lexington Catholic’s Hammond (.597 avg, 13 HRs); Highlands’ Barth (.578 avg, 10 HRs).

Best in the circle: LexCath’s Hammond (0.50 ERA, 265 K’s); Elizabethtown’s Taytum Spiers (0.96 ERA, 303 K’s); South Warren’s Ogden (1.00 ERA, 128Ks) and Courtney Norwood (1.43 ERA, 125 K’s).

Team batting average leaders: Lawrence County (.450); South Warren (.438); Henderson County (.417); Montgomery County (.411).

Team runs leaders: Montgomery County (401); South Warren (396); Lawrence County (381).

Team homers: Montgomery County (60); South Warren (58); Henderson County (57); Anderson County (41).

Softball State Tournament

At UK’s John Cropp Stadium

Tickets: gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA

Streaming video ($): KHSAA.tv

Streaming audio (free): khsaa2.mixlr.com/events

Thursday’s first round

10 a.m.: Mercer County (18-9) vs. Daviess County (28-6)

1 p.m.: Assumption (28-11) vs. Highlands (27-12)

5:30 p.m.: Mercy (21-13) vs. Boyd County (22-17)

8:30 p.m.: North Laurel (27-9) vs. Letcher County Central (27-9)

Friday’s first round

10 a.m.: Elizabethtown (28-7) vs. South Warren (37-3)

1 p.m.: Henderson County (32-5) vs. Anderson County (26-11)

5:30 p.m.: Montgomery County (31-6) vs. Lexington Catholic (26-2)

8:30 p.m.: Lawrence County (30-4) vs. McCracken County (30-7)

Saturday’s quarterfinals

10 a.m.: Mercer County-Daviess County winner vs. Assumption-Highlands winner

1 p.m.: Mercy-Boyd County winner vs. North Laurel-Letcher Central winner

5:30 p.m.: Montgomery County-Lexington Catholic winner vs. Elizabethtown-South Warren winner

8:30 p.m.: Lawrence County-McCracken County winner vs. Henderson County-Anderson County winner

June 14 semifinals

3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: Final four

June 15 finals

7 p.m.: Championship game

Cousins and Kentucky sports stars Abby, Ellie Hammond happy to ‘experience this together.’

State baseball tournament preview: ‘Give me two more weeks.’ LexCath among hopefuls.