Visiting Cougars score 17 in final frame to break 25-all tie and smash previous total runs record by two.
Yes, the visiting Cougars won their first game of season after seven defeats by piling up 22 hits and receiving 17 walks during the 42-26 victory. The home team Thoroughbred broke loose for 26 runs on 10 hits — and lost by 16 runs.
According to the
Cincinnati Enquirer quoting the Kentucky High School Athletic Association record book, the two teams broke the 2013 record of 66 runs scored when Western beat Iroquois, 34-32.
Conner (1-7), which got six RBI and seven runs scored by
Emma Houston, tied for the second-most runs scored in state history, surpassed only by Evarts, which scored a 46-15 win over Barbourville in 2004.
Newport Central Catholic avoided the mercy rule stoppage after three innings (trailing by 15 or more runs), by scoring four runs to close to 18-7. A 12-run sixth actually tied the game for the Thoroughbreds at 25 before Conner exploded for 17 runs in the top of the seventh.
Avieri Lightner had four hits and five runs for the Cougars, while teammates Haley Kersker,
Alex Cobble and
Kayliegh Lamping all scored six runs.
Kiera Holeman and
Jordan Dell each drove in five runs.
Mia Buemi had three hits and seven RBI for Newport Central (1-1), which opened the season with a 21-11 win over Bellevue.
With the victory, Conner turned around its early season troubles. It entered having been outscored 114-22.
It's just good playing softball again in 2021 after the two teams combined to just play one season in 2020 due to COVID-19. The teams have played five times, all Conner victories. The last time was in 2016, a tight 9-8 victory.
