Warren East second baseman Kya Elkin throws to first during their win over South Warren on Friday, June 1, 2018, at the WKU Softball Complex. (Austin Anthony/photo@bgdailynews.com)

After coming within a strike of making the Owensboro Health/KHSAA state softball tournament last season, Warren East will return to the tournament for the first time since 2015 when it faces Ryle at 5 p.m. Thursday at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro.

Warren East does have a bit of state tournament experience, with a handful of players a part of the last team to make it to Owensboro. Kelsey Sparks, Cailyn Howard and Katie Gardner all played a large role, with Hailey Hymer and Kya Elkin coming off the bench to run the bases.

While many on the roster will be making their first trip to the state tournament, Warren East coach Philip McKinney said he expects they won’t be overwhelmed by the big stage.

“There is some experience, but even though there are a lot of new kids they most definitely don’t want to go up there and say, ‘Hey, we are here. We’re happy to be here,’ ” McKinney said. “They are excited to get after it and they believe. They believe they can make a nice little run through the state tournament.”

To make a run, the Lady Raiders will have to get through a top part of the bracket that features five of the top 18 teams in the state – including Warren East – in the final coaches’ poll of the regular season. Warren East is ranked No. 6 in that poll, coming in at 29-4 after playing a schedule McKinney said he designed specifically to prepare for this weekend.

“We have tough games in our district and throughout our region,” McKinney said. “We also go outside our region, like we have done for several years. Playing Christian County on a Thursday night then turning around and playing East Carter the very next night … I think they are prepared mentally.

“Everybody on the roster except for one person has played for a middle school championship, so this is something building back when they were in sixth, seventh or eighth grade.”

Ryle (23-6) was unranked in the final poll, but the Region 9 champion did receive votes in the final poll.

Ryle is led by shortstop Maclai Branson, the daughter of former Cincinnati Reds infielder Jeff Branson. Branson, who will play college softball at the University of Kentucky, is hitting .593 with 16 home runs.

“She’s a stud and she’s a legit player,” McKinney said. “We will have to be a little careful. We can’t maybe throw her a first-pitch fastball down the middle.

“I think pitching-wise we are not going to be surprised by anything with what we have played. They might be a little surprised with Katie. We don’t know how much they have seen pitching like that in Northern Kentucky.”

A win against Ryle would set up a second-round matchup against either Region 6 champion Butler or undefeated East Carter – featuring likely Miss Softball and University of Alabama-bound pitcher Montana Fouts. The two teams met in the final week of the regular season, with East Carter winning 2-1.

“I was really happy with the girls’ at-bats against Montana Fouts,” McKinney said. “We knew she threw hard and we took our cuts. I told them, ‘Don’t be afraid to swing and miss because we are going to swing and miss, especially against a pitcher like that.’ You can’t let her throw one 65 right down the middle and get ahead of you because you are not going to see another strike.”

This will be the final season that the state tournament will be double elimination, with the format switching to single elimination next season. McKinney said avoiding the elimination bracket as long as possible will be key, especially with the 16-team tournament a three-day event.

“I am not a big fan of how high school softball gets treated at the state tournament,” McKinney said. “I like the double elimination. They are going to go to single elimination next year, so maybe that will change a little bit, but I don’t see any reason to play three games in one day.

“Other sports will start on Monday or Tuesday and finish up on Saturday and Sunday. We won our first two games in 2015 and had a two and half (hour) marathon with Ashland Blazer. We got done and had to walk right over to another field and had to play Anderson County. We should have had an hour or two break, but didn’t and we were in the winner’s bracket. Friday is just tough for anybody. You have to win those first two games Friday and then you can reset.”

Gardner said the Lady Raiders are just ready for the challenge and eager to make a deep run.

“After last year, everybody wanted to come back to this position,” Gardner said. “Getting back to the state tournament was a lot. We are going to try to go all the way, definitely.”{&end}