Eastern softball, behind Edie Kretzer, tops state champion Ballard in 28th District final

Eastern softball has had a season to remember, and it is far from over.

The Eagles defeated two-time defending state champion Ballard for the second time this season, topping the Bruins 5-1 on Friday in the 28th District Tournament title game for their first district title in 11 years.

Sophomore Edie Kretzer hit a three-run triple to stake Eastern to a lead that it didn’t relinquish. She also hit a two-run single in the sixth to give the Eagles a 5-1 lead.

“I was really just trying to get on base,” Kretzer said. “They’re a really good fielding team.”

Eastern coach Craig Kuhn said his team is prepared for the postseason after playing a challenging schedule and going through rigorous offseason conditioning.

Since the Eagles lost to Ballard in last season’s Seventh Region final, Kretzer said the goal was “to play every game the same.”

Eastern defeated the Bruins, 7-6, in eight innings during a regular-season game April 24.

Ballard coach Alan Jones said his team’s offense needs to pick up soon.

“Right now, if we don’t find these bats, we’re not going very far,” Jones said. “We can’t just rely on a pitcher (senior Rylee Carter) and put all the pressure on her. I’m proud of my team; we’ll regroup. Going back-to-back state champs, and try to do it again, where every time (someone) plays you, it’s like their state championship game. We gotta get mentally tough; we gotta regroup.”

No. 4 Male (24-7) leads a loaded field in the Seventh Region and will play at No. 10 Eastern (28-7) in a quarterfinal at 1 p.m. Monday.

No. 9 Ballard (21-6) will play at Manual (17-13) at 11 a.m. Monday. No. 14 Assumption (25-11) will host Atherton (19-13) at 4 p.m. Monday.

Reach sports reporter Brooks Warren at bwarren@gannett.com and follow him on X at @Broookksss.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Eastern softball, behind Edie Kretzer, tops state champion Ballard in 28th District final