Assumption back in state softball tournament after lengthy absence

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For the first time in over a quarter century, the state softball tournament will include the Assumption Rockets.

First-year Assumption head coach Suzanne Cates knew she had some talent to work with when she met with the team in the fall but she had one big question for them.

"What are they willing to do to move that needle one percent to get them to the state tournament," said Cates. "Because there was never a doubt that they had the pitching, the hitting, the fielding. It was just what were they willing to do, what were they willing to sacrifice to get there?"

The answer she was hoping for gradually started appearing.

"Each game we just keep getting better and better," said senior left-fielder Rylee Sandifer. "Every day we show up for practice and we focus, we lock in and we just get that little bit better every single day and I think that's really helped us this year."

"Kind of around the middle of May is when they started to connect the dots on 'so this is why we do this and this is why we do this and this is how the whole process works'," said Cates. "So I think they're completely bought in now and things are happening because of it."

"We can hit the ball like crazy, have good fielding, good defense," said junior shortstop Lauren Campisano. "We really have good IQ. That's something we've been working on this year. Just knowing what we need to do and when we need to do it."

It's all added up to a Seventh Region title and the first state tournament trip for the Rockets since 1998. They open Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the single elimination tournament against Highlands.

School is already out, but the Assumption community is pretty fired up.

"No one really expected it besides us I think," said Campisano. "So when they saw us win the region, everyone kind of gathered together and they want to see us win it. They think it's fun."

"They do have all the tools," said Cates. "Like I said, they have the pitching, the hitting, the defense. They just needed to believe that they could do it. You set them up with a schedule that's hard and they start beating those tough teams and then they started to buy in completely and here we are."

Cates said she is getting to relive her glory days a bit. She was Suzanne Witten when she starred at Butler High School, was on three straight teams that went to state and was voted Miss Softball in 2000.