Excitement has been spreading across Pendleton County for the new fastpitch league for the female youth of the county and early bird registration is coming to a close.

Parents can save money and pay registration fee of $50 by getting the Wildcat Youth Baseball registration form into the recreation office at Griffin Fitness Center by Sunday.

The fitness center is open 5 - 9 p.m. each weekday or the form can be mailed to Pendleton County Recreation, 2359 Highway 27 North, Falmouth KY 41040.

The form can be picked up at the same location or at Sharp Middle School, Northern and Southern Elementary or downloaded at www.pendletoncounty.ky.gov and click on Youth Sports.  Also, check out the Pendleton County Recreation Facebook page for the link and more information.

Games have had to be moved to Monday night because of a conflict with Pendleton County Recreational Middle School soccer and we hope to have divisions of T-ball (four year old through 2nd grade), machine pitch (3rd and 4th grade) and kids pitch (5th-7th grade).

Congratulations to Avery Booth for being named to the 2013 NKMSAA All Tournament Team during the Eighth Grade Girls District Tournament.

By Bruce Reller Jr., Reporter

The Pendleton County High School tennis team is scheduled to begin its season this week under first year head coach Jennifer Harmeyer.

PCHS only returns four players from last year's team, Sean-Michael Flynn, Max DeWald, Eli Stahl, and Kellie Smith.

"I think this season will be a learning experience for most of our players," Harmeyer said. "I feel good about taking this year as head coach and hope we can come together as a team and improve as the season progresses."

Wildcats senior Tyler Daugherty topped the radar game at 79 MPH at Whitaker Park, home of the Lexington Legends, as he picked up his first victory of the season in a 13-5 victory over Williamstown.

With the weather being cold and wet through most of March very few teams have had the opportunity to take the field for practices let alone games.  But the Wildcats found a nice three-day window of good weather, cold but dry, to get in three games and went 2-1.

They started the season with a tough opening game versus Harrison County, a perennial regional favorite.

Harrison County’s offense was kicking on all cylinders and they raced to a 10-0, five inning victory.

“With only one error, I liked what I saw from the team defensively,”  Wildcat varsity coach Aaron Biddle commented.  “The game really showed us that we aren’t going to beat anybody if we can’t generate some offense.”

Pendleton County High School NJROTC cadets presented the colors at the Xavier University versus University of Massachusetts basketball game in Cincinnati on Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Senior Jennifer Dixon knocks down the short corner jumper in her last game in the 10th Region Tournament v Bishop Brossart. The Ladycats season came to an end in the 58-51 loss.

You ask any coach and while they strive hard to win games in the regular season, it is all window dressing for the postseason.  That is when seasons are made.

While the Ladycats dropped their 10th Region Tournament first round game to Brossart 58-51, they won only the fifth 38th District Title banner in the 38-year history of the program.  The senior class was a part of two district titles and a region semi-finals appearance during their four years.

Registration forms for the Youth Fastpitch and Baseball Pendleton County Recreational Leagues were distributed this week at Northern, Southern and Sharp.  Parents look in backpacks or ask your child for them.

One hopeful change this season is the separation of girls and boys to two distinct different leagues.

“We are hoping to have a large increase of young girls signing up this spring and able to separate out a girl fastpithc and boy baseball league,”  Recreation Director Keith Smith indicated.  “With girls knowing they won’t have to play on the field with boys, we are hoping to see more girls participating and creating more opportunities for them to play and prepare for fastpitch in high school.”

While exact leagues, as always, will be finalized based on participation numbers, separating the two leagues for fastpitch and baseball should create more opportunities for players in both leagues.

“The separation will hopefully mean more fielding chances, more at-bats and more chances to play for both boys and girls.  And it is always a great thing to have more kids having more athletic opportunities.”  He continued.

The goal is to have three divisions for each league, t-ball, machine pitch and kids’ pitch.

Forms can also be found at the Pendleton County government website, www.pendletoncounty.ky.gov, click on Youth Sports and look for registration forms.  There is a new two-page form that includes medical and physical information.  The link is also on the Pendleton County Recreational Facebook page or forms can be picked up at the Recreation Office at the Griffin Fitness Center.

In addition, parents should look to take advantage of an early-bird registration time and have forms into the Recreation Office at Griffin Fitness Center at PCHS by March 31 at $50. Cost increases to $65 if turned in by April 6 and to $75 after April 6.

If anyone is interested in coaching a baseball or fastpitch team, they need to contact the Recreation Department at 859-654-5800 to complete a volunteer coaching form and a background check with the Pendleton County Sheriff’s Department.

Edwardo’s manager Eric Love will be hosting a fundraiser for Ladycat fast-pitch teamfrom 5 - 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20.

The buffet will be $7.99 plus drink with all tips and a portion of the proceeds from the evening being given back to the softball program for season expenses.

You will also be able to meet the senior Ladycats and coaching staff, pick up a schedule and show your support for this talented group of young ladies.

Be sure to come out and show your support for the Ladycats fast-pitch team.

Each year, the Wildcat Baseball team has participated in the Cincinnati Reds’ Kid Glove program to help offset the rising cost of baseball equipment.  The program provided $250,000 in equipment to local baseball/softball programs for the 2013 season.  This year is no different for Wildcat Baseball but they have been joined by Ladycat Fastpitch in selling Kid Glove Reds’ tickets.

Wildcat baseball has received 300 ticket vouchers for four Reds’ baseball games at a cost of $10 per ticket while Ladycat Fastpitch has 50 tickets for sale.  The teams receive $8.00 back from each ticket sold to purchase equipment that is bought through the Reds’ program at a reduced price.

"The Kids Glove game is a great, great program that is so beneficial to the local baseball programs in the past years and we owe a big thank you to the Reds’ organization,"  Athletic Director Keith Smith commented.  “This is money for equipment for both teams that we don’t have to spend or ask the booster organization for, allowing them to do more things for the both programs.  It is a huge benefit for us.”

The Wildcat Baseball games are Monday, May 6, and Tuesday, May 7, versus the Atlanta Braves.  And in hopefully the midst of a pennant race, Monday, August 19, and Tuesday, August 20, versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Ladycat Fastpitch has tickets for Monday, June versus Colorado Rockies.

If all 350 tickets are sold, the Ladycat Fastpitch team will have $400 for equipment purchases for 2014 while the Wildcat Baseball team will have a $2,400 bonanza.

If you are interested in purchasing individual tickets, taking the whole family or putting together a group for your church, youth group, scout group or just a bunch of friends, contact Keith Smith at keith.smith@pendleton.kyschools.us.

It's that time of the year! March Madness is upon us again! The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament will be starting on Thursday, March 21.

This is just a reminder to let you know that The Falmouth Outlook will be holding their annual NCAA March Madness Contest and the bracket pullout page will be printed in the March 19th edition.

Be sure to get a copy and fill out your picks for a chance to win prizes and those all-important bragging rights!

You must use the bracket pullout page from inside The Falmouth Outlook to win!