Staff photo / Neel Madhavan. Austintown Fitch senior Ayla Ray daps up Falcons head coach Steve Ward after hitting her second two-run home run of the game on Monday against Boardman.

BOARDMAN — Meet Austintown Fitch’s dynamic sibling duo — the Ray sisters.

Freshman Kaliana Ray leads things off and gets on base, as evidenced by her .710 batting average and .743 on-base-percentage, while elder sister and senior Ayla Ray racks up the runs and big hits, as indicated by her team-high 28 RBIs and now-10 home runs.

“They sit next to each other on the bus, and they obviously have that sister and family connections to where they both know what each other’s thinking,” Fitch head coach Steve Ward said. “They have great communication, so what Kaliana sees, she immediately directs it to Ayla what she saw in the box. Even if she’s on first base, she’s talking to her.”

Kaliana and Ayla’s connection was on display Monday, as the Falcons’ one-two punch at the top of their lineup added to their respective season totals in Fitch’s 12-0 six-inning victory over Boardman.

“(We) could even flip one and two, but with Kaliana’s speed, it just makes sense for her to be in that front spot,” Ward said. “Ayla’s contact percentage is in the high .900s, so there’s pretty good odds that we’re going to create some chaos with the Ray sisters one and two. I think that’s probably the best dynamic punch in the entire state.”

The duo jumped on the Spartans in the top of the first inning.

Kaliana led off the contest with a base hit straight up the right field line, and then in the ensuing at-bat, Ayla blasted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence. In the blink of an eye, the Falcons already had a 2-0 lead.

“I’m glad I could get back on the field with her,” Kaliana said. “We used to play together when we were little. … My goal is just to get on base and her job is to just hit me in.”

Staff photo / Neel Madhavan. Fitch freshman Kaliana Ray rounds third base after her sister Ayla Ray hit a home run during the Falcons’ game against Boardman on Monday.

They did it again in the top of the fifth inning.

Kaliana got on base with a walk to lead-off the inning, then Ayla once again took a deep shot over the centerfield fence for another two-run blast. Kaliana finished 3-for-4 at the plate, while Ayla was 2-for-3 with two home runs, an intentional walk and four RBIs.

“I really just tried to jump on the early pitches,” Ayla said. “I saw the ball well and was just able to get it there. … I always just try to move (Kaliana) as far as possible (on the bases).”

Kaliana and Ayla carried the Falcons’ offense in the first few innings, as the rest of the lineup adjusted to Boardman pitcher Addie Kowacich and the Spartans’ defense.

Kowacich wasn’t even supposed to pitch to start the game. Tori Strines pitched the top of the first inning, but had to be substituted after getting hit in the arm by a pitch in her first at-bat in the bottom of the first.

Despite the injury, Strines would return to the field for an at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.

“Tori’s a gamer, she’s been pitching great for us lately,” Boardman head coach Fred Mootz said. “She’s pitched great for me since she’s been a freshman. So it’s tough when she goes down because not only that, but she’s been hitting the ball really well. Then Addie came in there and competed really hard. She hasn’t had a ton of varsity experience, but she’s getting more and more, and she’s getting more confident. She kept us in the game for a few innings there, so I’m proud of her.”

However, once the sixth inning rolled around, the rest of the Falcons’ hitters started to find their spots.

Starting with a bunt single from Rachel Spalding to open the inning, Fitch batted around its lineup, as the Falcons racked up six runs off six hits. With the bases loaded, Abby Toth scored two runs off a base hit, then Kylie Folkwein followed with the same thing.

Morgan Roby added an RBI, before Vita Kelty wrapped up the scoring for the Falcons with an RBI double. The Falcons finished the game with 14 hits.

“We told them that they’re going to hit the ball,” Mootz said. “When you spot them the first two batters of every inning (Kaliana and Ayla), it’s tough. They put so much pressure on you. Obviously even the middle of their lineup, and even one through nine — that’s how you win a state championship.”

Sydnie Watts was her usual self in the circle for the Falcons, racking up 13 strikeouts while giving up just one hit.

The junior has also added another weapon to her already-loaded arsenal. This season, Watts has begun calling her own pitches in games, which is something that continued against the Spartans, as she communicated pitch calls to Folkwein behind the plate.

“She told us that when she was pitching in travel ball last summer, she was calling her own pitches, and she really liked it,” Ward said. “She really wanted to give it a try, and she’s doing a fantastic job with it. She’s communicating what she’s seeing to us in the dugout when she comes back in, and she’s adjusting her pitches. She’s such a cerebral player and such a wonderful leader out there in the circle that she trusts herself that much to do that and we trust her to do it too.”

Have an interesting story? Contact Neel Madhavan by email at nmadhavan@tribtoday.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NeelMadhavan.