NCC baseball wins All "A" 9th crown; softball advances

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Newport Central Catholic Thoroughbreds baseball team has been playing the way it is used to playing throughout the years in recent weeks.

The Thoroughbreds claimed their second All “A” Classic 9th Region crown in the last three years and fourth title overall in the last five seasons. They lost to rival Covington Holy Cross in last year’s title game before going on to capture their second consecutive 9th Region crown before losing to Henderson County in the state quarterfinals. NewCath downed St. Henry, 8-1 in the title game after smashing in-town rival Newport, 17-6 in the semifinals at Florence Freedom’s University of Cincinnati Medical Center Stadium.

Senior Connor Bartels paved the way in the championship game for the Thoroughbreds. He drove in three runs at the plate and struck out 12 in six innings with just four hits allowed. Josh Cain then pitched the seventh and retired the side with two strikeouts.

The Thoroughbreds (9-5) have won nine of the last 10 games since starting off 0-4. The pitching has been the big reason. Opponents have scored no more than three runs in eight of the last nine NewCath victories. That includes seven contests of two or fewer runs.

The Thoroughbreds play host to rival Bishop Brossart in an All “A” Classic Sectional Tournament game next week. That winner moves on to the All “A” Classic State Tournament May 4 and 5 at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington. NewCath handled Brossart, 3-0 on April 5.

Cain started the scoring in the title game with a triple and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning. The Thoroughbreds extended the margin to 2-0 in the fourth off two Crusader (11-8) errors and 3-0 in the fifth on a Bartels RBI single. Bartels then plated two more in the sixth on an RBI single to left.

Pete Collopy went 3-for-4 for the Thoroughbreds. Bartels finished 2-for-3.

Jake Yeager picked up the pitching win for NewCath in the semifinal contest and Kevin Hoffstedder led the Thoroughbreds at the plate going 2-for-2 with a grand slam home run, double and four RBI. Zach Pangallo added three RBI and Collopy had two.

NewCath opens up the Doc Morris Tournament today at Dixie Heights. Game time is 5 p.m.

Softball:

All “A” 9th Quarterfinals:

Newport Central Catholic 11, Bellevue 0:

The Thoroughbreds moved to 5-5 as Sarah Neace and Haley Meyers combined on a three-hitter. Neace struck out seven and Meyers struck out three.

A trio of sophomores led the Thoroughbreds at the plate. Second baseman Casey Kohls went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and four runs batted in with catcher Kristen Schreiber belting a home run and two-run home run and third baseman Loren Zimmerman ending the game with a three-run home run.

NewCath faces Covington Holy Cross in the first semifinal contest at Northern Kentucky University at 4:30 p.m. today.