CovCath takes advantage of walks, errors in win at Highlands

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands freshman Bryce Ziegler slams one over the fence in Wednesday's game against Covington Catholic. It marked his first home run of the season.

The Highlands Bluebirds baseball team (7-5 overall) jumped ahead with a run in the bottom of the first inning in 9th Region action at home Wednesday.

But the visiting Covington Catholic Colonels scored four in the third and responded with four more in the sixth holding on for an 8-3 victory. It marked the first region loss for Highlands in three games and the second straight loss for the Bluebirds total.

Highlands outhit Covington Catholic, 9-6. But the Bluebirds committed three errors to none for the Colonels. Highlands pitchers walked seven, struck out nine and threw two wild pitches compared to three walks, 10 strikeouts and one wild pitch for the two Colonel pitchers. Ethan Doty (0-2) took the loss for Highlands pitching into the third inning.

Junior Kyle Finfrock continued his great pace going 3-for-4 with a run batted in and run scored. Brady Gosney and Bryce Ziegler also went 2-for-3. Ziegler homered, doubled, drove in two and scored once and Austin Mayhew tripled. Gosney and Austin Beal stole one base each for Highlands.

Senior Cam Pitzer picked up the win for Covington Catholic pitching four innings. Ben France threw the final three frames.

France and Decker Schwartz led CovCath at the plate going 2-for-4. France doubled and drove in four with Schwartz tallying one run batted in.

Highlands plays in the Doc Morris Invitational starting Thursday at Dixie Heights. Game time is 5:30 p.m.

Box Score:

COVINGTON CATHOLIC (8) AT HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL (3)
COVINGTON CATHOLIC   AB  R  H BI  HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOO AB  R  H BI
Piccirillo            2  0  0  0  Kyle Rust             4  1  1  0  
Mcginnis              3  2  0  0  Brady Gosney          3  0  2  0  
Pitzer                2  2  1  0  Mark Walkenhorst      3  0  0  0  
Heppler               3  0  0  1  Kyle Finfrock         4  1  3  1  
France                4  0  2  4   Ricky Raisor         0  0  0  0  
Stegman               4  0  1  0  Ethan Doty            1  0  0  0  
Schwartz              4  0  2  1   Bryce Ziegler        3  1  2  2  
Eckerle               2  0  0  0  Trey Bowden           3  0  0  0  
 Kennedy              1  0  0  0  Austin Mayhew         4  0  1  0  
Languth               2  2  0  0  Drew Rom              4  0  0  0  
*Gerdes               0  1  0  0  Austin Beal           0  0  0  0  
*Rose                 0  1  0  0   Trent Casebolt       1  0  0  0  
TOTALS               27  8  6  6  TOTALS               30  3  9  3

COVINGTON CATHOLIC            004 004 0 -- 8  
HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL         100 020 0 -- 3  

LOB--COVINGTON CATHOLIC 7, HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL 11.
ERR--Kyle Rust, Austin Mayhew, Brad Greene. 2B-- France,
Bryce Ziegler, Brady Gosney. 3B--Austin Mayhew. HR--Bryce
Ziegler. HBP-- Eckerle, Austin Beal, Mark Walkenhorst.
SACB-- Piccirillo. SB--Austin Beal, Brady Gosney.

 COVINGTON CATHOLIC              IP    H    R   ER   BB   SO   HR
Pitzer (W)                     4.00    7    3    3    2    6    1
France                         3.00    2    0    0    1    4    0
 HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL      
Ethan Doty (L, 0-2)            2.67    5    4    4    3    3    0
Kyle Finfrock                  2.33    0    0    0    0    1    0
Hunter Dreves                  0.67    0    3    3    3    1    0
Ricky Raisor                   1.33    1    1    1    1    4    0

PB--Bryce Ziegler. WP-- France, Ethan Doty, Hunter Dreves.
BALK--Ethan Doty. SO--Schwartz, Mcginnis (2), Stegman,
Languth, Eckerle (2), Kennedy, Piccirillo, Kyle Rust, Drew
Rom (3), Trey Bowden (2), Austin Mayhew (2), Kyle Finfrock,
Ethan Doty. BB-- Heppler,  Mcginnis,  Languth (2), 
Piccirillo,  Pitzer (2), Trey Bowden, Austin Beal, Brady
Gosney.