Huge Win for Bluebirds

Highlands nips Campbell County, 1-0

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands freshman Ethan Kavanagh (left) tosses the ball to senior first baseman Kyle Finfrock (right) in a recent game. The Bluebirds recorded a huge win over Campbell County on Tuesday.

It may take several of these games if the Highlands Bluebirds baseball team (13-8 overall) is to advance deep into the post-season.

Highlands junior pitcher Drew Rom threw a complete-game, one-hit shut-out of the Campbell County Camels (19-3) on Tuesday at Highland Park in a 1-0 Bluebird victory in a battle of the previous two state runner-up squads. Rom struck out 14 and walked just one.

"It's important to win those close games against quality competition," said Jeremy Baioni, Highlands Head Coach. "Campbell County has been playing really well. Those types of games are important for regional preparation."

Rom also singled home Ethan Kavanagh for the game's lone run in the fourth inning. Kyle Finfrock and Kyle Rust recorded the other two of the four Highlands hits against Campbell County pitcher Brady Brooks. Brooks also allowed just one walk and struck out seven.

The players know they will not get a hit in many at-bats. As a result, junior Carson Fitters said it is just as important to move runners over as getting on base. One example would be hitting a ground ball to the right side with no one out and moving the runner to third after a lead-off double.

"It certainly builds up momentum for the next games we have to play," Fitters said. "Like a hit, it gets everyone on the bench fired up. Now the next guy in the on-deck circle just has to put the ball in play."

Highlands has won five in a row. This also marked the sixth shut-out of the year for the Bluebirds.

The Bluebirds travel to Beechwood on Wednesday. Game time is 5 p.m.