Bluebirds Take Care of Red Colonels

Five Different Pitchers Aid Highlands Win

PHOTO: Allen Ramsey, DWCPhoto.com. Highlands junior pitcher Steven Grimme delivers to the plate in a recent game. Grimme threw an inning in the 10-3 win over Dixie Heights on Monday. The Bluebirds have won six in a row.

The Highlands Bluebirds baseball team won its first 9th Region game of the season, 10-3 over the visiting Dixie Heights Colonels on Tuesday.

Highlands moved to 6-3 overall with its sixth straight win and Dixie Heights fell to 1-4. The Bluebirds are 4-0 against Kentucky opponents and 2-0 against teams from Northern Kentucky. All five Dixie Heights games have come against 9th Region opponents.

"I really it's being able to play a little more consistently," said Jeremy Baioni, Highlands Head Coach. "We're not out there every day just yet, but being able to get more at-bats more consistently is good for our guys. Dixie is always prepared. (Dixie Heights Head) Coach (Chris) Maxwell does a great job there. He's in the (Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches) Hall of Fame for a reason so it's really good to get a win against another good 9th Region team."

The Bluebirds outhit the Colonels, 9-3. Senior Joe Steiden and junior Bryce Ziegler both went 2-for-3. Steiden doubled and tripled driving in three and scoring twice. Senior Tyler Gulley batted three home and senior Carson Fitters doubled in two. Sophomore Ethan Kavanagh and junior Casey Greene also scored twice.

Senior Grant Summers did not earn a hit in two plate appearances. But he did put down a sacrifice bunt and batted in a run in a productive out.

"Anytime you can either hit a ball hard somewhere or advance a runner, we call it a club," Summers said. "It's basically a quality at-bat. When you stack quality at-bats throughout the game, it's how your team usually gets the win."

Highlands saw five players pitch in the win. Senior Drew Rom threw the first three innings striking out six to pick up the win. Hunter Dreves, Grady Cramer, Tanner Juett and Steven Grimme then threw one inning each.

"It was huge to allow us to get things set up for this weekend," Baioni said. "This gave everybody an opportunity to in and throw a little bit."

Highlands plays in the Doc Morris Invitational starting Thursday at Beechwood. Game time is 7:15 p.m.