With a group of youth baseball players on hand, the Covington Buccaneers put on a hitting clinic in a 20-1 victory over Ansonia.

May 1, 2007 – COVINGTON
After a slow start through the first two innings, the Covington Buccaneers throttled Ansonia 20-1 in five innings to improve to 14-3 on the season and remain unbeaten in the Cross County Conference at 9-0.

"It was good we had a short night," said Covington coach Mitch Hirsch in regards to the run rule. "This was our sixth game in five days, so the kids are pretty tired."

Ansonia got on the scoreboard first thanks to a Covington error to start the game.

The visiting Tigers maintained the 1-0 lead into the bottom of the third even though Covington hitters were making solid contact on the ball.

"With how hard we were hitting the ball in the first two innings, I knew it was a matter of time before we got something going," Hirsch said. "Once we did, they (Ansonia) had a hard time stopping us."

That's putting it mildly as Covington scored 11 runs in the third and nine more in the fourth to take a 20-1 lead. In the process, the Buccs pounded out 16 hits and benefitted from five Ansonia errors.

"The kids are hitting the ball well," Hirsch continued. "It's not just one or two players, but everybody is hitting well. The entire team is starting to get into a groove at the plate."

Andy Sparks was also in a groove on the mound. The sophomore recorded a one-hitter in striking out eight batters and walking just one.

Of the sixteen hits the Buccs recorded, six were doubles and one was a triple, all of them coming in the third and fourth innings.

With a group of youth baseball players watching from behind the fence and waiting for autographs after the game, the Buccs picked the perfect night to put on a hitting clinic.

"I didn't tell the kids until the third inning that they would be signing baseball for the little kids," Hirsch said. "Maybe it was a coincidence, but after that the kids put on a show."

After the game each member of the team lined up to sign baseballs for the younger kids who came to watch them play. It was obvious the high school kids enjoyed the attention as much as the little kids enjoyed talking to the players they look up too.

"It's a neat thing for the little kids," Hirsch said of the autograph signing. "The older kids like it too. They know the younger kids look up to them and that they are role models."

Being role models, the Buccs are setting a positive example of how to play the game. Even with an off day tomorrow, the team can't get enough baseball.

"I told the kids after the game that they had off tomorrow, but they all said they want to practice," Hirsch said. "That says a lot about this group of kids. They know what's out there for them and they want to do what it takes to get it."

Scoring by innings:
Ansonia .............1....0....0....0....0 - 1
Covington .........0....0...11...9... – – 20

Triples: Drew Craft
Doubles: Nate Lavey, David Moss, Kyle Kanet, Darrell Thobe, Jordy Burelison, Andy Sparks