April 5, 2008 – COVINGTON
Saturday's baseball game between Covington and Lehman was a game of inches as the visiting Cavaliers came back from a 2-1 deficit in the seventh inning to score two runs and steal a 3-2 victory from the Buccaneers.

Covington starter Andy Sparks had pitched a brilliant game heading into the top of the seventh, only giving up three hits through six innings.

But a blister formed on his middle finger in the top of the sixth and became an ugly mess in the top of the seventh as he walked the first batter and hit the second batter.

"Andy was pitching so well," said Covington coach Mitch Hirsch. "He showed me the blister after the sixth and it didn't look too bad. He said it wasn't bothering him so I let him go because he was pitching so well to that point."

But Sparks quickly found himself in trouble with the first two batters.

"He was ahead with an 0-2 count on the first batter and walked him," continued Hirsch. "Then he hit the second batter on the first pitch, so I went out to the mound. It was a blood blister that was pretty ugly and he said he couldn't do it, so I pulled him. It's a shame he couldn't finish the game because he pitched so well."

Covington brought in David Moss in an attempt to seal the contest, but a bunt by Lehman moved the runners to second and third.

The following batter laid down another bunt with two strikes to score the tying run.

Lehman then followed with another run as Covington attempted to turn a double play.

"We should have never been in that position," said Hirsch in regards to the seventh inning. "We left nine runners on base today and that cost us. We're still not getting the big hit when we have runners in scoring position."

Covington's biggest chance to put some separation on the scoreboard came in the fifth inning as Andy Sparks led off with a solo home run with a drive over the left field fence on a full count.

The Buccs then loaded the bases and scored their second run on a walk.

Freshman Jake Bitner came to the plate and drilled a line drive down the third base line that landed just foul. Bitner eventually popped out to end the threat.

"It's a game of inches," Hirsch said. "If that one drops in we score two more runs. Like I said, we just haven't been able to get the big hit when we need it."

Another sequence where it came down to inches occurred in the first inning.

Lehman had one out with a runner on second when a fly ball to center was caught by Logan Woloch, who relayed to Kyle Kanet at short. Kanet threw a dart to third baseman Darrell Thobe, who applied the tag. But the runner was ruled safe and Lehman followed with an RBI single to score the first run of the contest.

"Logan made a great throw to Kyle and Kyle put the ball where it needed to be for the tag," explained Hirsch. "Darrell put down the tag, but what can you do?"

Hirsch felt that sequence had a significant impact on the game.

"That was the third out in the inning," Hirsch continued. "That would have changed their strategy in the seventh because we would have been up 2-0 instead of 2-1. There's no way they have the option to lay down bunts in that situation. But you have to give them credit because they executed when they had to."

But Hirsch felt Covington's inability to get hits with runners in scoring position was the difference in the game.

"We lost because we didn't hit well with runners on base," he said. "We had runners on in every inning but two and we only got two runs out of it. That's the game right there."

In spite of his stellar performance on the mound and at the plate, Andy Sparks picked up the loss for the Buccs. Sparks will also need time to heal his throwing hand.

"Andy probably won't be throwing for a week," said Hirsch. "We'll look at maybe bringing him back next weekend against Trail. It all depends on how well his finger heals up between now and then."

Covington drops to 2-1 on the season and will look to rebound at Springfield North on Monday.

Scoring by Innings:
Lehman ............1...0...0...0...0...0...2 - 3 .. 4 .. 2
Covington ........0...0...0...0...2...0...0 - 2 .. 5 .. 1