APRIL 25, 2010 - DAYTON
The handful of Covington fans who waited out three rain delays were treated to a thrilling 8-7 victory for the Buccs over state ranked St. Henry at Fifth Third Field on Sunday.

It capped a busy weekend in which Covington played well in the Fort Loramie Tournament on Saturday, falling to the host team 10-5 and Tipp City 7-1.

"This (the win over St. Henry) was a good win for us because it proves to the kids that we can play with anybody," said Covington coach Mitch Hirsch. "The results don't show it, but we played pretty well against Fort Loramie and Tipp City. To come in here at Fifth Third and get a win over a team like St. Henry is pretty big."

But Hirsch would rather the win come without the controversial ending.

Covington scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-6 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning.

St. Henry loaded the bases and then cut the margin to 8-7 with a one-out walk. The next Redskin batter hit a grounder to Covington third baseman Steven Blei, who immediately threw to Ben Wilson for the force out at home. Wilson stepped on the plate and went to turn the double play with a throw to first, but the sliding St. Henry runner took out his feet, forcing the throw to fly into right field.

As the tying and potential winning runs were headed toward home plate for St. Henry, the home plate umpire waved everything off - indicating the sliding Redskin runner went out of his way to take out Wilson's legs.

"I didn't see it, but they ruled Ben (Wilson) had taken two steps before he tried throwing the ball to first and the kid slid into him instead of the base," Hirsch explained. "Double play, game over."

It's the type of play Hirsch has seen go against the Buccs this year, so he understood St. Henry's frustration.

"The way this season has been going, that's a call that would normally go against us," said Hirsch. "The way both teams battled tonight, it's too bad the game had to end like that. I feel for them because I wouldn't be happy if we had lost the same way."

Still, Hirsch felt his team earned the victory with its play on the field, especially considering the focus needed to overcome three rain delays.

"These kids just battled tonight," Hirsch said. "It was tough with the delays. One minute you're playing and the next you are sitting around wondering if the game is going to be called. But the kids kept their focus and continued to play."

Adam Craft started on the mound for the Buccs and threw very well after a slow start. Craft struck out six and walked just two batters.

"Adam threw well," Hirsch praised of his senior. "It (the rain delays) was toughest on the pitchers, but Adam stayed loose and focused."

St. Henry scored a run in the first, but Covington responded in the bottom of the first with three runs. The big hit in the inning coming on a triple by Jake Bitner.

Covington then pushed the lead to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, but the clouds opened up to force a delay, killing the momentum the Buccaneers enjoyed.

After a scoreless fourth inning, St. Henry caught fire with two runs in the fifth and two more in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.

"When they came back like that we could have very easily packed it in," said Hirsch. "But the kids came right back with a big inning."

Andrew DeHart led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and C.J. Poling followed with a sacrifice bunt that move DeHart to second.

St. Henry intentionally walked Bitner, which Adam Craft made them pay with an RBI single that drove in DeHart.

Immediately, Hirsch used freshman Bryton Lear as a pinch runner for Craft and Lear intentionally got himself caught in a rundown to allow Bitner to sneak home from third base.

The Buccs then capped the inning with a squeeze by Brandon Flora that scored Lear.

"We executed," Hirsch said. "We were able to manufacture some runs with a couple bunts and a rundown."

It all led to a thrilling finish for Covington and a brutal turn of events for St. Henry in the top of the seventh as the Buccs improve to 5-13 overall and St. Henry drops to 14-3.

SCORING BY INNINGS:
St. Henry .................1...0...1...0...2...2...1 - 7 - 7 - 2
Covington ...............3...0...2...0...0...3...x - 8 - 8 - 1