MAY 12, 2011 - COVINGTON
You'd think when a team captures a 13-3 run rule victory over a conference opponent that everything would be hunky-dory for the winners.

But that wasn't the case for the Covington Buccaneers after beating rival Newton in six innings Thursday night.

"Defensively, we played horrible," said Covington coach Mitch Hirsch. "If we play like we did tonight on Wednesday in the sectional final against Russia, we'll be in trouble."

The reason for Hirsch's displeasure was the four Buccaneer errors that resulted in two of the three runs scored by Newton.

"It's all a lack of focus," Hirsch explained. "For some reason some games we aren't very focused. We can't continue to do that if we want to keep playing."

After a big tournament win last night against Riverside, Hirsch thought his team turned the corner.

"I did," he said. "But we have to put several games together and keep it rolling. We can't come out flat one night and hen expect to play well the next night. If we continue to do that we'll be done."

Fortunately Covington received a solid pitching effort from sophomore Austin Angle and nearly tore the cover off the ball with 17 hits.

Angle went the distance and struck out seven batters along the way.

"Austin threw one of his better games tonight," Hirsch said. "He had good control of his pitches and only walked the one batter."

Newton jumped on the host Buccaneers with two runs in the first inning, but Covington responded with three runs in the first, one in the second and seven in the third to take a commanding 11-3 lead.

The Buccs then scored a run in the fifth and another in the sixth to end a contest that took just over 90 minutes to play.

"We hit the ball well and that's something we've been doing the past few games," said Hirsch. "All of our starters in the lineup got at least one hit, so we're hitting well as a team right now.

Andrew DeHart had two triples and three RBI, while Ben Wilson tripled as well. Sheldon Rank and Kellen Woloch each doubled in the contest and Steven Blei went 3-for-3.

Covington looks to regain its focus tomorrow in a make-up game against Twin Valley South before traveling to play St. Henry in a double-header on Saturday.

SCORING BY INNINGS:
Newton ..........2..0..1..0..0..0 - 3 - 5 - 4
Covington .....3..1..7..0..1..1 - 13 - 17 - 4