APRIL 29, 2010 - PLEASANT HILL
When Covington and Newton get together on the softball field it's guaranteed to be an unpredictable, exciting game.

It was just that Thursday afternoon as the two CCC rivals took the best each other had to offer in a game that went down to the final pitch.

In the end it was Covington that squeaked out a 6-5 win, the first victory for the Lady Buccs over Newton since 2007.

"That's a class program with a classy group of kids," praised Covington coach Dean Denlinger of Newton. "That's a reflection of Coach Kadel because he is such a class guy who is well respected in the softball community. That guy (Kadel) is a Hall of Famer for a reason."

The reason Denlinger is so respectful of Kadel is because of what he has established in one of the smallest schools in the state of Ohio.

"Newton is a very, very good team and they always are," Denlinger continued. "They're very well coached and the kids play with the same confidence he (Kadel) coaches with."

Covington is also very well coached, which led to a chess match between the two neighboring rivals.

The visiting Buccaneers jumped on top early with four runs in the first inning, all four runs coming on two big hits by senior Shelby Hoblit and freshman Connor Schaffer. Schaffer and Hoblit combined to drive in five of Covington's six runs in the contest.

But Newton responded in the bottom of the first inning with three runs of its own and the game was on.

It became a pitching and defensive dual over the next five innings as neither team could score, much of that due to phenomenal defensive plays.

"Halley Roberts had a game-saving catch in left field in the fifth inning," Denlinger stated. "That was a diving catch she made that would have been two runs for them if it had dropped. That was as big of a catch as we've had all year."

Covington scored in the top of the sixth and then followed with another run in the top of the seventh to take a 6-3 lead.

But Newton wouldn't go quietly as it loaded the bases and scored two runs to cut the margin to 6-5 with one out.

A short grounder to Chloe Shell at the mound was thrown to Sarah Westfall at home plate for the second out of the inning and then Westfall ended matters by hauling in a pop-foul for the final out of the contest.

"Chloe threw very well," said Denlinger. "Halley started the game and went one-and-a-third. When I pulled her, there was no feeling sorry for herself on her part. She understood it just wasn't her night."

Shell went the rest of the way in recording the save as Covington improves to 17-3 overall and 7-2 in the CCC.

"This is a hostile place to play," said Denlinger. "These people (at Newton) support their softball over here and it makes it very difficult to play and win here."

Denlinger knows first hand. It's the first time he's beaten Newton in four tries at Covington.

Which is another reason why he has all the respect in the world for Coach Kadel and the Newton Indians.

SCORING BY INNINGS:
Covington ............4...0...0...0...0...1...1 - 6 - 7 - 3
Newton .................3...0...0...0...0...0...2 - 5 - 7 - 3