Highlands 4 Cooper 3

[PatHeaton]

Birds come from behind scoring 4 in the 5th. Strong starts from Jones and Dunn. According to PBRKentucky, Dunn throwing 86-89 FB, and Jones around 82-83. Both go 4 innings. Dunn with 8 Ks. Vermeil comes in for Birds to get the W. Wise takes the L for the Jags. Ramey with a clutch bases loaded 2 RBI double during the Birds 5th. Birds start the season 2-0.

[Hellbird]

Good game by both teams. Dunn was unhittable and my biggest concern was whether the Jags could get their bats going or not. They hadn't had a scrimmage at all and this game was the first time they really took the field this year.

 

The Jags came out hitting, do not know the numbers but I don't think the Jags had a K at the plate until the 5th inning. They put the bat in the ball which was really nice to see. Highlands has some pop in their bats and Ramey came through big for the Birds in crunch time with a timely double.

 

Very impressed with Dunn's velocity this early in the season. Very impressive and was a shame to see such great pitching by H Dunn end up with a no decision for him.

 

Fun game and great way to start the season. Congrats Birds on a good win.

[PsalmsG]

By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM

Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter

The Highlands Bluebirds baseball team rallied past the Cooper Jaguars, 4-3 for its second straight 9th Region win in as many games to start the year.

Highlands (2-0) opened the season Friday with a 3-1 win at Boone County. Both opponents came from the 33rd District.

The Bluebirds won despite being outhit 11-4. They scored all four runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 3-0 deficit.

Ben Vermeil (1-0) picked up the win for Highlands. He threw the last three innings of the game. Vermeil struck out two, walked two and allowed five hits and two earned runs.

Joseph Martin started the Highlands rally with a single in the first and advanced to second when Mitch Gesenhues reached on an error. Vermeil then singled in Martin to cut the Cooper lead to 3-1.

Grayson Heck ran for Vermeil and took second on a wild pitch. With one out, Cooper intentionally walked Evan Allen to load the bases. That is when Todd Ramey stepped to the plate and doubled in Gesenhues and Heck to tie the game at 3-3. Allen then scored on a fielder’s choice to give the Bluebirds the lead.

Highlands returns to action Monday. The Bluebirds face Scott at 5 p.m.

 

Fort Thomas Sports: Highlands rallies past Cooper, 4-3

[Hellbird]

Great way to spend a Sat morning and I got to meet a couple more BGP'ers like JPA2825

 

Also spent the game with Clizzy who is always fun to spend time with.

[Hellbird]

I also wanted to praise the PA announcer at Highlands. That was the first Baseball game I attended at Highlands and the pa guy did a great job.

 

I have a pet peeve when you go to some schools and the pa guy thinks its his duty to be funny or at least think he's cute with the way they call a game and the visiting teams players, especially when a school has a student do it and he thinks he's cute by disrespecting the visitors team. The PA guy at this game was great. Wish more could be like him.

[PatHeaton]

I also wanted to praise the PA announcer at Highlands. That was the first Baseball game I attended at Highlands and the pa guy did a great job.

 

I have a pet peeve when you go to some schools and the pa guy thinks its his duty to be funny or at least think he's cute with the way they call a game and the visiting teams players, especially when a school has a student do it and he thinks he's cute by disrespecting the visitors team. The PA guy at this game was great. Wish more could be like him.

Kevin Nieporte is the BEST! 8th Grade Science teacher who is a long time dedicated HHS fan and does an amazing job on the mic! Look forward to his announcing every spring!

[Hellbird]

Kevin Nieporte is the BEST! 8th Grade Science teacher who is a long time dedicated HHS fan and does an amazing job on the mic! Look forward to his announcing every spring!

He was very good. The best compliment you can ever give a announcer is that even though you k ow what team he pulls for, you can't tell by the way he announces a game.

[Jimmy Olson]

Very impressed with the Jags 11 hits. Leaving the small village of 9 hurts, but still very impressed. Nothing more to say about Dunn that hasn't already been said other than domination. This early in the year and hitting spots with all his pitches along with the velocity....NICE! I would also think that the Rohlman? kid that was brought up from JV really needs to stay. Really looked good IMO. Get the other 2 starters back and keep him on board and this should be a fun year. Overall, not bad at all for the first game of the year. Would have rather gotten the win, but, oh well!

[75center]

Are teams behind their normal number of games at this point? This was Cooper's first game and Highlands second. Seems like there are usually more by this date. Have other teams played more games?

[Hellbird]

Are teams behind their normal number of games at this point? This was Cooper's first game and Highlands second. Seems like there are usually more by this date. Have other teams played more games?

Not late starting, a lot of teams had scrimmages already. Highlands already had 3 games under their belts(2 scrimmages I believe) as well as other teams with scrimmages under their belts. Cooper didn't get any scrimmages so this was their "first game"

[Jimmy Olson]

I think you are correct on the 2 scrimmages and 1 game yesterday against Boone. Boone going into yesterdays game had 1 scrimmage against Scott and an opener against Holmes.

 

Not late starting, a lot of teams had scrimmages already. Highlands already had 3 games under their belts(2 scrimmages I believe) as well as other teams with scrimmages under their belts. Cooper didn't get any scrimmages so this was their "first game"

[75center]

Not late starting, a lot of teams had scrimmages already. Highlands already had 3 games under their belts(2 scrimmages I believe) as well as other teams with scrimmages under their belts. Cooper didn't get any scrimmages so this was their "first game"

 

Still, that isn't many games, am I wrong in thinking that's a slower start than normal or is it pretty much the same?

[Hellbird]

Still, that isn't many games, am I wrong in thinking that's a slower start than normal or is it pretty much the same?

I think it's the same.

[jpa2825]

Really a tale of 2 games. Cooper won the 1st 4 innings 1-0. As usual, that doesn't tell the story. Cooper's 1 could have easily been 3 or 4 but ran into some outs and left a ton. Birds 0 was a solid 0 without a threat. Dunn was powerful with both velocity and location. Jones did not have his best location and couldn't find the groove on his breaking ball - bounced several of them. That said, he was a bulldog to hold Cooper to 1 run over 4 innings when he didn't have his best stuff.

 

In the 2nd half, Birds jumped on the Cooper reliever for 4 runs in the 5th. Big hit by SR Vermeil to help his cause and a bigger hit by JR Ramey with the bases loaded -- line drive. JR Mills also did his job by putting a ball in play with 2 strikes and getting the lead run home. If this team is going to be successful, they are going to have to plate runners on 3rd with less than 2 out at a high %.

 

Defense was strong again. Super catch by SR Hergott in RF for an out in the last inning. IF made the plays that came their way. JR Whitford played 1 inning in the field as they bring him back slowly from injury. When he is able to play and be in the batting order, that will be a welcome stick. Caution is warranted to make sure he comes back and stays back. SR Allen has done a solid job at SS in his absence and will slide back over to 2B when he returns.

 

Lots of depth on this Birds' squad.

 

Good to see Hellbird and Clyde at the game. Also, lots of support from the students, parents and community on a day that was less than perfect, but better than forecasted.

[gamer31]

There was only one scrimmage and a game yesterday.