Covington Catholic 2 Dixie Heights 1 (12 Innings)

[theshack13]

Great game by both teams with more than stellar pitching. Smallwood started for the Colonels and went 6 while Warning started for the other Colonels. He went 7 I believe. Sexton came in the 6th and went the rest of the way. Shlauggbaum (sp??) finished the game for Cov Cath. TOG should have the good, the bad and the ugly for both teams today. A very long and great game of baseball.

[Theoldguy]

In an outstanding game of old fashion baseball, Covington Catholic won 2-1. However, after saying that, this game was played well by both teams. Dixie Heights did not deserve to loose. Congrats to both teams. Covington Catholic will now play at 5:00pm-Dixie Heights High School-opposing team to be determined. More details to follow.

[Clyde]

The wood bat obviously makes a huge difference. However, CCH was just flat out intimidated by Smallwood as they often just watched the 3rd strike. He brought it pretty well in the mid-80s.

 

I was stunned by some of the CCH strategy. Early in the game CCH has bases loaded with one out and Gerwe batting. Smallwood had been wild in that inning. With two strikes on Gerwe the squeeze play was called. Gerwe missed (out) and the runner coming from 3rd base was a dead duck (3rd out). Don't get it. Later in the game with the #3 hitter up and, again, two strikes and a runner on base the SAC was called. Fouled off - out. I'm cool with that strategy with certain hitters but it seemed strange with two of your best hitters.

 

Strong outing by Warning. His run was an unearned run. Strong performance by Dixie's pitchers as well. The tying run by CCH was also unearned. Sexton looked good.

[nkuclubbaseball19]

Sounds like a great game by both teams. Looks like CCH has Dixie's number early in the season. I look forward to seeing TOG's report as I know he does a great job recapping the action for both teams.

 

And Clyde I don't know if CCH is intimidated by anyone. Smallwood has good stuff and can fool a lot of people so that could explain the 3rd strikes looking. Then again I was not at the game and I'm just speaking on past experiences.

[Clyde]

And Clyde I don't know if CCH is intimidated by anyone. Smallwood has good stuff and can fool a lot of people so that could explain the 3rd strikes looking. Then again I was not at the game and I'm just speaking on past experiences.

 

Cool. However, CCH seemed to take a lot of straight fastballs. To be fair to them, Blue had a wider strike zone than normal. However, like many high school teams, they failed to adjust to his zone.

 

TOG, how many looking Ks were there today?

[Solomon]

It was a case of would've, should've, could've for Dixie. The error in the bottom of the 7th at 3b and the mental error by Dixie's 2nd baseman that would've ended the game ended up being huge!

 

Great game -Great turnout for both teams.

[Clyde]

It was a case of would've, should've, could've for Dixie. The error in the bottom of the 7th at 3b .

 

2 errors by 3B in that inning.

[Solomon]

2 errors by 3B in that inning.

yeah I'm trying to recall (too many innings today) but I want to say there may have been an issue down there in the 12th also.

[Theoldguy]

The wood bat obviously makes a huge difference. However, CCH was just flat out intimidated by Smallwood as they often just watched the 3rd strike. He brought it pretty well in the mid-80s.

 

I was stunned by some of the CCH strategy. Early in the game CCH has bases loaded with one out and Gerwe batting. Smallwood had been wild in that inning. With two strikes on Gerwe the squeeze play was called. Gerwe missed (out) and the runner coming from 3rd base was a dead duck (3rd out). Don't get it. Later in the game with the #3 hitter up and, again, two strikes and a runner on base the SAC was called. Fouled off - out. I'm cool with that strategy with certain hitters but it seemed strange with two of your best hitters.

 

Strong outing by Warning. His run was an unearned run. Strong performance by Dixie's pitchers as well. The tying run by CCH was also unearned. Sexton looked good.

 

 

The gentlemen with the radar gun at the game, had Smallwood throwing at 86 mph in the first couple of innings but then told me that in around the 4th he was down to 79/80 mph.

 

Then of course if the batter had executed on the bunt, well....... it would have been a easy run scored. Once this year already the player has put down a outstanding squeeze play that worked perfectly against Ryle that scored a run in that game. Of course Krumps knew that, but did you?

 

Oh and how did CovCath score that tying unearned run in the 7th? By a bunt E-5, by a bunt E-5, K and oh another 1-3 sac bunt then a K.

 

Smallwood did have 10 K's, he also had 4 walks and 1 hbp and left the game with 98 pitches thrown.

[Theoldguy]

yeah I'm trying to recall (too many innings today) but I want to say there may have been an issue down there in the 12th also.

 

In the 12th there was a bunt to third but it took a real bad bounce to the third baseman right as he was about to pick it up and throw. It wouldn't have been fair to give the young man an error on that bounce of the ball to his right just as he was ready to pick it up and throw it.

[Clyde]

The gentlemen with the radar gun at the game, had Smallwood throwing at 86 mph in the first couple of innings but then told me that in around the 4th he was down to 79/80 mph.

 

Then of course if the batter had executed on the bunt, well....... it would have been a easy run scored. Once this year already the player has put down a outstanding squeeze play that worked perfectly against Ryle that scored a run in that game. Of course Krumps knew that, but did you?

 

Oh and how did CovCath score that tying unearned run in the 7th? By a bunt E-5, by a bunt E-5, K and oh another 1-3 sac bunt then a K.

 

Smallwood did have 10 K's, he also had 4 walks and 1 hbp and left the game with 98 pitches thrown.

 

TOG, just because something worked once doesn't mean its sound strategy. I'd also ask a)who squeezed against Ryle and b)what was the count. You've got your 4 hitter with bases loaded and one out against a pitcher struggling to throw strikes. Let him swing away at a grooved fastball. Smallwood is good but he's not so good that your 3 and 4 hitter have to be reduced to bunting with two strikes in RBI situations. I completely disagree with that strategy choice. We're allowed to do that, correct?

[Walter]

TOG, just because something worked once doesn't mean its sound strategy. I'd also ask a)who squeezed against Ryle and b)what was the count. You've got your 4 hitter with bases loaded and one out against a pitcher struggling to throw strikes. Let him swing away at a grooved fastball. Smallwood is good but he's not so good that your 3 and 4 hitter have to be reduced to bunting with two strikes in RBI situations. I completely disagree with that strategy choice. We're allowed to do that, correct?

 

I agree 100%.

[Clyde]

Key play in the 7th and I didn't see it clearly. R3 and Dixie suspected squeeze. I saw the 3B take off towards the plate and then the runner take off behind him. I didn't see what the batter did as I was watching the runner. Ball was not bunted (I think it was a ball) and the runner retreated. Dixie's catcher, Popham, tried to go towards the runner but collided with the batter (I think). He contended that the runner interfered. Blue disagreed. Can someone describe what happened with the batter and Popham?

[Theoldguy]

The Good: Getting to watch a baseball game the way it was meant to be played. Yes there were unearned runs scored by both teams but the outstanding play by both team throughout this game was outstanding. Sure they used wood bats, but so many of the outstanding defensive plays would never had been turned into outs with the pumped up aluminum bats used today. I will be so glad to see these juiced up bats be done with by 2012, as it has taken the fielder out of most of the plays. Gentlemen from both teams, outstanding game, and thanks from Theoldguy.

 

The bad and ugly. How can you complain or say anything bad or ugly about these kids leaving it all on the diamond today! Both teams players played their hearts out for themselves, their schools and fans for over three hours today in a good old fashion baseball game. Again thanks guys!

[theshack13]

How hard were the other pitchers for both teams getting clocked at?