By Evan Merrill
NKyTribune contributor
The Highlands baseball team moved a step closer to winning a third straight 9th Region championship with a resounding 15-1 victory over St. Henry in a five-inning semifinal game Tuesday at UC Health Stadium.
The Bluebirds (24-12) scored 10 runs in the first inning off St. Henry pitcher Stephen Maley, who was replaced after getting only one out.
Highlands pitchers managed to silence the Crusaders’ bats after that, beginning with junior left-hander Drew Rom, who went 2 2/3 innings without giving up a hit and getting five strikeouts.
Rom threw less than 50 pitches, making him available for the regional championship game against Conner at 7 p.m. Thursday. Conner scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat Dixie Heights, 3-2, in Tuesday’s other semifinal game.
“Everybody’s available (to pitch) but Ethan (Doty),” Highlands coach Jeremy Baioni said. “If you would have told us at the beginning of the year that you had everyone available going into the regional final but Ethan, we would have taken it. We feel we have a pretty deep pitching staff.”
In the semifinals, Highlands followed its 10-run first inning with five more in the second. Since the Bluebirds were leading by 10 runs after five innings, umpires applied the mercy rule and ended the game there.
“We talked about getting on them early,” Baioni said. “I’m not going to lie, I don’t think any of us could have predicted that many runs that early. (I’m) really proud of the approach our guys took — got after it, ran the bases well, and it was huge for us.”
All but one starter in the Highlands’ lineup knocked in at least one run. The scoring spree was led by Kyle Rust, who had three hits and four RBI. In four district and regional playoffs games, the Bluebirds have outscored their opponents, 50-10,
“(I’ve) been confident with some of the teams we’ve had that we could compete for a regional final,” Baioni said. “I’m not sure any team we’ve had has been this hot offensively, although I probably just jinxed myself right there. To see us catch fire offensively is a good thing to see, and hopefully we can carry that to the finals.”
Just two years removed from a state championship game appearance, the Bluebirds aspire to a similar goal, and they’re peaking at the right time. After a disappointing 9-8 start, they’ve gone 15-4 over the last few weeks.
“We’re trending insanely well right now,” Rom said. “It’s definitely something that happens every year for us.”
Baseball regional tournaments
9th Region at UC Health Stadium, Florence
Tuesday
Highlands 15, St. Henry 1
Conner 3, Dixie Heights 2
Thursday
Championship: Highlands vs. Conner, 7 p.m.
10th Region at Harrison County High School
Tuesday
Clark County 10, Brossart 4
Harrison County 8, Bourbon County 5
Wednesday
Championship: Clark County vs. Harrison County, 6:30 p.m.
8th Region at Anderson County High School
Tuesday
Simon Kenton 4, Collins 2
Anderson County 12, South Oldham 10
Wednesday
Championship: Simon Kenton vs. Anderson County, 6 p.m.