By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
DIXIE HEIGHTS 1, COVINGTON CATHOLIC 0: In Monday’s Memorial Day first round in the Ninth Region Baseball Tournament at Thomas More Stadium, Dixie Heights got things going the way things so often go in postseason baseball.
When pitching and defense make all the difference. As they did in the Colonels’ 1-0 win over their rival Covington Catholic Colonels just a few miles down the Dixie Highway. The win sends the 34th District winners on to Tuesday’s 5 p.m. semifinal matchup against district runner-up Ryle, a 3-1 winner over 36th District winner Highlands in the second game.
Senior Dixie starter Kyle Flynn went six shutout innings, giving up just three hits against a CovCath team that scored six runs last week in the district championship game against Beechwood, with sophomore Noah Cline coming on to finish up in the seventh.
It was just the third start his season for Flynn, after racking up 19 strikeouts in 11 innings during the season, he added another eight today. Cline, who was awarded the win, added another two for a total of 10.
The win is the eighth straight for a 20-14 Dixie Heights’ team that split with CovCath this season, losing 11-0 the first time they played in April, then coming back for a 4-3 win 10 days later.
Batting third, Flynn also had the game’s lone RBI, driving in Will Steczynski for the game-winner. Sophomore leadoff hitter Wyatt Pott had two of Dixie Heights’ five hits.
CovCath finishes 19-17 and used two pitchers in the loss as they limited Dixie to that one run – starter Michael Bryson, and reliever Nick Thompson. CovCath’s hitters were Brady Gaskins in the fourth inning, Andrew Landwehr in the fifth and Jack Nolan in the sixth.
RYLE 3, HIGHLANDS 1: In the second game of the day Monday, runs also were hard to come by as Ryle became the lone district runner-up to advance, as senior Xaden Hughes, headed to Transylvania, went all seven innings for the Raiders, limiting Highlands to just four hits while striking out eight.
Junior leadoff hitter Michael Flowers was most of the offensive show for the Raiders, going three for three, with two RBI and a run scored, pretty much the entirety of the Ryle offense.
Ryle improves to 24-14 on the season, having split with Highlands in the regular season, winning 1-0 while losing 13-2. The Bluebirds finish up 22-14.
In the only meeting between Ryle and Dixie Heights this season, Dixie prevailed 9-2 March 24.
BEECHWOOD 9, NEWPORT CENTRAL CATHOLIC 1: No mystery in Monday night’s final game as the top-ranked Beechwood Tigers pounded NewCath for the third time this season on the way to their 30th win in this 30-9 season. In their previous two games, Beechwood had won by scores of 8-1 and 14-2.
Beechwood put up eight runs in the first inning then didn’t have all that much luck scoring. But the Tigers got a four-hit complete game from sophomore Paul Stephenson, who improved to 5-0, thanks to a nine-strikeout, no walk effort.
At the plate, Tyler Fryman led the way as he almost always does, going two for three with a double and two RBI. Sawyer Carlisle and Brooks Becker each had two hits with two RBI and a double, as well.
Beechwood advances to the second game Tuesday evening against Conner, winner over St. Henry, in what should be an 8 p.m. first pitch. After the first game at 7 p.m, the first class of inductees into the Northern Kentucky Baseball Hall of Fame will be honored.
Beechwood and Conner should be more than a little bit familiar with one another, having played three times this season with the Cougars one of only three Ninth region teams to own a victory over Beechwood, a 13-3 romp at the end of March. But Beechwood came back for a 10-run romp of its own, 10-0, in April and then adding a 6-4 win May 6.
Look for a big-time pitcher’s battle with Beechwood ace, Caleb Arrasmith (8-2) expected to go against Conner’s Brady Bushman (6-3).
CONNER 9, ST. HENRY 4: If Monday’s first two games were tight, taut battles featuring pitching and defense, the second two first-rounders were anything but with Conner coming on to win the one that counted after losing a regular season game to the Crusaders, 9-8.
The win improves Conner to 23-13 while the loss drops St. Henry to 10-25.