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HIGH SCHOOL-KENTUCKY

Dixie downs CovCath in Battle of the Colonels

Marc Hardin
prepsports@enquirer.com

The Bryan Stevenson Memorial Tournament hosted by baseball teams in the Kenton County School District began with a doozie of an opener Friday at Dixie Heights when the Colonels, top-ranked in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, hosted No. 3 Covington Catholic.

It was the first game of a doubleheader and the first of three games in 17 hours for Dixie Heights, which got the two-day event going in a winning way with a 6-4 wind-blown victory against the Colonels from CovCath, who watched their 13-game winning streak fall by the wayside. They had not lost since March 31.

Dixie Heights, a Ninth Region tournament finalist last season, has won nine in a row. Coach Chris Maxwell's squad has not lost to a Kentucky team, with their lone loss coming against Anderson by a run at April's Doc Morris Invitational.

With strong winds blowing from right to left Friday, there were two home runs in the contest and one gutsy pitching performance turned in by Dixie Heights senior Nick King, who pitched a seven-hit complete game while striking out six as he edged toward his pitch-count maximum.

King struck out Louisville recruit Grant Schreiver twice and limited him to an 0-for-3 day, and survived three doubles, plus a two-run home run off the bat of senior Adam Atkinson, who tried to help dig the Colonels in blue out of an early 5-0 hole.

Dixie Heights (16-1) scored five in the first against CovCath (16-3), and held on while becoming the last unbeaten team in the Ninth Region. Dixie and CovCath both entered play with 8-0 regional records, but it was the Colonels in red who moved to 9-0.

Wielding the big stick for Dixie was senior center fielder Evan Hicks, who went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks, including a three-run home run launched over the left-field fence in the first off CovCath starter Noah Galvin that put the hosts ahead, 5-0.

King's bases-loaded ground-ball force-out at third plated Dixie's first run. Matt Wehrle's bloop single scored another for a 2-0 lead, setting the stage for Hicks' smash.

CovCath made it 5-2 in the third on Atkinson's two-run shot to left, and added solo runs in the fifth and seventh. Brian Radcliff's sacrifice fly to right in the seventh set the final score. CovCath left the bases loaded when Ben Heppler made the final out on a fly ball to left.

The two-day tournament continues Saturday at Dixie, Scott and Simon Kenton. Dixie starts up at 11 a.m. against North Oldham. CovCath begins play at 10 a.m. at Scott.

PLAYS OF THE GAME: Hicks and Atkinson traded left-field blasts, but Hicks' proved to be the difference-maker. "It was a fastball inside," Hicks said. "He kind of jammed me, but the wind helped me out a little bit and took it out. A five-run inning really helps to motivate you because now you're with the advantage."

PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Hicks hit his first varsity home run. King, who was being scouted by the Reds, retired the side in order in the first and sixth. "I tried to keep them off-balance, but also working the fastball and getting it over the plate," said the 6-3 right-hander. "The five runs were nice, but I go out there with the same mind set every time, and look to have a good inning."

VIEW FROM THE SIDELINE: "He's the best we got," coach Maxwell said of his ace. "But it's night and day for Nick compared to last year, and he's really bounced back. I would say he was up to 86-87 miles per hour today."

Covington Catholic 002 010 1 -- 4 - 7 - 1 Dixie Heights 500 001 x -- 6 - 9 - 2

WP: King (4-0) 6 K's. LP: Galvin. Leaders: C-Atkinson HR, 2 RBI; Bailey 2-3; Radcliff 2B; Galvin 2B; Pope 2B. D-Hicks HR, 3 RBI; Harrison 2-4; Kerns 2-4; Caple 2-3. Records: C 16-3, D 16-1.