James Weber, jweber@communitypress.com
Cameron Pitzer is one of the best clutch players on the Covington Catholic baseball team, according to head coach Bill Krumpelbeck.
Pitzer, a CovCath junior, didn't like his execution on the game-ending play Saturday against Highlands, the No. 1 team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll. But he loved the result as his infield single lifted the Colonels to a 5-4 win over the in eight innings at second-ranked CovCath.
"Honestly, it was kind of lucky," Pitzer said. "I was hesitant to swing and had a check swing, kind of a swinging bunt, but I'll take it."
Pitzer's hit plated senior Ben Kindt, who was a pinch-runner for senior Adam Ruwe, who started off the eighth with a single. Kindt advanced to second on a wild pitch then went to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Nico Pangallo. Junior Ryan McGinnis walked, and after he took second base uncontested, the Bluebirds intentionally walked cleanup batter Nate Bailey to get to Pitzer.
Pitzer swung at the first pitch from Highlands senior Joseph Martin and hit a chopper to the third-base side of the mound. Martin couldn't get to the ball and by the time the other infielders got there, it was too late. Pitzer said it was his first walkoff hit as a varsity player, first overall since grade school.
"We kept battling," Krumpelbeck said. "We had some chances to drop our heads. We had many opportunities with one out and the middle of the lineup up and we couldn't knock home the run. They quit sometimes in those situations but they kept battling."
Pitzer improved to 3-0 on the mound, pitching all eight innings. He threw 104 pitches and gave up nine hits.
"He's a winner," Krumpelbeck said. "He's a very gutsy player, he doesn't get down. He gives it everything he's got and keeps his cool in some tough situations. He's the guy you want on the mound in tight games."
Pitzer kept Highlands' powerful lineup inside the park. Martin, who went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored, had hit four home runs in his previous four games heading into the doubleheader.
"Just trying to keep the ball on the inside of the plate against all the power hitters," Pitzer said. "When you throw it outside, try to get them to roll over and hit a ground ball. Keep them off balance, change speeds a lot. (Martin is) a great player. He's a great pitcher. He can hit the ball. It's hard to get him out."
Pitzer had two of CovCath's nine hits, as did Pangallo, who had an RBI and a run scored.
Highlands scored in the first on a single by senior Jake Whitford, who plated senior Brady Murray. CovCath got two back in the first when its first three batters reached on a hit batter and two walks. Sophomore Ethan Doty got the next two outs, but Colonel senior Noah Galvin reached on an error by the right fielder, plating Pangallo and McGinnis and giving CovCath a 2-1 lead.
Highlands tied it in the second when Martin led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly. CovCath took the lead back in the second on a leadoff double by Alex Kennedy and a one-out single from Pangallo, who plated pinch runner Cody Caldon.
Highlands tied it at 3-3 in the fourth. McGinnis hit an RBI single in the fourth to reclaim the lead for CovCath. Martin hit an RBI single in the fifth inning to tie the game at 4-4.
After that, Pitzer retired the Bluebirds 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings, and the Colonels left runners in scoring position to keep the game a tie.
Highlands loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with one out, but a missed squeeze bunt led to Jacob Noe being retired at home plate, and Pitzer got the next out to retire the side.
"They're a great team," Krumpelbeck said. "I hope we don't give them momentum and they come back and get us later. They'll definitely be ready for us."
CovCath beat Highlands 15-5 in the morning opener. The Colonels had 12 hits.
The sweep improved Cov Cath to 18-4 and dropped to Highlands 19-7. Highlands has beaten CovCath only once since 1998 according to the KHSAA web site. CCH is two wins away from extending Krumpelbeck's remarkable streak of 20-win seasons to 28.
The focus is postseason success, and with districts starting in two weeks the Colonels will try to be prepared for that.
"It's a good thing to start doing well right now and just try to keep it going," Pitzer said. "(Beating Highlands) doesn't mean anything until the regional tournament."
CovCath 5, Highlands 4
W–Pitzer. L–Martin. Leaders: H–Martin 3-4, 2B, 2 R; Rust 2 RBI. C–Pangallo 2-3, RBI; Pitzer 2-4.
CovCath 15, Highlands 5
W–Ruwe. Leaders: H–Murray 2 RBI. C–Pangallo 3 R, 3 RBI; McGinnis 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI; Bailey 2-4, 2 RBI; Heppler 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI; Gavlin 3 RBI; Stegman 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI.