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Highlands going for fourth straight title among story lines for 9th Region baseball playoffs


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Can the Highlands Bluebirds do it again?

That’s the question on every high school baseball fan’s mind going into Monday’s opening round of the 9th Region tournament at UC Health Stadium in Florence.

Highlands pitcher Drew Rom enters the 9th Region playoffs among the state leaders in strikeouts with 108 in 59 innings. (Photo by Bob Jackson)

Highlands won the regional championship the last three years. If the Bluebirds come out on top once again this week, they’ll become the first local baseball team to capture four consecutive regional titles since Newport Catholic won seven in a row from 1948 to 1954.

Highlands has a 10-3 record against the other seven teams in the regional bracket. It will be interesting to see how coach Jeremy Baioni sets up his talented pitching rotation that includes seniors Drew Rom and Hunter Dreves and junior Grady Cramer.  Rom, a University of Michigan recruit, ranks second in the state in strikeouts with 108 in 59 innings.

Here are some other story lines going into this week’s 9th Region baseball tournament:

* If Covington Catholic wins three games, veteran coach Bill Krumpelbeck will surpass the 1,000 mark in career victories and the Colonels will claim their seventh regional championship trophy of the 2017-18 school year. The CovCath football and basketball teams went on to win state titles.

* Cooper will be looking for its first-ever 9th Region baseball tournament victory in Monday’s first-round game against Beechwood. The Jaguars have won six of their last seven games, including a pair of shutout victories by senior pitchers Conner Phillips and Brendan Reid in the district playoffs.

Beechwood coach Kevin Gray

* Beechwood won the All “A” Classic small-school state tournament two weeks ago and then lost two of its next four games. Kevin Gray needs to get the Tigers back on track for a run at the regional title in his first year as the team’s head coach. Beechwood lost to Highlands the last two years and they could meet again in the semifinals this week.

* St. Henry comes into the regional tournament on a roll, winning nine of its last 10 games and scoring 83 runs. But the Crusaders have a 3-7 record in regional first-round games over the last 10 years and Monday’s opponent is Newport Central Catholic, a team that beat them three times during the regular season.

* NewCath has a 6-6 record during the month of May and gave up 11 or more runs in four of those losses. Pitching will decide just how far the Thoroughbreds go in the regional playoffs.

* Ryle and Dixie Heights enter the regional tournament with losing records, but don’t count them out just yet. Last year, Dixie Heights came in with a 10-19 record and lost a one-run game in the semifinals.

9th REGION AT UC HEALTH STADIUM
Monday
Covington Catholic (24-10) vs. Ryle (10-24), 10 a.m.
St. Henry (16-13) vs. Newport Central Catholic (18-13), 1 p.m.
Cooper (20-12) vs. Beechwood (21-10), 4 p.m.
Highlands (23-13) vs. Dixie Heights (11-19), 7 p.m.
Tuesday
Semifinal games, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

10th REGION AT CAMPBELL COUNTY
Monday
Mason County (10-11) vs. Clark County (21-10), 10 a.m.
Campbell County (18-11) vs. Nicholas County (24-7), 12:30 p.m.
Montgomery County (17-11) vs. St. Patrick (6-6), 3 p.m.
Brossart (18-12) vs. Harrison County (17-15), 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Semifinal games, 5 and 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 6 p.m.

8th REGION AT OLDHAM COUNTY
Monday
Walton-Verona (14-20) vs. North Oldham (26-7), 11 a.m.
Shelby County (19-10) vs. Henry County (17-8), 1:30 p.m.
Carroll County (8-16) vs. South Oldham (18-12), 4 p.m.
Simon Kenton (24-6) vs. Collins (17-17), 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Semifinal games, 6 and 8 p.m.
Wednesday
Championship game, 6 p.m.


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