By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood and Campbell County both lost one-run games in the quarterfinal round of the state high school baseball tournament on Saturday at the University of Kentucky.
Russell County defeated Beechwood, 1-0, in a classic pitcher’s duel and McCracken County came from behind to knock off Campbell County, 4-3.
Beechwood senior pitcher Sam Cottengim gave up just one run in his team’s season ending loss to Russell County. (Photo by Dale Dawn)
Beechwood was shut out for the first time this season by Russell County senior left-hander Cody Luttrell in an errorless game. He limited the Tigers to four singles with no walks and six strikeouts to push his perfect record to 12-0.
The Lakers got the game’s lone run off Beechwood starting pitcher Sam Cottengim in the second inning. After the first two batters singled to put runners at first and third, a sacrifice bunt broke the scoreless tie.
With two out in the third inning, Beechwood got back-to-back singles from Landon Johnson and Cameron Boyd to put a runner in scoring position, but Luttrell ended the threat with a strike out.
Cottengim, a senior right-hander who entered the game with a 5-0 pitching record, gave up just six hits in 5.1 innings on the mound.
Russell County advances to next week’s semifinals with a 30-6 record. Beechwood ends the season at 29-7.
Campbell County took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning of its quarterfinal game. McCracken County scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to tie it and got the go-ahead run on a throwing error in the fifth.
The Camels scored their three runs on a sacrifice fly by Zach Riley in the first inning, a passed ball in the third and a double by Caleb Jones in the fourth.
McCracken County (34-6) moves on the semifinals for the sixth straight season. Campbell County bows out with a 24-11 record.
Top local performers in Class 3A state track meet placed second
Simon Kenton senior Xander Ritter and Campbell County freshman Olivia Holbrook were the top performers from Northern Kentucky in the Class 3A boys and girls state track meets on Saturday at the University of Kentucky.
Ritter placed second in the boys 300 hurdles and third in the 110 hurdles. That was a major improvement over last year when he finished 13th in both of those events.
Holbrook was runner-up in the girls 800 run and finished fourth in the 1600 in her first Class 3A state meet. She transferred to Campbell County after placing second in two Class 1A events last year as a member of Brossart’s team.
Louisville St. Xavier boys and Louisville Manual girls won the Class 3A team titles on Saturday. Dixie Heights tied for seventh place in the girls meet. There were no local teams along the top 10 in the final boys standings.
Class 3A state meet top finishers from local schools
GIRLS EVENTS
800 run — 2nd: Olivia Holbrook (Campbell County) 2:16.36
4×800 relay — 3rd: Ryle (Yasmine Garcia, Angelina Harris, Renae Kopser, Allison Kopser) 9:39.25
4×400 relay — 3rd: Dixie Heights (Harper Allen, Emily Bird, Abigail Kopp, Veronica Orr) 4:02.51
100 dash — 3rd: Isabella VonLehman (Conner) 12:51
300 hurdles — 3rd: Madison Rabe (Ryle) 45.18
Shot put — 3rd: Ella Goetz (Notre Dame) 37-1.25
BOYS EVENTS
300 hurdles —2nd: Xander Ritter (Simon Kenton) 38.28
110 hurdles —3rd: Xander Ritter (Simon Kenton) 14.80
4×800 relay — 3rd: Ryle (Sam Webb, Jacob Line, Rian Gallagher, Evan Smith) 8:03.86
4×100 relay — 3rd: Covington Catholic (Seth Gruner, Zion Mason, Ty Rottinghaus, Reid Hummel) 42.75
