Ryle turns on offense, drops CovCath

by Richard Skinner, NKY Enquirer  Ryle turns on offense, drops CovCath

The Ryle baseball team showed Monday that a couple of shaky offensive performances in the last week were nothing more than rare occurrences as it flexed the muscles – and lineup balance – that made it Northern Kentucky’s highest-scoring offense when it needed to do so the most.

Ryle pounded out 12 hits, got the leadoff batter on base in every inning and scored in five of the seven innings in knocking off Covington Catholic, 7-2, in a Ninth Region tournament first-round game at the Florence Freedom’s University of Cincinnati Medical Center Stadium.

Ryle (30-7), which finished as the No. 1-ranked team in the final Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches’ poll, advances to face St. Henry in Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal.

St. Henry’s Craig Rose drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the top of the eighth to score Alex Conradi to break a 2-2 tie, and senior Mitchell Kuebbing went the distance as the Crusaders downed Highlands 3-2 in Monday’s final first-round game. Ryle beat St. Henry (17-18) in their only meeting this season, 11-1, on April 25.

Kuebbing, who has signed with Longwood University, mixed a fastball that hit 87 mph at times with a solid curve to strike out 11 and allow just seven hits. He walked none, but did hit three batters and needed 110 pitches.

Rose had given St. Henry a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run single, but Highlands (19-18) scored a run in the third and tied the score in the sixth when Quentin Murray led off with a triple and pinch-runner Brady Murray scored on Evan Allen’s suicide squeeze bunt.

Ryle may have to play Wednesday’s game without cleanup hitter Tyler Mason. The senior first baseman was hit in the head in an accidental collision at first base with CovCath senior David Zalla in the first inning, and despite remaining in the game momentarily he left the field after the inning and has a concussion, according to Ryle coach Pat Roesel.

The Raiders entered Monday’s game having lost two of their last three games, 7-3 to Highlands in the regular-season finale, and 3-1 to Boone County in the 33rd District championship game.

Ryle 7, Covington Catholic 2

WP-Hoard (10-1). LP-Davis. Hitting Leaders: R-Lonnemann 2-4, J. Brennan 2-5; Forbes 3-4, 2B, 3B. CC-Pangallo 2-3; Schreiver 2 RBI. Records: Ryle 30-7, Covington Catholic 23-14.

St. Henry 3, Highlands 2

WP-Kuebbing (11 Ks). LP-Cochran. Hitting Leaders: SH-Conradi 2-4, 2 2Bs; Rogers 2-4; Markgraf 2B; Rose 3 RBI. H-Ramey 2-4, 2B; Schultz 2-4; Murray 3B. Records: St. Henry 17-18, Highlands 19-18.