Marcus Suwinski was ticked.
Covington Catholic’s sophomore third baseman – and the rest of the Colonels – suffered through Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to Ryle, and someone had to pay. McNicholas was that someone on Thursday – Max Lawrie’s two hits, including a two-run homer, and Suwinski’s solo shot helped the Colonels to a 7-1 win at Jerry Collins Field at Tom Berger Stadium.
“We definitely needed a comeback game like this,” Suwinski said.
Lawrie and Jonathan Fitz led the Colonels’ offense – both were 2 for 3. Lawrie added a single and scored two runs, and Fitz had a double and a single.
Charlie Dieruf, Owen Leen and Fitz combined for the win. What may have pleased CovCath coach Bill Krumpelbeck most: the Colonels retired the leadoff hitter in six of McNicholas’ seven at-bats.
“Our goal at this time of the year is to try to get better every game,” CovCath coach Bill Krumpelbeck said.
Dieruf struck out four and walked two. Krumpelbeck called him “a work in progress.”
“He’s mainly a fastball pitcher, obviously, but he’s got a nice changeup,” Krumpelbeck said. “If he can get his fastball over the plate, he throws with enough velocity that he can win for us. He can show the off-speed pitch occasionally, but he’s going to get people out with his fastball.”
What galled McNicholas coach Brian Gatio the most: four of the Rockets’ six strikeouts were called third strikes.
“We just got behind and then just kind of went into a little bit of a hole for a while,” Gatio said. “Quiet and not engaged, and it showed. Not ready to play, not ready to hit.”
Dieruf escaped a first-inning jam. The Rockets had two on with one out, but Fitz threw out Kyle Anstaett at second, and Dieruf caught Ryan Melcher looking for the third out.
One could not say the same for McNicholas starter Colin Sandfoss – the Colonels batted around in the first and scored four times.
In order: Jonathan Fitz’s double scored Owen Leen, who walked and went to second on Jackson Reardon’s bunt single; Reardon scored on Dieruf’s sacrifice fly; Fitz scored on Lawrie’s single to right; and Lawrie came home on an error after Tyler Rennekamp singled.
CovCath (3-1) took its 6-0 lead in the third on Lawrie’s homer to left center, scoring Dieruf, who had singled and stolen second.
“It was a fastball up and in the zone, 0-1 count,” Lawrie said. “That’s where I like it.”
McNicholas (2-1) avoided the shutout in the fourth when Tyler Snyder scored on a wild pitch.
Suwinski thought McNicholas sophomore Lukas Jelinek would throw a fastball one out into the fifth, which he sent over the center field fence.
“It was a fastball, down the middle of the plate,” Suwinski said. “It was a 2-0 count, so yeah, I was expecting a fastball somewhere in the zone.”
CovCath hosts Dixie Heights and Conner in the Knucks Tourney on Saturday. The schedule: Conner vs. CovCath, 10 a.m., Dixie Heights vs. Conner at 12:30 p.m., and Dixie Heights vs. CovCath at 4 p.m.
MCNICHOLAS 000 100 0 – 1 4 2
COV. CATHOLIC 402 010 X – 7 8 3
Sandfoss, Jelinek (2) and Hendrickson; Dieruf, Leen (5), Fitz (7) and Fitz, Leen (7). WP-Dieruf. LP-Sandfoss. HR-Lawrie (CC), Suwinski (CC). 2B-Fitz (CC).