One goal accomplished, four objectives to go.
Beechwood’s baseball team began its path to the postseason state tournament Monday by capturing its third straight Ninth Region All “A” title, a 10-5 win over Newport Central Catholic at Thomas More Stadium.
The Tigers’ mantra is the same every year – win the All “A” region and state titles, the 35th District, the postseason region crown (the Tigers have won the last four) and the state tournament.
Beechwood coach Kevin Gray, however, was worried Monday.
“NewCath’s got a good team, they’ve got guys that throw strikes, the top of their order really hits it well, but I thought we played really good defense,” Gray said. “(We) made some mistakes on the bases that we need to correct, but 15 hits, I’ll take that all day long.”
Monday’s win was also the fifth regional small-school title in six seasons, and it capped a three-game stretch in which Beechwood outscored Newport, Holy Cross and NewCath by a combined 40-8.
You could thank Keagan Hutton, Tyler Fryman and Chase Flaherty for Beechwood’s latest trophy: Hutton went 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs batted in; Fryman was 3-for-4 with two runs scored; and Flaherty struck out six and scored a run.
“I was just seeing the fastball early in the count, swinging at first pitches that I could see,” Fryman said.
While all the Tigers rejoiced in the win, perhaps Hutton cherished it most because he’s suffered the most – Tommy John surgery and a torn labrum in his right shoulder in 2022 and rehabbing the injuries last year.
“It’s just a great feeling to be part of something we win year after year,” Hutton said.
The top of Beechwood’s lineup – Fryman, Michael Detzel, Shawn Sowder and Hutton – were a combined 9-for-17 with four runs scored. The bottom third of the order was just as productive – Matthew Cottengim, Caleb Arrasmith and Carson Welch added an aggregate 4-for-8 with three runs scored.
Monday was supposed to be a match between two of Northern Kentucky’s stingiest pitchers: Flaherty carried a 2.33 earned run average, while NewCath’s Noah Ohradzansky topped that with a 0.82.
Which of course meant there was lots of early offense.
Beechwood (9-3) has been aggressive on the base paths and the plate all season – the Tigers stole 32 bases in 36 attempts going into Sunday. Same story Monday – the Tigers stole two and scored three in the top of the first.
Hutton’s first-pitch single scored Fryman, who led off with a single of his own, and a wild pitch and an error plated Hutton and Flaherty. NewCath (5-6) rebounded in its first at-bat – Chris Meyer’s triple scored Ian Mann and Ohradzansky.
In the second, Beechwood converted singles by Arrasmith and Fryman and Hutton’s triple into a 6-2 lead.
“(Ohradzansky) hung a curveball, and I thought, ‘just wait back and hit it far as I can’,” Hutton said.
The Thoroughbreds pulled to within 6-3 in the second on Henry Brooks’ single and JT Mumper’s triple. Mumper led the Thoroughbreds’ offense – he was 2-for-3.
Another problem plagued NewCath all night: five wild pitches and four passed balls. Beechwood took advantage in the fifth – a wild pitch and two passed balls combined with singles from Sawyer Carlisle, Welch and Graham Holt turned into three runs and a 9-3 lead.
“Fundamentals, pitch-and-catch, making plays you’re supposed to make, throws on target,” NewCath coach Jeff Martin said. “We had a couple nice plays, but just not enough good plays to beat Beechwood.”
Flaherty retired six straight Thoroughbreds, with four strikeouts, over the third and fourth frames.
“First two innings, I just needed to get my curveball over more,” Flaherty said. “Then I started mixing it in better, and I started to get in a groove … I needed to get everything working.”
NewCath closed to 9-5 in the fifth on a wild pitch and Meyer’s sacrifice fly, which scored Ian Mann.
Sowder and Hutton opened the sixth with singles off Mann, and Hutton scored on an error.
Every December, Beechwood holds a baseball fundraiser. Carlisle’s $2,710 made him the top earner, and Hutton was second at $1,500.
Hutton playfully said Gray still owes him a steak dinner; he wants to hurt Gray’s wallet. Gray said Hutton’s desire to go to The Precinct in Cincinnati isn’t happening.
“He’s getting it,” Gray said of the dinner. “We wait ‘til the districts are over before we do that.”
TIGERS 10, THOROUGHBREDS 5
BEECHWOOD — 330-031-0 – 10-15-2
NEWCATH — 210-020-0 – 5-7-3
Flaherty, Holt (5) and Welch; Ohradzansky, Mann (5) and Brooks. WP-Flaherty. LP-Ohradzansky. 3B-Meyer (NCC), Hutton (B), Mumper (NCC). 2B-Cottongim (B).
Records: Beechwood 9-3, NewCath 5-6.