Campbell County Camels junior shortstop Aydan Hamilton taught his teammates among others a big lesson helping the Camels baseball team (4-2) to a huge 10-4 win over the Conner Cougars (6-1) at Florence Y’alls Stadium in the Mike Epplen Dirty Hat Classic.
Hamilton committed four errors in the top of the second inning leading to three unearned runs for the Cougars. But he more than made up for it going 3 for 3 at the plate with two doubles, three runs scored, one run batted in and one walk.
Hamilton fielded the ball well outside the second inning. The University of Kentucky commit recorded six assists including five after the second inning and helped Campbell County cut down two Conner runners attempting to steal in the top of the third.
“Baseball is just a game of overcoming your mistakes,” Hamiton said. “I just locked more in (defensively), watched the ball, made sure I felt it all the way in then I looked to make sure I made the accurate throw. Our team is capable of competing with the best in the state.”
Campbell County tied the game in the bottom of the fifth before scoring six times in the sixth to pull away. The Camels scored six unearned runs off five Conner errors and allowed three unearned runs on five errors.
Junior Max Lause (1-1) limited the explosive Conner offense to a .217 (5 for 23) batting average in the complete game for the Camels. Lause struck out four and walked none.
“I owe it to my defense. (The Camels) had one rough inning. But they kept it going the rest of the game,” Lause said. “Without them, (Conner) would have scored a lot more runs. The curve ball felt really good and the fastball was hitting spots. (Senior catcher) Austin Little was working the zone. He helped me throw strikes.”
On the other side, Campbell County batted .414 (12 for 29) with four hitters recording at least two hits. Senior third baseman Zack Riley went 2 for 4 with three RBI and one run scored. Senior center fielder and lead-off hitter Greg Vineyard went 2 for 4 with two RBI and one run scored. Junior right fielder Brayden Wells wet 2 for 3 with one double and one RBI. Junior left fielder Evan Clark added a double.
“We were resilient,” said Scott Schweitzer, Campbell County Head Coach. “When you give good teams six and seven outs in an inning, it’s tough. Max did an outstanding job of allowing only three runs in the second. Our offense continued to battle. We got to the bullpen. In the bottom of the sixth, we tacked runs on and just kept hitting. Our dugout stayed in the game. They’re showing signs of being a good team.”
Junior Jackson Bucks started for Conner pitching the first three innings. He struck out seven, threw one wild pitch, walked one and allowed five hits and one earned run.
Senior Andrew Minckley (0-1) took over and pitched into the sixth before junior Layne Masters took over. Neither of them struck out anyone. Campbell County recorded seven hits, drew two walks and scored five unearned runs off them.
Conner did not have any multi-hit games. But senior first baseman Kaden Early had an RBI double to give the Cougars a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth.
“After we scored the four runs, (Lause) settled down,” said Brad Arlinghaus, Conner Head Coach. “I think we let our errors effect us and it just kind of snowballed from there. It’s the first time we faced adversity all year. We can fix the errors. We can fix the swings. We can fix all that. It’s one of those days.”
Senior designated hitter Tyler Fowler led off the bottom of the fifth reaching on an error and moved to third when Hamilton doubled. Riley then smacked a 3-2 count down the left field line to score Fowler and Hamilton to tie the game.
Senior first baseman Jacob Napier reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the sixth for the Camels and senior Anthony Florimonte ran for him. Clark then doubled Florimonte to third. Vineyard then singled Clark and Florimonte home to give Campbell County a 6-4 lead.
Vineyard then moved to third when Fowler grounded out and scored when Hamilton doubled him to put Campbell County up 7-4. Hamilton then scored on an error when the Cougars tried to cut him down at the plate to put the Camels up 8-4.
Riley wound up at second on the play and junior second baseman Jake Gross drew a walk. Riley scored on a Wells single after he moved to third on a passed ball. Gross moved to third on a wild pitch then scored with two out on a Napier single to make the final score.
“We’re going to go out there and attack the hitters,” Arlinghaus said. “I put good things on our pitchers. Our pitchers can beat just about anybody.”
Lause threw 99 pitches. Campbell County committed its other error with two out in the top of the seventh. But Lause coaxed a line out to Riley to end the game.
“I can’t say enough about Max. He wanted the game. It was cold,” Schweitzer said. “He needed to throw strikes when he was at the end of his tank. That was big for him to do that.”
The 10th Region Tournament has been played at Scott, Montgomery County, Campbell County and Harrison County in recent years. But playing at Florence Y’alls Stadium is helping the Camels prepare for the likes of Kentucky Proud Park at the University of Kentucky and Legends Field in Lexington where the state quarterfinals and later rounds take place.
“It’s a little bit deeper. Down the lines, it’s pretty close,” Schweitzer said. “It’s a little bit bigger of an outfield. But overall, we do a really good job. We play at a lot of places that are big. Our guys enjoy coming and playing in stadiums. The Epplen Family is putting on such an awesome event for the kids. I think they did a great job with it all.”
Campbell County travels to Montgomery County (3-4) for a 10th Region game Saturday at 1 p.m.
Conner plays in the Knucks Tourney at Covington Catholic on Saturday. The Cougars play Dixie Heights (5-1) at 12:30 p.m. then Covington Catholic (2-3) at 3 p.m.
St. Henry 18, Covington Catholic 0 (4 innings):
In the final game of the Mike Epplen Dirty Hat Classic at Florence Y’alls Stadium, the Crusaders (5-2) pounded out 14 hits in 30 at-bats for a .467 clip in run-ruling the young Colonels (2-3).
“I think it worked out well,” said Greg Pass, St. Henry Head Coach. “You can’t score runs without putting the ball in play. (CovCath) is a real young team. I feel for them. We’ve been there before. It was one of those games where everything went right for us.”
St. Henry led 9-0 going into the fourth inning then doubled up the Colonels in the top of the fourth. The Crusaders scored four unearned runs off six CovCath errors and committed two.
Senior right fielder Eli Meiman went 2 for 3 with one double, four RBI and four runs scored to lead the Crusaders. Junior Nicholas Webster went 2 for 3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Junior left fielder Matthew Resing went 3 for 4 with one double, two RBI and one runs scored. Senior center fielder Owen Eilerman doubled and batted in two with junior pitcher Luke Keipert tripling and walking twice.
Keipert (1-1) threw a complete game for the Crusaders. Keipert stuck out three, walked none and allowed just one hit.
“It’s a big ball field so if they hit one in the air, we were pretty confident we could go get it,” Pass said. “(Keipert) pitched well. Those were our main things – throw strikes and keep them off the bases.”
St. Henry travels to Bishop Brossart (4-5) on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. game. CovCath takes on Dixie Heights (5-1) at 10 a.m. at home then Conner (6-1) at 3 p.m. in the Knucks Tourney.
Dixie Heights 4, Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle 2:
The Colonels (5-1) downed the host Lancers (2-2) of the Greater Catholic League bouncing back from the 13-1 five-inning defeat at Beechwood on Thursday.
Dixie Heights broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the fourth inning with two runs. Senior left fielder Brandon Brooks walked then stole second before senior center fielder Gabe Thelen drew a walk. Sophomore second baseman Luke Abeling laid down a sacrifice bunt to move them both up a base. After junior catcher Ethan Bosley was hit by a pitch, senior shortstop Jay Flynn drew a bases-loaded walk to score Brooks. Flynn then scored with two out on a Lancer error.
“We as a team know how we played (Thursday) is not how we’re capable of playing,” Flynn said. “We know Beechwood is a good team that is playing really well. We knew that if we got this one and got some more confidence in our team then it’d be good. Weather is a factor right now. But it’s a factor for both teams so we can’t really use that as an excuse.”
Both teams committed three errors. Dixie Heights scored one unearned run off those errors.
La Salle outhit Dixie Heights, 5-4. Junior designated hitter/pitcher Owen Lawrence doubled in two in Bosley and sophomore pinch runner Brach Rice to give the Colonels a 2-1 lead in the third inning. La Salle tied it in the bottom of the third.
Junior pitcher Brayden Runion (2-0) pitched into the seventh inning to pick up the win for Dixie Heights. He struck out one, walked four and allowed five hits and one earned run. Lawrence took care of the final out in the seventh inning.
Dixie Heights plays in the Knucks Tournament on Saturday. Dixie Heights plays Covington Catholic (2-3) at 10 a.m. then Conner (6-1) at 12:30 p.m.
Boone County 11, Bishop Brossart 2:
The Rebels (3-5) snapped a four-game losing streak on the road against the Mustangs (4-5).
The Rebels saw senior pitcher Jayden Wilson throw five innings striking out 13 to go with three hits and two runs. Sophomore Jack Moore threw the last two innings striking out three, walking one and allowing one hit.
Boone County batted .350 (14 for 40) at the plate pounding out five doubles. Senior shortstop/left fielder Justin Huff went 3 for 4 with a double, three RBI and one run scored.
Senior Issac Vest went 2 for 4 with two doubles. one walk and two runs scored. Sophomore third baseman Chris Henson went 2 for 5 with three runs scored. Wilson doubled in two. Senior Tommy Switzer went 2 for 4 with one RBI and two runs scored with senior right fielder Jake Barth going 2 for 5 with a double and two RBI.
Bishop Brossart played without some seniors with the Senior Play. Junior Brandon Bezold had a double for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs had six errors to one for the Rebels. Boone County scored five unearned runs. Both Bishop Brossart runs were unearned.
“We hit the ball well. We played okay defense,” said Wayne Huff, Boone County Head Coach. “Jayden Wilson threw strikes. They’re a different team when they have their whole team there. I think next time we play them, it will be a little bit different. But I’m happy with the way we played. If we can play like that every day, I would be happy with that.”
Boone County travels to Scott (2-7) for a Noon game Saturday. Bishop Brossart plays St. Henry (5-2) on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Softball:
Cooper 17, Campbell County 7 (5 innings):
The Lady Jaguars (3-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season Wednesday with a home win over the Camels (3-3).
“That’s one thing I told the girls is (the Camels) are going to score runs,” said Rusty Scott, Cooper Head Coach. “We went up on them early. They have bats up and down their line-up. We can’t sit back and not fire back at them. We got the bats going a bit.”
Junior Kendall Blau (3-1) picked up the win for the Lady Jaguars striking out two pitching into the fourth inning. Blau gave up eight hits, seven earned runs and three walks. But senior Amber Chaney finished the game striking out two and not walking anyone or allowing any hits.
“Both our pitchers didn’t have their best stuff,” Scott said. “You have to learn how to pitch when you don’t have your best stuff. Amber came in and did a good job shutting them down.
But Blau went 3 for 3 at the plate with one home run, two RBI and one run scored. Sophomore right fielder Maddie Childress went 2 for 3 with a triple and RBI. Junior third baseman Emily Schmeltz homered, drove in two and scored twice with senior shortstop Dylan Scott going 2 for 3 with a double, one RBI and three runs scored.
Cooper saw five players record multi-hit games batting .600 (15 for 25). Sophomore second baseman Ava Scott went 2 for 3 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored and senior catcher Gweny Wessling went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI. Junior outfielder Claire Poage had a double, two RBI and two runs scored.
“You just have to adjust during the at-bat,” Ava Scott said. “If the first pitch is a strike, you have to figure out what she’s pitching. If you swing and miss, you have to figure out what you’re doing wrong, step out of the box and practice swing.”
Campbell County went 8 for 23 at the plate for a .348 average. Senior left fielder Maddie Kramer homered and drove in four with eighth grade third baseman/pitcher Hope Hamilton homering and scoring twice. Junior second baseman/pitcher Paige Stewart went 2 for 3 with an RBI and senior center fielder Bella Bastin went 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and run scored.
Cooper plays twice Saturday at home. The Lady Jaguars face Simon Kenton (5-3) at 10 a.m. then Pendleton County (2-2) at Noon. Campbell County plays host to Walton-Verona (4-3) on Monday at 6 p.m.
Conner 8, Boone County 4:
The Lady Cougars (3-4) moved to 1-1 in 33rd District seed play with the win in Florence over the Lady Rebels (3-5).
Conner had not beaten Boone County during the regular season since taking a 14-6 decision on May 16, 2016 snapping a string of eight straight Boone County regular season games. Conner did beat Boone County on its way to 33rd District Tournament crowns in 2017 and 2019.
Conner batted .363 (12 for 33) in the win with four players recording multi-hit games. Eighth grade second baseman Averie Lightner led the way going 3 for 4 with a double, two RBI and one run scored. Sophmore pitcher Molly Sharp went 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore Jalyn Cain went 3 for 4 with two run scored.
“It was a much-needed win for the program in the rebuilding steps that we’re doing,” said Shawn Sproles, Conner Head Coach. “The middle of the line-up with Molly and Jayln kind of started off a little slow. We’ve been waiting for them to heat up. It was a really good day for them putting the ball in play, driving runs and extending innings.”
Junior center fielder Kiera Holeman went 2 for 4 with one run scored for Conner. Senior catcher Haley Kersker had two RBI for Conner.
Sharp (3-3) threw a complete game for Conner. She struck out 14, walked nine and allowed two hits and four earned runs.
“We were able to adjust, make something happen and make them swing a little bit,” Kersker said. “We threw in a couple pitchers that we’re unexpected to throw them off. I think she was doing pretty well with velocity.”
Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Irwin had both hits for the Lady Rebels. She doubled and had four RBI. Junior catcher Kailey Richardson and senior center fielder Mia Nixson had two walks each.
Sproles’ senior daughter Abbey started at first base for Boone County. Coach Sproles had been an assistant at Boone County before taking the job at Conner in 2020.
Conner plays host to Lewis County (7-0) on Saturday at Noon. Boone County travels to Cooper (3-1) on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Scott 21, Cincinnati (Ohio) McNicholas (3 innings):
The Lady Eagles (6-4) recorded a run-ruling in their home game against the lone out-of-state opponent scheduled so far in the Rockets (0-3).
Sophomore pitcher Emma Scribner (6-2) threw a complete game for Scott. She struck out eight, walked three and allowed just one hit and two earned runs. Scott made no errors behind her.
“I feel like we came back after the SK game (a 16-0 loss in four innings Tuesday) realizing what we can do, what we can pull through with, hanging our heads higher,” Scribner said. “They did a good job. There were a few times where I wouldn’t get it (where I wanted it) and (McNick) would hit it. (The Scott infielders) would make the routine plays and help me out a lot.”
Scott batted .667 (14 for 21) at the plate and took advantage of seven walks and four McNich errors. The Lady Eagles scored 10 unearned runs in the win.
Freshman catcher Emerson Morman led the way going 3 for 3 with two doubles, one home run, five RBI and two runs scored. Senior left fielder Morgan Chalk went 2 for 2 with one double, three RBI and three runs scored. Scribner went 2 for 3 with one double, three RBI and two runs scored.
“It was awesome because they came out hitting,” said Lisa Brewer, Scott Head Coach. “Their starting pitcher isn’t a bad pitcher at all. We just hit the ball solid and found the holes.”
Scott had 11 extra-base hits total. Junior first baseman Kayla Overman homered, drove in four and scored twice. Sophomore second baseman and lead-off hitter Ivy Cochran tripled in her lone at-bat, walked once and scored three runs. Junior shortstop Audrey Griffin doubled and scored twice. Senior third baseman Riley Reeves doubled, walked once and scored twice. Freshman Addyson Riley doubled in her lone at-bat driving in one and scoring once. Sophomore designated hitter Paige Shepherd doubled in two and freshman center fielder Elise Manhardt walked twice and scored three times.
Scott stole three bases. Cochran, Reeves and Riley had one each.
Scott travels to Highlands (3-6) on Monday. Game time is 5:45 p.m.
Montgomery County 8, Highlands 7:
The Bluebirds (3-6) led the Lady Indians (5-3), 7-2 entering the top of the fifth. But Montgomery County scored six in the bottom of the frame to pull out the win. The time-limited game is part of the North Oldham Lady Mustangs Classic.
Highlands outhit Montgomery County, 8-6 and committed no errors to one for the Lady Indians. Sophomore center fielder Bailey Markus went 2 for 2 with one walk, a double and two runs scored. Senior shortstop Anna Greenwell went 2 for 3 with a triple, two runs scored and an RBI. Junior third baseman Carly Cramer also went 2 for 3 with a triple, three RBI and one run scored.
Junior Kennedy Baioni (2-3) pitched into the fifth inning before eighth grader Kaitlyn Dixon took over. Baioni struck out three. But nine walks combined between the two did not help the cause for the Bluebirds.
Highlands takes on the Bryan Station Defenders (7-3) at 10:45 a.m. back at North Oldham. The Defenders have won four in a row.
Ballard 15, Dixie Heights 0 (4 innings):
The Colonels (4-1) lost for the first time this year on the road against the second-ranked Bruins (7-0).
Dixie Heights managed just one hit off Ballard junior pitcher Brooke Gray. Senior center fielder Ava Meyer led off the top of the fourth with a double. Gray struck out eight and walked none.
Ballard scored three unearned runs off three Dixie Heights errors. Sophomore Riley Hopkins (3-1) pitched a complete game for the Colonels. Hopkins struck out one.
Neither team scored in the first inning. Ballard scored five times in the second then forced the run-ruling with eight in the fourth.
Dixie Heights plays host to Harrison County (5-1) on Saturday. Game time is 11 a.m.
Other Friday, April 1 Baseball Scores:
Holy Cross 7, Bellevue 3
Grant County 6, Scott 4
Walton-Verona 10, Cooper 9
Frankfort Christian 6, Covington Latin 5
Frankfort Christian 9, Covington Latin 3
Nicholas County 4, Calvary Christian 1
Lloyd Memorial 12, Ludlow 10
Dayton 9, Gallatin County 8
Villa Madonna 12, Holmes 3
Other Friday, April 1 Softball Scores:
Lewis County 11, Notre Dame 1 (5 innings)
Dayton 11, Beechwood 9
Holmes 15, Ludlow 0 (3 innings)
Holmes 20, Louisville Shawnee 4 (4 innings)
Bracken County 11, Villa Madonna 0
St. Henry 21, Calvary Christian 6
