DAYTON – The Covington Buccaneers were able to score four runs in the top of the seventh to escape with a 10-7 win over a winless Northridge team.
Covington took a 2-0 lead in the first as Carter Owens scored on an overthrow after stealing third and Jacob Tipps singled to score Tanner Palsgrove.
The Buccs put two more runs on the board when Connor Humphrey doubled to score Ashton Skaggs and then scored on a wild pitch.
Northridge cut Covington’s lead to 4-2 by plating a run in the second and another in the third, but the Buccaneers were able to respond with a run in the fourth when Tyler Jay scored on an overthrow after stealing third.
The Polar Bears scored a run in the bottom of the fourth and the scored remained at 5-3 in favor of Covington after a scoreless fifth inning.
The Buccaneers manufactured a run in the top of the sixth as Jacob Tipps slayed down a squeeze bunt that scored Tyler Jay to give Covington a 6-3 lead.
Things went downhill fast for the Buccs in the bottom of the sixth as Northridge took advantage of mistakes to score four runs to take its first lead of the game. Covington allowed four straight walks and two passed balls that tied the game at 6-6. Another wild pitch let Northridge take a 7-6 lead.
Fortunately the Buccaneers were able to refocus in the top of the seventh, which led to four runs and a 10-7 lead. Covington loaded the bases and Carter Owens connected on a three-run double to get the Buccs rolling. Tyler Jay followed with win an RBI single that scored Owens.
Ashton Skaggs entered the game on the hill in the bottom of the seventh and recorded a save by throwing nine pitches to get three outs.
It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win and the Buccs improve to 6-8 overall and 4-5 in the TRC. Next up is another TRC contest at Milton-Union on Thursday.