COVINGTON – The Covington Buccaneers put together their best game of the season in a 4-3 victory over a very talented Miami East team on Wednesday.

“We beat one of the top D-3 teams in the area,” said Covington coach Andy Johnson. “We lost to Bethel on Monday because we weren’t ready to play and we lost to Riverside last night because we gave them too many extra chances. Tonight was a big confidence boost for us.”

The Buccaneers are very talented too, regardless of the 8-11 record where several of the losses were close games.

Miami East, who is 15-3, is a team that is hard to score on as the Viking had given up just 40 runs on the season heading into the game.

The Vikings held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth, but Covington was able to take advantage of some uncharacteristic mistakes by Miami East to score four runs.

With two outs in the inning, Tyler Jay walked and Brairen Denson was hit by a pitch. Tanner Palsgrove reached on an error that scored Tyler Jay. Palgrove stole second, which set up runners at second and third. Jacob Tipps singled to center to score Denson and Palsgrove to put the Buccs on top 3-2. Grant Blore capped the inning with a single to left that scored Tipps to increase the lad to 4-2.

Tyler Jay started the game and threw very well into the seventh inning. Unfortunately he had to be pulled out after the Miami East scored a run with no outs to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Carson Taylor replaced Jay on the hill and was able to shut down the Vikings to preserve the 4-3 win and record a save. Taylor got back-to-back ground outs and then a strikeout looking to end it.

Covington managed just four hits on the night, hut the hits came at the ideal time to put runs on the board. The hits came off the bats of Tanner Palsgrove, Jacob Tipps, Ashton Skaggs and Grant Blore.

Covington improves its record to 8-11 on the season and 6-8 in the TRC. Next up is a road contest at Newton on Friday.