The Shadow
Overcast skies was the forecast for Tuesday evening’s baseball game between Covington and Roanoke Catholic.
The Celtics had to feel like they ran into a major thunderstorm after dropping a five-inning decision, 18-0.
The senior duo of Adam Simmons and Preston Waddell provided the thunder and lightning.
Simmons went 4-for-4 on the day with two doubles, a triple and a three-run bomb in the fourth inning. Simmons also drove in six runs and scored four in the win.
Waddell came one pitch away from perfection, but hit Roanoke Catholic’s Chase Sprague with his first pitch of the fifth inning. Waddell finished with five-inning no-hitter, striking out 10 batters and hitting one.
“Awesome feeling man,” said Waddell, referring to his feat. “I wanted the perfect game bad, but we batted so long in the bottom of the fourth that my arm got a little tight and I let the first pitch of the fifth get away from me. A no-hitter works for me.”
Waddell had his pitches working for the first three innings, striking out seven of the first nine batters he faced with five of them looking.
“I felt good out there on the mound today,” added Waddell. “I felt like I had good control with my pitches and hit most of my locations.”
While Waddell silenced the Celtics’ bats, his teammates were pounding Roanoke Catholic starting pitcher Sam Gerstemier.
Covington scored three runs in the first, five in the third and blew it wide open with a 10-run fourth inning.
Simmons’ RBI double in the first plated Chad Lipes. Waddell drew a walk and both he and Simmons scored after Kyle Greene reached on an error.
Lipes drew a walk to lead off the third inning and swiped his second bag of the evening to move into scoring position. Michael Myers followed with an RBI single and Simmons followed with the first of his two RBI triples to plate Myers.
Waddell plated Simmons with an RBI groundout to third. Greene drew a walk and scored on a Celtics’ throwing error later in the inning.
Matthew Myers reached on a bloop single and scored on Zach Humphries’ RBI double to give Covington an 8-0 lead.
Michael Myers was hit by a pitch to start the Cougars 10-run fourth inning rally. Simmons followed with his second RBI triple and Waddell backed that with a run-scoring single.
Greene singled for his first varsity hit and Chris Bowden followed with an RBI single. Aaron Fertig drew a walk to put two on with one out.
Derek Harris came off the bench to rip an RBI single back up the middle. Fertig scored after Lipes reach on an error and Harris scored when Michael Myers reached on the Celtics’ ninth error of the game.
Simmons followed with a three-run blast that landed in the bleachers of Boodie Albert Stadium to complete Covington’s 10-run rally.
“Total team effort today,” said Cougar coach Mick Strand. “Preston pitched really well and I’m happy to see him get off to a good start. Adam was really seeing the ball well today.
“Everyone contributed in the win,” added Strand. “It was good to see both Kyle and Derek pick up their first varsity hits, but more important, it was great to pick up the first win of the season. Hopefully we can carry this momentum over to tomorrow.”
Simmons’ 4-for-4 day paced the Cougars 11-hit attack. Waddell was the only other Cougar with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Covington (1-1) hosts Greenbrier West today at 5:30 p.m. before preparing for Saturday’s Michael’s Pizza Border Bash with Bath County, Pocahontas, W.Va. and Richwood, W.Va.
