CLAYTON — The third time was just as charming as the first two for Covington softball when the Buccs played Riverside in a D-IV regional semifinal Wednesday at Northmont High School.

After defeating Riverside 10-2 and 18-5 in the regular season, the Buccs advanced to the regional title game with a 9-1 win Wednesday.

Covington will play Parkway for the regional title at 5 p.m. Friday at Northmont.

The Buccs defense got off to a good start in the opening inning when Erika Gostomsky fielded a ball at second and turned it into a double play, throwing to shortstop Nigella Reck, who threw to first baseman Kamryn Barnes.

Covington got on the board in the third inning when pitcher Meg Rogers helped herself.

Taylor Foutz drew a one-out walk and Gostomsky put down a sacrifice bunt.

Rogers then stepped up and hit a two-run homer to provide all the runs Covington would need.

Covington added three more runs in the fifth and four in the sixth inning.

In the fifth inning, Gostomsky had a one-out singled and moved to second on a passes ball.

Rogers would help herself again with a RBI double and Reck followed with a RBI single.

Reck was thrown out stealing, but Mara Newhouse and Karyanne Turner had back-to-back doubles to score Newhouse and make it 5-0.

After Riverside got its lone run in the top of the sixth inning, Covington broke the game open in the home sixth.

After the Buccs loaded the bases, Maggie Anderson crushed a three-run double and she would score on a Newhouse single.

Rogers pitched a four-hitter for Covington, striking out nine and walking just one.

She helped herself at plate, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

Newhouse was 3-for-4 and Reck was 2-for-3.