Baseball: Mandeville hands top-ranked Catholic first loss; John Curtis and Riverside win Wednesday

Area Prep Baseball Report for Thursday, May 21

Brady Benoit has done an excellent job as a coach wherever he has been, including as an assistant at UNO, Delgado and Archbishop Rummel and as a head coach at his alma mater, Ridgewood, along with Fort Worth Country Day (Texas), St. Martin’s Episcopal and Northshore.

In just his first season as head coach at Mandeville, that success is continuing.

Wednesday night, the Skippers scored their most impressive win of the season, if not the most impressive win of the season, to date, for anyone in the state, defeating the No. 1 team in the National High School Rankings and previously unbeaten Catholic of Baton Rouge 4-1 at home in the opening game of a three-game series between the two teams.

University of Louisiana (Lafayette) commit Aidan Grab shut down the potent Catholic offense, allowing just one run on five hits in 6.2 innings. Grab walked two and struck out five. Millsaps College signee Cam Cressend came on with the tying run at the plate in LSU commit Jack Ruckert and got him to fly out to center to secure the big win.

Mandeville, seventh in the Non-Select Division I power ratings, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI groundout by Tyler Fischer.

The Bears tied it in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by Louisiana commit Noah Lewis.

The Skippers (15-4) used a 3-run fifth inning to post the win.

Brody Hatchett started the rally with a drag bunt single before Kyle Charrier singled on a slash play, advancing Hatchett to third. Mason Hickman then executed a successful drag bunt single, plating Hatchett. Tyler Fischer advanced Charrier and Hickman to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Millsaps commit Wes Carr was walked intentionally to load the bases and Michael Scott delivered a 2-run single.

Trip Dobson took the loss for Catholic (15-1), going the distance, allowing four runs on six hits. Dobson walked two and struck out six. Lewis had two hits for the Bears while Andrew Clapinski had a double.

Games two and three of the series are set for today at 3 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m. at Grizzly Park in Baton Rouge.

John Curtis Christian handled Fontainebleau 11-1 in a game shortened to six innings in Mandeville by the mercy rule.

The Patriots scored single runs in the top of the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Curtis broke it open with seven runs in the fifth to take a 9-0 lead. The Bulldogs scored their run in the bottom of the fifth before the Patriots scored two runs in the sixth inning to finish it.

Conner Micheu had two doubles and drove in four runs to pace the John Curtis offense, which produced 10 hits. Nate Alario had two hits, including a double with three RBI. Dagan Bruno had three hits, including a double, and scored three runs. Jason Curtis, Luke Martinez and Tyler Mitchell each drove in a run.

Bryce Hebert picked up the win, allowing an unearned run on six hits. Hebert walked two and struck out eight.

John Curtis (13-4) returns to District 9-5A play today, facing Karr at 4 p.m. The Patriots took game one of the series with the Cougars, winning 23-3 Tuesday.

Riverside Academy edged East Ascension 4-3 at Reserve.

The Rebels plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning before the Spartans scored twice in the top of the fifth to make it 3-2. Riverside answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth. East Ascension scored its final run in the top of the seventh but fell short.

Brody Vicknair had two hits, including a double, single and two RBI while Ayden Bullock had an RBI single for the Rebels. Cameron Matt had a hit and scored twice.

Gage Thompson went six innings to pick up the win. Thompson allowed two runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out six. Brock Bourgeois pitched the final inning to pick up the save.

Riverside (3-12-1) will host Ellender Saturday at 11 a.m.

East Ascension (12-6) will host Albany today at 6 p.m.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Wednesday, May 20
Central Catholic 24, Jeanerette 1
Country Day 10, Bonnabel 3
Donaldsonville 20, Glen Oaks 5
Doyle 21, Maurepas 6
Ecole Classique 16, Morris Jeff 1
Franklinton 5, Archbishop Hannan 4
French Settlement 13, Woodlawn (BR) 3
Holden 4, Springfield 3
Jesuit 16, East Jefferson 1
Jewel Sumner 11, Independence 0
John Curtis Christian 11, Fontainebleau 1
John F. Kennedy 19, Booker T. Washington (NO) 8
Lakeshore 10, Salmen 0
Mandeville 4, Catholic (BR) 1
McDonogh (35) 14, McMain 1
Northshore 7, Destrehan 4
Pearl River 6, Loranger 0
Ponchatoula 9, Hahnville 2
Pope John Paul II 8, Archbishop Shaw 0
Riverside Academy 4, East Ascension 3
Slidell 5, Berwick 4
South Lafourche 6, Lutcher 3
South Terrebonne 19, Ellender 2
St. James 6, East Iberville 4
Thibodaux 10, Belle Chasse 2
Vandebilt Catholic 10, H.L. Bourgeois 1