Baseball Playoffs: John Curtis, Mandeville among winners Thursday

Prep Baseball Playoff Report for Friday, April 26

Beating a district rival once is not easy.

Beating a district rival twice is tough.

Beating a district rival three times is a challenge.

No. 2 seed John Curtis Christian looked to be on the way to an comfortable win Thursday over District 9-5A rival and No. 15 seed St. Augustine at Harahan Playground.

What looked easy became hard.

Make that very hard.

The Patriots held off a furious rally by the Purple Knights to win 10-8 in game one of the best-of-three Select Division I series.

The game was tied 1-1 heading to the bottom of the second inning when the Patriots erupted for nine runs to take a commanding 10-1 lead and threatened to end it early via the mercy rule.

There would be no mercy rule.

St. Augustine scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and scored five in the seventh inning and had the bases loaded in the final frame but could not get the big hit.

Dagan Bruno, who is heading to Tulane, had two hits and an RBI while Jason Curtis had a hit and two RBI. Nate Alario and Bryce Hebert each had a hit and an RBI and Dylan Gilbert, Tyler Mitchell and Juan Washington each added an RBI for the Patriots. John Curtis capitalized on 12 walks and four hit batters by St. Augustine pitching.

Bryce Hebert picked up the win while Amare Cooper took the loss.

Yerdin Castillo had a base-clearing triple for St. Augustine (15-20) in the big sixth inning. Aiden Castillo homered for the Purple Knights.

John Curtis (27-6) can win the series today at 6 p.m. today. Should St. Augustine win, the third and deciding game would be Saturday at 1 p.m., all at Harahan Playground.

When you have a true ace pitcher, your chances of winning are very good.

Make that extremely good.

University of Louisiana signee Aidan Grab was extremely good again Thursday as No. 8 Mandeville shut out No. 24 Neville 5-0 in game one of their best-of-three Non-Select Division I series at Mandeville.

Grab pitched a two-hitter. Grab issued no walks and struck out 10, using just 85 pitches in a brilliant performance.

Mandeville (26-7) scored the only run it would need in the bottom of the first inning before adding three runs in the fourth inning. The Skippers scored their final run in the sixth inning.

Wes Carr drove in a pair of runs while Brody Hatchett had a hit and an RBI for Mandeville. Tyler Fischer and Will Tamplain each added an RBI as the Skippers made the most of four hits. Peyton Chiasson added a triple.

Game two is tonight at 6:30 p.m. with game three, if necessary, set for Saturday at 1 p.m.

Prep Baseball Playoff Results from Thursday, April 25

Non-Select Division I (1) Barbe 3, (17) Sulphur 2 (Barbe leads series 1-0)

(8) Mandeville 5, (24) Neville 0 (Mandeville leads series 1-0)

(3) Sam Houston 11, (14) Walker 0 (Sam Houston leads series 1-0)

(10) Central 3, (7) Natchitoches Central 2 (Central leads series 1-0)

(2) West Monroe 10, (15) Chalmette 0 (WM leads series 1-0)

Non-Select Division II (1) Lutcher 4, (17) Jennings 0 (Lutcher leads series 1-0)

(8) Rayne 1, (9) North DeSoto 0 (Rayne leads series 1-0)

(12) Iowa 5, (5) Eunice 0 ( Iowa leads series 1-0)

(10) Pearl River 9, (7) West Feliciana 3 (PR leads series 1-0)

Non-Select Division III

(6) Jewel Sumner 9, (11) Winnfield 7 (Jewel Sumner leads series 1-0)

Non-Select Division IV (1) Oak Grove 12, (16) South Plaquemines 0 (Oak Grove advances)

(6) Oakdale 4, (11) East Iberville 1 (Oakdale advances)

(2) Mangham 11, (15) Pickering 0 (Mangham advances)

Non-Select Division V

(5) Quitman 4, (12) Doyline 3 (Quitman advances)

(4) Stanley 12, (13) Bell City 3 (Stanley advances)

(3) Hicks 8, (14) Converse 0 (Hicks advances)

(6) Elizabeth 3, (11) Hornbeck 0 (Elizabeth advances)

(7) Lacassine 8, (10) Holden 2 (Lacassine advances)

(2) Weston 12, (15) Choudrant 2 (Weston advances)

Select Division I (1) Catholic (BR) 8, (8) Pineville 1 (Catholic wins series 1-0)

(6) Alexandria 8-1, 16-1 over (11) Riverdale (Alexandria wins series 2-0)

(10) Brother Martin 11, (7) Tioga 4 (Brother Martin leads series 1-0)

(2) John Curtis Christian 10, (15) St. Augustine 8 (John Curtis leads series 1-0)

Select Division II

(8) St. Michael 5, (9) Willow School 3 (St. Michael leads series 1-0)

(5) St. Thomas More 3 (12) De La Salle 1 (STM leads series 1-0)

(13) Evangel Christian 2-7. 10-2 over (4) Buckeye (Evangel wins series 2-0)

(3) Vandebilt Catholic 8, (14) Kenner Discovery 5 (Vandebilt Catholic wins series 2-0)

(6) E.D. White Catholic 1, (11) Archbishop Shaw 0 (E.D. White leads series 1-0)

(7) Lafayette Christian 8, (10) Archbishop Hannan 4 (LCA leads series 1-0)

(2) Teurlings Catholic 7-1, 25-0 over (150 David Thibodaux (Teurlings wins series 2-0)

Select Division III

(5) Dunham over (12) D’Arbonne Woods 8-0, 29-2 (Dunham wins series 2-0)

(3) University Lab 9, (14) Glenmora 2 (University leads series 1-0)

(11) Episcopal 10, (6) Calvary Baptist 2 (Episcopal leads series 1-0)

Select Division IV (1) Opelousas Catholic 11, (17) Cedar Creek 3 (Opelousas Catholic advances)

(5) Central Catholic over (9) Delhi Charter 0 (CC advances)

(3) Ouachita Christian 8, (14) St. Mary’s 3 (OCS advances)

(11) Glenbrook 8, (6) St. John 5 (Glenbrook advances)

Select Division V

(7) Downsville 2, (10) Northside Christian 1 (Downsville advances)

Prep Baseball Playoff Schedule for Friday, April 26

Non-Select Division I

(17) Sulphur at (1) Barbe, 6 p.m.

(24) Neville at (8) Mandeville, 6:30 p.m.

(12) Covington at (5) St. Amant, 6:30 p.m.

(13) Benton at (4) Dutchtown, 6 p.m.

(14) Walker at (3) Sam Houston, 6 p.m.

(11) Parkway at (6) Live Oak, 6 p.m.

(10) Central at (7) Natchitoches Central, 6 p.m.

(15) Chalmette at (2) West Monroe, 6 p.m.

Non-Select Division II

(17) Jennings at (1) Lutcher, 4 p.m. (Game three to follow if necessary)

(9) North DeSoto at (8) Rayne, 4 p.m. (Game three to follow if necessary)

(12) Iowa at (5) Eunice, 4:30 p.m.

(20) Lakeshore at (4) Erath, 6 p.m.

(14) Minden at (3) Brusly, 6 p.m.

(11) Assumption at (6) North Vermilion, 6 p.m.

(15) Belle Chasse at (2) Iota, 6 p.m.

Non-Select Division III

(17) Kinder at (1) South Beauregard, 6 p.m.

(9) Loreauville at (8) Rosepine, 6 p.m.

(12) Many at (5) Doyle, 7 p.m.

(13) Pine Prairie at (4) Red River, 6 p.m.

(14) Berwick at (3) Caldwell Parish, 6 p.m.

(10) Jena at (7) Westlake, 6 p.m.

(15) Pine at (2) Sterlington, 6 p.m.

Non-Select Division IV

(20) Delcambre at (4) DeQuincy, 5:30 p.m.

(10) Centerville at (7) Welsh, 5 p.m.

Non-Select Division V

(17) Simsboro at (1) Pitkin, 6 p.m.

(9) Anacoco at (8) Maurepas, 5:15 p.m.

Select Division I

(17) Pineville at (1) Catholic (BR), 4 p.m. (Game three to follow if necessary)

(9) Jesuit at (8) St. Paul’s, 4 p.m.

(12) Acadiana at (5) Captain Shreve, 6 p.m.

(20) Byrd at (4) Northwood, 6 p.m.

(14) Carencro at (19) Archbishop Rummel, 4 p.m. at Mike Miley Stadium

(10) Tioga at (7) Brother Martin, 4:30 p.m. at Kirsch Rooney Stadium (Game three to follow if needed)

(15) St. Augustine at (2) John Curtis Christian, 6 p.m. at Harahan Playground

Select Division II

(12) De La Salle at (5) St. Thomas More, 6 p.m.

(11) Archbishop Shaw at (6) E.D. White Catholic, 4 p.m.

(10) Archbishop Hannan at (7) Lafayette Christian, 6 p.m.

Select Division III

(17) Ascension Episcopal at (1) St. Charles Catholic, 4:30 p.m.

(9) Newman at (8) Pope John Paul II, 7 p.m.

(13) Fisher at (4) Holy Savior Menard, 6:30 p.m.

(14) Glenmora at (3) University Lab, 4 p.m. (Game three to follow if necessary)

(11) Episcopal at (6) Calvary Baptist, 4 p.m. (Game three to follow if necessary)

(10) Notre Dame at (7) Catholic (NI), 5 p.m.

(15) Loyola Prep at (2) Parkview Baptist, 6 p.m.

Select Division IV

(9) Ascension Christian at (8) St. Frederick, 6 p.m.

(20) Riverside Academy at (4) Vermilion Catholic, 6 p.m.