Baseball Report: John Curtis holds off Episcopal to open season

Ranked ninth in the nation in the Baseball America, defending Division I state champion John Curtis Christian is clearly the team to beat once again in Division I in 2018.

The Patriots opened their campaign with a tough 4-3 victory Monday evening over a good Episcopal team at Mike Miley Stadium.

Curtis got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the bottom of the first and once in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead. The Knights cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth but the Patriots answered with what proved to be the decisive run in the bottom of the frame to make it 4-1.

Episcopal scored twice in the top of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to one but could not get the equalizer.

LSU signee Cade Beloso drove in a pair of runs for Curtis (1-0) while Johnny Curtis had a pair of hits. Tennessee football signee Brandon Davis was 3-for-3 with an RBI. Amadee had two hits and an RBI for the Knights (0-1).

Tulane signee Logan Stevens went four shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four to pick up the win for the Patriots. Stevens was 1-for-3 at the plate. Senior Will Ripoll came on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning to pick up the save. Curtis had nine hits to four hits for Episcopal.

The Patriots return to action in the St. Charles Catholic Tournament Thursday against the host Comets at 3:30 p.m. while the Knights play at French Settlement next Monday at 5 p.m.

Final

Episcopal  000 012 0   3   4   0

Curtis        210 010 x    4   9   0

Area Prep Baseball Results from Mon., Feb. 19

New Orleans Area

Archbishop Hannan 4, Slidell 0

Archbishop Rummel 11, Northlake Christian 4

Bonnabel 3, Patrick Taylor 2

Central 14, Mandeville 0

Country Day 4, East Jefferson 1

John Curtis Christian 4, Episcopal 3

Ben Franklin 6, Karr 2

Northshore 6, Franklinton 2

Ponchatoula 6, Chalmette 1

Riverside 9, Covington 2

St. Paul’s 12, Newman 11

Sulphur 11, Destrehan 1

Thibodaux 10, Thomas Jefferson 0

Baton Rouge Area

Southern Lab 19, Broadmoor 2

Walker 11, St. James 7

Bayou Area

Morgan City 10, Berwick 0

Vandebilt Catholic 3, Archbishop Shaw 1

Area Prep Baseball Schedule for Tues., Feb. 20

New Orleans Area

Belle Chasse at Fisher, 5 p.m.

Carver at Helen Cox, 4:30 p.m.

Donaldsonville at Avoyelles, 6 p.m.

Ben Franklin at Haynes Academy, 4 p.m.

Hammond at Jewel Sumner, 6 p.m.

KIPP Renaissance at Lake Area New Tech, 3:30 p.m.

Loranger at Pope John Paul II, 6:30 p.m.

Plaquemines at St. James, 4 p.m.

Slidell at Grace King, 4 p.m.

Southern Lab at East St. John, 3:30 p.m.

South Plaquemines at Lusher, 6:30 p.m.

St. Martin’s Episcopal at Bonnabel, 6:30 p.m.

Varnado at Amite, 5 p.m.

West St. John at KIPP-B.T. Washington, 3:30 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

Lafayette at Dutchtown, 6 p.m.

Scotlandville at Port Allen, 3:30 p.m.

Bayou Area

Centerville at Westgate, 6 p.m.

Ellender at Covenant Christian, 7 p.m.