Baseball: Brother Martin beats Live Oak with walkoff, Newman edges St. Aug

Brother Martin served notice of its contender status Friday, edging Live Oak 5-4 in the Jay Patterson Shootout.

The Crusaders won it on an RBI single by Teddy Johnson in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Brother Martin took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning, the first two coming on a 2-run home run by Cole Mang before Cameron Senior added an RBI single.

The Eagles erased the deficit immediately, scoring four runs in the top of the third. Live Oak loaded the bases and Luke Cowart was hit by a pitch by Alex Laiche to plate a run. Grant Landry then gave the Eagles the lead with a base-clearing triple to make it 4-3.

The Crusaders tied it with a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Mang.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh.

Alex Laiche went the distance for Brother Martin to pick up the win. Laiche allowed four runs on six hits. He walked no one and struck out three, using just 78 pitches.

Braden Varnado took the loss in relief for Live Oak (11-2), snapping a 4-game win streak for the Eagles.

Brother Martin (9-2) will face Zachary at 10 a.m., followed by a game against Hahnville at 12:30 p.m. Saturday with both games at Zachary.

At Avenger Field, Newman edged St. Augustine 3-2 for its fourth straight win.

The Purple Knights got on the board first with a run in the top of the fourth and added a run in the top of the sixth to lead 2-0.

The Greenies answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth and won it with two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

The winning rally started with a 1-out single by Alex Bianchini and he scored on a pinch-hit single by Tucker Joseph to tie the game 2-2. Pike Philibert then singled and an errant throw allowed the winning run to score.

IV Guillot was the star of the game for Newman. He pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits striking out seven.

At the plate, Guillot had two hits and an RBI while Philibert added two hits.

Leon Franklin Jr. had a pair of hits for the Purple Knights while Kabrel Johnson drove in a run for St. Aug (8-2).

Jeffrey Duroncelay took the loss in relief of Shannon Martin for St. Aug.

Newman (10-2) will play twice Saturday, taking on E.D. White Catholic at 2:30 p.m., followed by a game against St. Martin’s Episcopal at 5 p.m. with both games at Avenger Field.

Newman coach Pat Adams continues to watch his team overcome adversity in victories.

“We got down 4-0 Thursday night in the top of the first against South Lafourche with shaky defense and we just kept pecking away and tied it and eventually overcome them,” Adams said. “We just kept battling. Tonight, we fought back tonight as well against a really good St. Aug team after being behind. I don’t think this team ever thinks they are out of it. We are scrappy and have no fear.”

Adams likes the make-up of his club.

“I’m proud of the way we continually compete,” Adams said. “Sam Zurich got hurt last night and did not play today. We had to juggle our lineup. Our success starts on the mind. We are pitching very well, catching the ball and getting timely hits. We will get Will Randle back from basketball now as well and he should help.”

St. Augustine (9-2) saw its 6-game win streak end. The Purple Knights will travel to St. Paul’s Saturday at noon.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Friday, March 12
Archbishop Rummel 9, Denham Springs 5
Archbishop Shaw 19, Sulphur 1
Brother Martin 5, Live Oak 4
Carver 17, Helen Cox 2
Doyle 9, Holy Savior Menard 2
Holy Cross 11, E.D. White Catholic 5
Jesuit 14, Dutchtown 3
Jewel Sumner 6, Pine 1
John Curtis Christian 10, St. Martin’s Episcopal 0
Lutcher 2, Catholic (PC) 0
Newman 3, St. Augustine 2
Springfield 9, Hammond 5
St. James 16, West St. John 0
West Feliciana 4, Mandeville 3