Baseball: Chalmette secures district title, Brother Martin stays unbeaten in league play, Riverdale wins

Area Prep Baseball Report for Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Bryce Wilson’s 14th and final strikeout of the game to seal our 19th district championship pic.twitter.com/RF8hB4Ol4t

— Chalmette Owls 🦉 (@OwlsChalmette) April 4, 2023

Chalmette has been the class of District 8-5A in baseball for a long time.

That trend continues.

The Owls clinched the district title Tuesday with an 11-3 home victory over East Jefferson.

The Owls broke a scoreless game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cam Tipton reached on an infield single, Evan Jacob doubled and Cole Armstrong singled home both.

The Warriors cut the Chalmette lead to 2-1 with a run in the top of the fifth before the Owls put up four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-1 lead. Marcus Campbell and Jadon Williams singled and Tipton doubled home both to make it 4-1. Another run scored on an error before Armstrong drove in a run with a groundout.

East Jefferson answered with two runs in the top of the sixth to make it 6-3 but Chalmette put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Landon Hebert tripled and scored on an error to make it 7-3 and Jacob belted a 3-run double to make it 10-3. Armstrong followed with an RBI single to complete the scoring.

Bryce Wilson went the distance, striking out 14, allowing five hits in an outstanding performance for the win.

Chalmete (15-7, 5-0) will travel to Destrehan Thursday at 4 p.m. while East Jefferson (11-10, 4-1) will next host Patrick Taylor Thursday at 11 a.m.

Brother Martin simply refuses to lose.

The situation was dire, with Holy Cross up 7-4 heading to the seventh inning with just three outs to secure for a big win and the first loss for the Crusaders in District 9-5A play.

Brother Martin showed its mettle again, rallying with four runs to take a dramatic 8-7 victory for its 10th straight win.

Winning pitcher Frank Randol started the rally with one out with a solo home run to make it 7-5.

Jack Lupo tied the game with a two-run triple at 7-7. Egan Prather then drove in Lupo with the winning run on a sacrifice fly.

“Even in the last inning when we came off at the top of the seventh, you know, several guys were saying, ‘Hey, we still have three bullets left,” Brother Martin coach Jeff Lupo told WGNO Sports. “Let’s go fight and go. Let’s go fight’. They’ll fight. And then, all of a sudden, a buy gets on, another guys gets on and, you know, and then the momentum built a little bit.”

Brother Martin started fast, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning off Holy Cross starter Chris Sercovich but the Tigers answered with two in the bottom of the first to make it 3-2.

Holy Cross tied with a run in the third before the Crusaders made it 4-3 with a run in the top of the fourth. The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the fourth and twice in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead, setting the stage for the big comeback.

Randol got the win, pitching two and a third shutout innings with two strikeouts, allowing just one hit. Patrick Laiche started, going four and two-third innings, allowing seven runs (two earned) on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

Eli Booth had three hits, including a home run, triple and single with two RBI, Reece Roussel had two hits, including a double with an RBI and Randol had two hits, including the homer and the double. Lupo had two hits as well while Kolby Hunter also had two hits and scored a run.

Dom Pellegrin was outstanding for the Tigers, going 4 for 4 with two doubles, two singles and two RBI and scored twice. Will Andrade had two hits and two RBI, Pierce Brodnax had a hit and two RBI.

Brother Martin (18-5, 7-0) will host Holy Cross (11-13-1, 3-6) Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.

In District 9-4A play, Riverdale celebrated Senior Night, handling Booker T. Washington 15-5 in a game shortened to four and a half innings by the mercy rule at Mike Miley Stadium

Matt Smith had two hits and two RBI and scored three runs while senior Grant Dejesus had a double and three RBI. Gage Dufour added a double and two RBI while Jim Avila had two hits and an RBI and senior Alex Doyle had a hit and an RBI.

Dejesus picked up the win, going four innings, allowing just one earned run on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Smith pitched the final scoreless inning.

Riverdale (10-10, 2-0) will host The Willow School Thursday at 7 p.m. at Miley while Booker T. Washington (2-14, 0-2) hosts South Plaquemines today at 4 p.m.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Tuesday, April 4

Amite 14, St. Helena 13

Archbishop Shaw 6, Belle Chasse 3

Assumption 5, Lutcher 4

Berwick 20, Donaldsonville 1

Brother Martin 8, Holy Cross 7

Central Catholic 5, Hanson Memorial 4

Central Lafourche 7, Terrebonne 3

Central Private 22, Kentwood 0

Chalmette 11, East Jefferson 3

Covenant Christian 13, Holden 2

Destrehan 14, East St. John 1

Ecole Classique 11, West St. John 1

E.D. White Catholic 10, Patterson 0

Franklin 10, West St. Mary 9

Higgins 19, Landry 1

John Curtis Christian 31, Karr 1

John Ehret 11, Grace King 1

Kenner Discovery 10, Willow School 7

New Orleans Military & Maritime 16, Helen Cox 5

Pearl River 12, Salmen 2

Pine 6, Jewel Sumner 0

Pope John Paul II 5, Bogalusa 0

Riverdale 15, Booker T. Washington (NO) 5

Riverside Academy 27, Varnado 0

South Lafourche 11, Houma Christian 1

South Terrebonne 15, Morgan City 3

St. Charles Catholic 3, Newman 0

Thibodaux 3, Hahnville 1

Thomas Jefferson 3, Haynes Academy 0

University Lab 7, Doyle 0

Vandebilt Catholic 8, Ellender 2

Vermilion Catholic 10, Centerville 5