Baseball: Curtis and Riverdale rally late for big wins, Holy Cross sweeps Rummel

It’s not over until it’s over.

That overused premise for any game was never more prevalent than it was Thursday night at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.

One out away from a needed win, Brother Martin dropped a fly ball, allowing a tying run to score.

When that happens against an exceptional team, bad things are going to result.

The result was good for John Curtis Christian, who remained unbeaten in District 9-5A play with a thrilling, improbable 6-4 win over the Crusaders in eight innings.

It was a great birthday present for Patriots head coach Jeff Curtis.

The win was the tenth straight for the red hot Patriots.

Brother Martin took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on an error by the Patriots.

The lead grew to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run single by Cameron Senior, who then scored on a passed ball.

John Curtis began its rally in the top of the sixth inning, scoring three runs on an RBI single by Logan O’Neill and a two-run double by Richard Woodruff.

In the top of the seventh, the Patriots were down to their final out with two outs and nobody on base when Buddy Micheu walked. Shawn Harvard ran for Micheu and Nyan Hayes lifted a fly ball to center field which was dropped, allowing the tying run to score.

In the top of the eighth, Reggie Bergeron singled home a run before Michael O’Brien drove home an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to account for the final margin.

Each team had 10 hits. Hayes and O’Neill each went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Curtis while Senior was 3-for-4 with two RBI for Brother Martin.

O’Brien, the third pitcher for the Patriots, got the win in relief, pitching two perfect innings with four strikeouts. O’Neill started and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits. Josh Lopez pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings before O’Neill came on in the seventh inning.

Sam Gernhauser took the loss for Brother Martin in relief of Tyler Velino, who went 6 2/3 innings.

Brother Martin (15-9, 2-4) will face Holy Cross tonight at 7 p.m. at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium while John Curtis Christian (18-3, 8-0) will play at Holy Cross next Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

At Tiger Park, Holy Cross completed a sweep of Archbishop Rummel, winning 5-2.

As was the case in the first meeting, the Tigers used a big inning to post the win over the Raiders.

Scoreless into the bottom of the fourth, Holy Cross erupted for five runs and that proved to be plenty enough.

Rummel scored twice in the top of the sixth but it was not enough.

Todd Canatella picked up the win, going the distance, allowing two runs on five hits. Canatella walked just one and struck out three, using only 72 pitches, 55 of which were strikes.

Brady Ramon took the loss for Rummel, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout. Brock Bullinger pitched the final 2 1/3 innings.

Max Licciardi had a big two-run single for the Tigers, Josh Orr was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Luke St. Amant had a hit and an RBI and Canatella helped himself with a hit and an RBI.

Holy Cross (16-7, 3-2) takes on Brother Martin tonight while Rummel (14-7, 2-4) dropped its fourth straight and will play at Jesuit at 1 p.m. Saturday in a game that you can to on 106.1 FM and at www.nashfm1061.com.

Riverdale scored an impressive 7-6 win over Newman at Bonnabel Stadium, scoring the winning run on a walk-off RBI single by freshman Travis Monroy.

The Rebels rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win it. Paul Swancey drove in the tying run before freshman Travis Monroy won it with a walk-off RBI single.

Swancey was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while Caden Lotz was 2-for-4.

Aaron Bowman pitched 6 2/3 innings, not able to finish due to reaching his pitch limit. Bowman walked three and struck out two. Jonathan Glover came on with the bases loaded and struck out Pike Philibert to end the threat to keep it a one-run game, setting the stage for the winning rally.

Pike Philibert had three hits while Sam Zurik and William Hewitt each recorded a pair of hits for the Greenies.

Riverdale (9-9) will play at Bonnabel this evening in a District 8-5A contest at 7 p.m. while Newman (19-6) had its scheduled game at South Plaquemines today canceled due a wet field. The Greenies will face Lutcher Monday at 5:30 p.m. at Nicholls State.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Thursday, April 8

Belle Chasse 10, Helen Cox 0

Berwick 3, St. James 2

Central Catholic 7, Chalmette 5

Covenant Christian 3, St. Martin’s Episcopal 0

Covington 10, Hammond 9

Destrehan 6, East St. John 0

Doyle 14, Pope John Paul II 1

Franklinton 5, Lakeshore 4

Hahnville 11, Central Lafourche 0

Holy Cross 5, Archbishop Rummel 2

John Curtis Christian 6, Brother Martin 4 (8 innings)

Karr 14, New Orleans Military & Maritime 0

Lusher Charter 10, Ben Franklin 0

Lutcher 7, E.D. White Catholic 6

Northshore 6, St. Paul’s 4

Pine 10, Independence 0

Slidell 6, Ponchatoula 2

Springfield 13, French Settlement 6

St. Augustine 2, Jesuit 0
St. Charles Catholic 10, Fisher 2

Warren Easton 12, McMain 1