Baseball Report: John Curtis holds off St. Paul’s, 4-3

Defending Division I state champion John Curtis Christian held off St. Paul’s 4-3 Tuesday at Heap Field in Covington.

The Wolves scored a run in the bottom of the first to take the early lead before the Patriots answered with a run in the second and took the lead with two runs in the top of the third to make it 3-1. St. Paul’s answered with a run in the bottom of the third and it was 3-2.

Curtis (5-1) scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the fifth to make it 4-2. St. Paul’s scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to account for the final margin.

Mississippi Gulf Coast signee Ian Landreneau picked up the win, going three and a third innings, using 61 pitches. Landreneau allowed two runs on four hits. He walked three and fanned three. LSU signee Will Ripoll picked up the save, going three and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on no hits, striking out four.

Hunter Bufkin paced the Patriots offense, going 3-for-4 with three RBI while Tennessee football signee Brandon Davis had two hits and an RBI.

Junior Jacob Scherer started and took the loss for St. Paul’s (3-2), going four and a third innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. He walked four and struck out three, using 85 pitches. Freshman Connor Simon relieved and went one and two-third innings before junior Beau Neelis pitched the final inning for the Wolves. Scherer and senior Grant Grosch each had a hit and an RBI to pace the St. Paul’s offense.

John Curtis will play at St. Michael next Tuesday at 4 p.m. St. Paul’s will face Live Oak in the St. Tammany Invitational Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Heap Field.

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