Baseball Report: Ponchatoula edges St. Paul’s, Northshore wins to take top district spot

Area Prep Baseball Report for Wednesday, April 3

In the battle for a district championship, Ponchatoula was also looking to garner huge power points in its District 6-5A road game at St. Paul’s Tuesday.

The Wolves entered the game No. 1 in the Division 1 power ratings.

Ponchatoula came away with a signature win, defeating St. Paul’s 4-3 at Heap Field in Covington.

The Green Wave scored a run in the top of the first inning before the Wolves took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ponchatoula tied it with a run in the top of the third inning before St. Paul’s took a 3-2 lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ponchatoula tied it with a run in the top of the fifth before scoring the game-winning run in the top of the seventh.

Kole Sonnier laced a pair of doubles and scored the game-winning run in the seventh inning while Collin Husser belted a home run to pace the Ponchatoula six-hit attack.

Collin Babin pitched five innings, allowing three runs before Creed Donaldson pitched the final two innings, not allowing a run to pick up the victory.

William Duncan and Matthew Russo each had a hit and an RBI for while Kyle Conigliaro had a pair of hits for St. Paul’s among seven hits by the Wolves.

With the win, Ponchatoula (14-9, 6-1) remained a half game behind Northshore for the district lead while St. Paul’s (17-5, 5-2) slipped a game and a half off of the league lead with the loss. Ponchatoula is now 15th unofficially in the Class 5A power ratings, which would give the Green Wave a home game in the opening round of the state playoffs if the season ended today.

The two teams will conclude the series today at 6:30 at Athletic Park in Ponchatoula. The game was moved up a day due to potential heavy rain on Thursday.

Northshore is now alone in first in the league after sweeping Hammond 4-2 and 7-0 Tuesday evening at Hammond.

In game one, the Panthers rallied from an early deficit for the win.

Hammond scored two runs in the top of the first inning before Northshore answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. Northshore took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and added an insurance run in the fifth inning for the victory.

Andrew Landry pitched a complete game for the win, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out six Tornadoes. Christian Garcia paced a five-hit attack with two hits and two RBI for Northshore.

Scott Perise, II pitched three and two-third innings, allowing one run on one hit, walking one and striking out four batters for Hammond while Griffin Tinnerello went two and a third innings, allowing three runs on three hits and absorbed the loss. Ashton Dupuy and John Francis each had an RBI for the Tornadoes.

In game two, The Panthers scored two runs in the top of the first, one in the third and one in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead and sealed the deal with four runs in the seventh inning.

Jeremy Martin pitched six shutout innings, allowing three hits, walked three and struck out six to pick up the win. Brayden Jobert had three hits and two RBI, Branyan Bounds had a hit and two RBI and Dillon Cousin drove in two runs for the Panthers, who had nine hits and played error-free baseball defensively.

Marcelo Rodriguez had two hits for the Tornadoes, Mason Greer pitched four innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits and John Francis went three innings for Hammond, taking the loss. Francis allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits. The Tors committed four errors.

Both teams return to district action Saturday. Northshore (14-9, 7-1) will travel to Covington at 6:30 p.m. while Hammond (6-16, 3-5) plays at Mandeville at 1:30 p.m.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Tuesday, April 2

New Orleans Area

Albany 4, Jewel Sumner 2

Bonnabel 17, Landry-Walker 10

Carver 17, NOMMA 7

Chalmette 10, Higgins 0

De La Salle 8, St. James 1

Destrehan 7, East St. John 4

Warren Easton 17, Helen Cox 0

John Ehret 9, East Jefferson 4

Fisher 3, Newman 1

Fontainebleau 8, Covington 5

Holden 7, Kenner Discovery 0

Kentwood 11, Southern Lab 1

Grace King 7, West Jefferson 3

Lakeshore 10, Franklinton 4

Loranger 14, Bogalusa 4

Lusher Charter 7, Donaldsonville 1

Northshore 7, Hammond 0

Northlake Christian 2, Pope John Paul II 1

Pearl River 4, Salmen 3

Pine 14, Independence 3

Ponchatoula 4, St. Paul’s 3

Riverdale 17, McDonogh 35 0

Slidell 6, Mandeville 5

St. Augustine 8, Archbishop Shaw 7

St. Martin’s Episcopal 12, Ecole Classique 1

St. Thomas Aquinas 1, Springfield 0

Patrick Taylor 13, Ben Franklin 7

Baton Rouge Area

Ascension Catholic 16, White Castle 1

Breaux Bridge 13, Livonia 0 (game one)

Breaux Bridge 11, Livonia 0 (game two)

Catholic (BR) 25, McKinley 0

Catholic (PC) 17, Slaughter Community Charter 1

Doyle 11, French Settlement 3

Dutchtown 2, St. Amant 1

East Ascension 15, Broadmoor 0 (game one)

East Ascension 16, Broadmoor 1 (game two)

Family Christian 14, Cristo Rey 4

Live Oak 17, Denham Springs 7

Lutcher 14, Woodlawn (BR) 3 (game one)

Lutcher 3, Woodlawn (BR) 1 (game two)

Maurepas 20, Crescent City Christian 1

Parkview Baptist 15, Tara 0 (game one)

Parkview Baptist 16, Tara 0 (game two)

Runnels 11, Mount Hermon 1

Sacred Heart (VP) 12, False River 3

St. John 10, East Iberville 0

St. Michael 7, Plaquemine 0

University High 2, Brusly 0

West Feliciana 4, Madison Prep 1

Zachary 9, Central 1

Bayou Area

Ascension Episcopal 17, Franklin 0

Assumption 11, Ellender 1

Berwick 10, Kaplan 0

H.L. Bourgeois 6, Belle Chasse 1

Central Catholic 11, Hanson Memorial 0

Covenant Christian 10, KIPP-B.T. Washington 0

Erath 8, Patterson 4

Hahnville 20, Central Lafourche 12

Houma Christian 10, Varnado 0

Lafayette Christian 7, Centerville 6

South Lafourche 3, Morgan City 1

Thibodaux 5, Terrebonne 4

Walker 17, Scotlandville 6

E.D. White Catholic 8, South Terrebonne 7

Area Prep Baseball Schedule for Wednesday, April 3

New Orleans Area

Archbishop Hannan at Belle Chasse, 5 p.m.

East Jefferson at John Ehret, 4:30 p.m.

Holy Cross vs. Brother Martin, 7 p.m. at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium

Lusher Charter at Donaldsonville, 4 p.m.

Pine at Independence, 4 p.m.

South Plaquemines vs. St. Augustine, 4 p.m. at Wesley Barrow Stadium

St. Paul’s at Ponchatoula, 6:30 p.m.

Varnado at Amite, 5 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

Ascension Catholic at East Iberville, 4 p.m.

Destrehan at East Ascension, 5 p.m.

University High at Brusly, 6:30 p.m.

West Feliciana at Madison Prep, 4:30 p.m.

Bayou Area

Centerville at Central Catholic, 5 p.m.