Baseball: Rummel remains unbeaten with win at East Jeff

METAIRIE – Off to a good start, a young but talented Archbishop Rummel continued that momentum, close to home but playing on the road a couple of miles from campus.

Junior Rhett Centanni had four hits, including two doubles and drove in three runs as the Raiders won 10-1 at East Jefferson on a dark Tuesday afternoon.

Rummel scored in each of the first six innings to break the game open.

The game was tied 1-1 after an inning.

Rummel scored on a walk to Mikey Ryan, who stole second, an RBI single by Centanni before the Warriors tied it on singles by Brian Gonzalez and Cameron Lucas and a fielder’s choice groundout by Seth Scuderi, producing a run.

The Raiders took the lead for good in the second inning on an RBI double by Evan Burg to make it 2-1 and Rummel went up 4-1 with a pair of runs in the third inning as Centanni doubled and winning pitcher Shane Hirstius drove him home with a single. Josh Sterling added an RBI with a sacrifice fly.

In the top of the fourth, Giancarlo Arencibia doubled, Centanni singled and Arencibia scored on an RBI groundout by Hirstius before Anthony Mouney doubled in Centanni to make it 6-1.

The lead grew to 8-1 in the fifth inning on walks to Gavin Kennedy and Evan Burg and a two-run double by Centenni to make it 8-1.

Rummel completed the scoring in the sixth inning on a bases loaded walk to Burg and an RBI single by Ryan.

Four Raider pitchers combined on the victory, exhibiting good command of the strike zone, walking just one batter.

Hirstius was credited with the win, going three shutout innings, allowing one run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Sophomore Coleman Capaci came on and was very impressive, striking out the side in the fourth inning.

Junior Brock Bullinger, a key hurler for the Raiders a year ago, saw his first action of the season on the mound in the fifth inning and pitched a scoreless frame with a pair of strikeouts before junior Brady Schmidt pitched the final two shutout innings, allowing one hit with a walk and a strikeout.

“I was very pleased with our pitching,” Rummel coach Frank Cazeaux said. “I thought Shane Hirstius threw the ball very well. Brock came in and threw for the first time this year and looked very sharp. Coleman Capaci battled, has a lot of arm and I thought he did a great job. Schmidt finished well. If you don’t walk people, you have a chance to win. We’re going to play solid defense and we’re going to swing the bats. I thought we were a little sluggish early but we’ll take it.”

Brian Gonzalez took the loss for the Warriors, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits. Gonzalez walked five and struck out one.

Rummel (9-0-1) returns to action in the Jay Patterson Shootout, facing a very good St. Amant team Thursday night in Gonzales. East Jefferson (3-6) will host Ben Franklin Saturday.

“We’ll play St. Amant, Northshore, Zachary and Parkview Baptist in Gonzales,” Cazeaux said. “We’ll find out what we’re made of.”

FINAL
Rummel 112 222 20 10 8 0, 10 LOB
East Jefferson 100 000 00 1 4 3, 5 LOB
WP—Shane Hirstius
LP—Brian Gonzalez
2B—Rhett Centanni (2), Evan Burg, Giancarlo Arencibia, Ahtnoy Mouney, Tre Manganello
SB—Mikey Ryan, Tre Manganello
Time of Game: 2:04