Baseball: St. Martin’s, Mandeville win district titles; Pope John Paul blanks Springfield

Area Prep Baseball Report for Saturday, April 13

A pair of area programs claimed district championships Friday.

St. Martin’s Episcopal edged Riverside Academy 2-1 to win the District 10-1A championship.

In an excellent game and pitcher’s dual, St. Martin’s scored the winning run in the top of the seventh inning on an error as a line drive off the bat of Cooper Wakefield was dropped in center field, scoring Kade Vinju.

Wakefield was superb, going the distance, allowing an unearned run on six hits to get the big win. Wakefield walked three and struck out five.

Jayce Ruiz took the loss despite pitching well. Ruiz went 6 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on just one hit. Ruiz walked six and struck out eight.

Riverside took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Ayden Bullock.

It stayed that way until the top of the fifth inning when St. Martin’s tied the game as Gavin Dimaggio scored on a passed ball.

David Helwig added the other hit for the Saints. Brody Vicknair had two hits for the Rebels.

The Saints last won a district title in 2021, sharing the championship.

St. Martin’s (9-10, 2-0) returns to action today, facing East Jefferson at 6 p.m. at Mike Miley Stadium before facing Kenner Discovery Monday at 4 p.m. at Miley.

Riverside (5-17-1, 1-1) will host H.L. Bourgeois today at 1:30 p.m.

Mandeville captured the District 6-5A championship Friday with a 6-1 win over Northshore in the district tournament. It is the first district championship for the Skippers since 2007.

Mandeville scored four runs in the second inning and never looked back. Kyle Charrier made it 1-0 with a bases loaded walk, Mason Hickman made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. Tyler Fischer made it 3-0 with an RBI single and a wild pitch plated the fourth run.

Charrier had a triple and two RBI while Fischer had two hits and drove in a run for Mandeville. Hickman and Michael Scott each drove in a run.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette signee Aidan Grab stymied the Panthers, hurling a complete game three-hitter. Grab had impeccable control, walking no one and struck out 11.

Carson Malasovich took the loss for the Panthers. Jackson Fayard had a hit and the lone RBI for Northshore while Grant Simmons had two hits, including a double.

Mandeville (24-6) has won seven straight games. The Skippers, seventh in the Non-Select Division I power ratings, will play two more regular season games, hosting Dunham today at 12:30 p.m. before entertaining Holy Cross Monday at 6:30 p.m.

Northshore (12-18) will play at Vandebilt Catholic Monday at 5 p.m.

In District 7-2A, Pope John Paul II stayed hot, shutting out Springfield 7-0 at home.

Pope John Paul II has won 15 of its last 17 games.

The Jaguars scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning, added a run in the fourth and scored two runs in the fifth inning.

Allen Raimer had two hits and two RBI, Andrew Hoff had a double and two RBI and Nate Babin drove in a run for the Jaguars.

Pope John Paul II (22-8, 4-1), eighth in the Select Division III power ratings, returns to action today, hosting Lutcher at 1 p.m. in big power points game.

Springfield (9-16, 3-3) will travel to Hammond Monday at 4 p.m. in its regular season finale.

Area Prep Baseball Results from Friday, April 12
Archbishop Rummel 11, Holy Cross 1
Belle Chasse 11, Ben Franklin 0
Central Lafourche 7, Central Catholic 6 (game one)
Central Catholic 12, Central Lafourche 5 (game two)
Chalmette 12, Fisher 2
Country Day 6, Haynes Academy 3
Covenant Christian 10, H.L. Bourgeois 1
Covington 22, Bogalusa 0
Denham Springs 7, Maurepas 1
Episcopal 4, Doyle 2
Fontainebleau 5, St. Paul’s 0
Franklinton 1, Lakeshore 0
Hahnville 7, Brother Martin 4
Holden 12, South Plaquemines 5
Houma Christian 5, Highland Baptist 1
Jewel Sumner 2, Archbishop Hannan 1
John F. Kennedy 14, Livingston Collegiate 4
Kenner Discovery 26, Booker T. Washington (NO) 3
Lutcher 12, Berwick 1
Mandeville 6, Northshore 1
McDonogh (35) 17, Morris Jeff 3
Northlake Christian 22, St. Helena 2
Patterson 8, Centerville 5
Pope John Paul II 7, Springfield 0
Riverdale 13, East Jefferson 5
Slidell 6, Hammond 0
St. James 8, Ellender 7
St. Martin’s Episcopal 2, Riverside Academy 1
St. Thomas Aquinas 3, French Settlement 1
Vandebilt Catholic 8, South Terrebonne 5
Willow School 2, De La Salle 1