Catholic High takes Division I state baseball crown with 4-1 win over John Curtis

State Champs!!! Bears win 4-1 over John Curtis pic.twitter.com/ilHjsU2Way

— CHS Athletics (@CHSBRAthletics) May 15, 2022

Catholic High was the top team in Division I all season long, earning the top seed in the playoffs.

The Bears justified their seeding Sunday, rallying to defeat No. 3 John Curtis Christian 4-1 in the state championship game at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was pushed back a day due to weather issues in Hammond.

The wait was worth it for Catholic.

The Bears outlasted Delgado commit Logan O’Neill, who pitched the first five innings, allowing just one run on three hits. O’Neill walked three and struck out two, using 85 pitches after he had used 22 pitches in relief in a 3-2 win over Brother Martin in the semifinals on Thursday.

Catholic scored the winning runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off Tulane commit Michael O’Brien, who allowed three runs on three hits, walking one and striking out one to take the loss.

Daniel Harden, who was part of a state championship for the Catholic football team last fall, ripped a two-run double to left field to give the Bears their first lead at 3-1 before Matthew Reinholtz plated Harden with a successful safety squeeze bunt to make it 4-1.

“The resiliency of this team is special,” Catholic coach Brad Bass said. “It is a team built off chemistry. They believe in one another. They knew someone would get the big hit and today it was Daniel. I was so excited for this team. They earned it.”

John Curtis (22-12) took the lead in the top of the third on a double by Michael O’Brien before Buddy Micheu singled him home to make it 1-0.

Catholic (31-7) tied it in the bottom of the fourth on a walk to Prescott Marsh, a double by Clayton Porciau and a sacrifice fly by Harden and it was 1-1.

Marsh started and went four innings, allowing one run on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

Will Boneno pitched the final three innings without giving up a hit with one strikeout and one walk to pick up the victory.

“Prescott did exactly what we wanted him to do and he came through for us and turned it over to Will,” Bass said. “It worked out the way we planned it.”

Micheu and O’Brien each had two hits for the Patriots. Pourciau had two hits for the Bears.

“It is a game of inches,” Patriots coach Jeff Curtis said. “We had one go just foul and they had a pair of big defensive plays. Out kids fought hard the entire season. At one point, we were 6-7 and trying to find our identity. We just kept fighting and kept showing up. We lost to a very good team today.”

The Patriots typically practice at Harahan Playground but the field there was out of commission all season long following Hurricane Ida.

“We did not have a practice facility all year and had to throw bases on our football field and even hit in the gym,” Curtis said. “We never made excuses. They just kept competing. I’m really proud of them. I told them that. They accomplished so much. I am extraordinarily proud of them and their tenacity and desire to compete. We had a chance. It just didn’t bounce their way.”

The title is the first for the Bears since 2013 as Catholic avenged a 5-0 loss to the Patriots in the 2017 state championship game when Ian Landreneau pitched a no-hitter.

“It is a great feeling,” Bass said. “The last time we played them, they no-hit us in the final. It was nice to turn it around this time.

FINAL
JCC 001 000 0 — 1 5 0, 6 LOB
CHS 000 103 X — 4 6 1, 6 LOB
WP—Will Boneno (1-0)
LP—Michael O’Brien (6-3)

2B—Michael O’Brien, Daniel Harden, Clayton Pourciau