Jesuit handles Byrd to capture Division I state baseball championship

The Jesuit Blue Jays are the 2021 @LHSAAsports Division I State Champions! #BeSeen@prepbaseball pic.twitter.com/V1PLD6gI1e

— PBR Louisiana (@PBR_Louisiana) May 15, 2021

Just how good was District 9-5A this season?

Consider the fact that Jesuit was 6-6 in the Catholic League.

Against all other teams, the Blue Jays were 25-0. That included winning the most important game of all.

Highlighted by Zack Casebonne’s grand slam and a complete game pitching effort by Ryan Porche, Jesuit captured the 2021 Division I state baseball title Saturday afternoon with a 6-1 victory over top-seeded Byrd at McMurry Park in Sulphur.

CHAMPIONSHIP GRAM SLAM💣

Zack Casebonne (@zackcasebonne) ABSOLUTELY CRUSHES this grand slam for @JHSNolaBaseball to extend their lead in the Division I Championship Game!🔥 @2D_sports

🔒 @BigGreenBasebal Commit 🔒
Jesuit HS | 2021 | LA#2D2021 #2Dhitting #2DCoverageLA pic.twitter.com/j8pI2BOLfS

— 2Dsports Louisiana⚾️ (@2DsportsLA) May 15, 2021

The Blue Jays, seeded second, captured the school’s LHSAA record 21st state baseball championship and Jesuit’s first since a Class 5A triumph in 2011.

Jesuit (31-6) scored first, plating a run in the top of the second inning.

Holden Hess doubled and Joel Terry singled, advancing Hess to third. William Good singled home Hess to make it 1-0, though the Blue Jays left the bases loaded in the top of the second inning.

Jesuit loaded the bases again in the top of the fourth and then a couple of hits in the top of the fifth but once again were not able to add to the lead.

The Blue Jays finally broke it open in the top of the sixth inning.

Luke Brandau reached safely on an error to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Good. Hayden Morris and New Orleans commit Collin Loupe both walked to lead the bases before Giovanni Licciardi drew a bases loaded walk to make it 2-0.

Casebonne, a Dartmouth signee, followed with the big blow, belting a grand slam over the left field wall to break the game open at 6-0.

It was Casebonne won delivered the game-winning, RBI single in the semifinals in a 4-3 win over John Curtis Christian in nine innings.

“What a weekend for Zack!” Jesuit coach Kenny Goodlett said. “I cannot say enough about him. We had the right guy up there and he got the timely hit. It was special but he has been special for us all season long. He had just missed one in his previous at-bat.”

The Yellow Jackets averted a shutout, scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double by Mason Langdon but it was not nearly enough.

Ryan Porche (8-2) went the distance, pitching a five-hitter, striking out four, walking just one, using just 86 pitches.

Evan Adcock started and took the loss for Byrd. Adcock went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Langdon came on and struggled with his command, allowing a hit and walked three, allowing four runs on the grand slam. Kirk Martinson finished up for Byrd.

Jack Walker and Slade Netterville each added a double for the Yellow Jackets. Walker finished with a pair of hits.

Jesuit made several excellent defensive plays and committed no errors.

When your hit it well, field it well and pitch it even better, you will be a hard team to beat.

That was the case for the Blue Jays, who hit nearly .330 as a team while finishing the season with an extremely impressive 1.40 ERA.

“We really made some outstanding plays defensively and that held us in there,” Goodlett said. “They had a couple of doubles early and our defense kept us in it. Ryan is a guy who pounds the zone and relies on defense. He pitched great, as he has all season long for us. We always play well behind him because he does not walk anyone.”

After everything that has happened in the past year, including having the 2020 season cut short, the championship is especially gratifying.

“It is a special experience to win it after a hard year and to come through like this,” Goodlett said. “I am just so happy we are bringing a trophy back to Carrollton and Banks for our school, our fans and our alumni. It was nice to have our fans and student body in Sulphur today. Our league prepared us very well to compete for a title.”