Rummel duo Bullinger, Centanni sign with Central Alabama baseball program

Brock Bullinger and Rhett Centanni have enjoyed good baseball careers at Archbishop Rummel, and their time with the Raiders is not over yet.

Rummel is in the Select Division I LHSAA state semifinals, facing top seed and defending state champion Catholic of Baton Rouge Thursday at 2 p.m. in a contest that will air live on NASH ICON 106.1 FM.

Win or lose, the careers will continue as both teams will play for the NOLA Cardinals powered by Gibbs Construction in Connie Mack baseball this summer.

Then, both will continue playing at the next level.

Bullinger and Centanni will remain teammates and roommates after signing Tuesday to play at Central Alabama Community College in Alexander City, Alabama. The Trojans won a Junior College national championship in 2013.

As a third baseman and pitcher, Bullinger has been an excellent two-way player for the Raiders this season.

Bullinger is batting .367 with 10 doubles, two home runs and is tied with Centanni for first on the team with 37 RBI in 37 games played.

On the mound, Bullinger is 5-4 with a 3.23 ERA. In 62 innings, Bullinger has allowed 54 hits while issuing 24 walks with 58 strikeouts in 11 appearances, all starts.

“I’ve been waiting for this day my whole life and I’m just happy it finally came,” Bullinger said. “It felt like all the hard work I put in throughout the years paid off. I like the coaching staff and the players are cool. The campus is nice at Central Alabama. I’m excited Rhett and I are going to play together and as roommates.

Centanni is a superb fielding first baseman with power. Centanni is batting .291 with nine doubles, a team-leading six home runs and 37 RBI.

“It was a big goal of mine ever since I was young, I dreamed of playing at the next level,” Centanni said. “What I like most about Central Alabama is it’s a real small school and I kind of wanted to go away from home. I like Brock, he has a good work ethic and he can definitely push me to be a better player. I can definitely improve more hitting. My fielding is probably the best part of my game.”

Both players are looking forward to the challenge in Sulphur.

“We have a big game Thursday and hopefully another big game Saturday,” Centanni said. “We’re playing really good right now. Catholic is a really good team with really good pitching and a lot of commits. We know we can win and we will come out and play hard.”

Bullinger feels he knows the approach Rummel must take.

“We’re prepared, we just have to go out there and play loose,” Bullinger said. “I think we can make some noise. We have come together as a team. We had some tough losses earlier in the year. We learned a lesson from those losses and it’s all coming together at the right time.”

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