Rummel offense awakens to back steady pitching in 2 wins over Alexandria to reach state semifinals

METAIRIE – Sometimes the smallest details and smallest plays lead to the biggest things.

With its season on the line, third seed Archbishop Rummel was locked in a tie during Game 2 of their best-of-three series with No. 6 seed Alexandria on Saturday at Mike Miley Stadium.

It had been an offensive struggle for the Raiders for 12 innings, who scored their first two runs of the series in the top of the first inning but went scoreless over the next five innings after being shut out 1-0 Friday.

The 13th inning proved to be the lucky frame as the game changed on a ball batted about 10 feet.

With LSU commit Mikey Ryan on second base after being hit by a pitch and stealing second, Gavin Kennedy bunted perfectly and beat it out. The throw by the pitcher was errant, Ryan scored and the floodgates opened. The Raiders never looked back from there, taking two games over the Trojans to win the series that was carried live on Crescent City Sports.

Rummel went on to score four runs in the inning and erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning to pull away from Alexandria 13-2 in game two of the best-of-three series to tie the series at a game apiece.

Ryan belted a two-run home run to cap a two-hit game while Kennedy had three hits and an RBI. Tulane commit Evan Burg drove in a pair of runs while Loyola commit Ruben Ramirez, Louisiana Tech commit Gavin Nix and freshman Ian Smith each had a hit and an RBI.

On the mound, Nunez commit Ryan Claverie took care of business.

After giving up two unearned runs in the first inning, Claverie blanked the Trojans the rest of the way to earn his eighth win of the season. Claverie allowed just two hits, walked four struck out six.

Freshman Jack Lee took the loss.

The momentum carries over into game two as the Raiders started fast and pulled away late in an 8-2 win to win the series two games to one.

Rummel scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a single by Ryan, a walk to Burg and a two-out, two-run double by Aiden Gernard.

Alexandria cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the second inning on two hit batters, a walk to load the bases and an RBI single by Miguel Magallon.

Gernard came up big again in the bottom of the third run with a home run to left field, his fourth of the season, to give the Raiders a 3-1 lead.

Rummel extended the lead in the fourth inning on a walk to Ramirez and an RBI double by Ryan to make it 4-1.

The Raiders broke it open with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Nix singled, Lenny Cline walked and Tulane signee Giarcarlo Arencibia singled and a run scored on a throwing error to make it 5-1. Smith doubled and Ramirez singled home a pair of runs to make it 7-1. Ryan followed with an RBI single and it was 8-1.

The Trojans scored a run in the top of the sixth inning on a walk to Jaxon Ross, a groundout advancing him to second, a steal of third and an RBI single by E.J. Scott.

After Rummel starter Avery Williams struggled and could not get out of the second inning, junior Peyton Spadoni, accustomed to handling big stage pressure from his Little League World Series championship experience in 2019 and from his JPRD All-Star days, came on, steadied the ship and picked up the win.

Spadoni, who had pitched just six innings all season, pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout to pick up the win.

Gernard had two hits and three RBI while Ryan had three hits and two RBI.

Clayton Doyal took the loss for Alexandria (20-12).

Rummel (25-8) advances to Sulphur for the second consecutive season to face a familiar opponent in District 9-5A rival and second-seed John Curtis Christian.

The Patriots, like the Raiders lost game one before rallying to win the final two games of its series against district rival and No. 7 seed Brother Martin, defeating the Crusaders 10-4 Saturday at Harahan Playground to advance.

Rummel defeated John Curtis 3-0 and 6-1 in district play and won the league title.

The Raiders reached the Select Division I state championship game last season, falling to district rival Jesuit 1-0 in the title game. The Raiders, who have won five state titles, have not won a championship since 1997 despite reaching the finals in 2012, 2019 and 2023.

GAME TWO—May 4
FINAL
Rummel 200 004 7 13 10 2, 4 LOB
ASH 200 000 0 2 2 3, 5 LOB
WP—Ryan Claverie (8-1)
LP—Jack Lee (7-3)
Time of Game: 2:06
SB—Ruben Ramirez, Mikey Ryan
2B—Grayson Thibodeaux
HR—Mikey Ryan (3)

GAME THREE—May 4
FINAL
ASH 010 001 0 2 4 1, 9 LOB
Rummel 201 140 X 8 11 3, 8 LOB
WP—Peyton Spadoni (2-0)
LP—Clayton Doyal (2-1)
Time of Game: 2:15
SB—Evan Burg, Gavin Kennedy, Ruben Ramirez
2B—Aiden Gernard, Mikey Ryan, Ian Smith
HR—Aiden Gernard (4)