Cubs halt St. John’s streak
PLAQUEMINE - St. John’s the Evangelist’s 14-game winning streak was snapped when University High – B.R. scored two or more runs in four innings to pull away 11-1 on Friday afternoon at an Ascension Catholic tournament game hosted at Eagle Park.
The Eagles (15-3, 1-0), under coach Heath Whittington, also fell to Dunham 4-2 on Saturday before rebounding over Episcopal-B.R. 10-0 on Sunday after opening the week with victories over Covenant Christian 3-2 and West St. John 7-1 in their league opener.
St. John travels to Ascension Catholic Wednesday after hosting East Iberville Monday and traveling to Ascension Christian Tuesday, White Castle Thursday and Live Oak Saturday.
“It was the worst game we played since I have been here,” sixth-year coach Whittington said. “By far the worst game. We just have to pick up the pieces and go.”
“Hats off to U-High. They played a great ball game. They still would have beat us even if we would have made the plays. I know they are going to be good. You got the No. 2 team in 2A and the No. 2 team in 1A and they showed up and we didn’t.”
Rene Ledet took the loss for St. John allowing 11 hits over six innings while striking out and walking four each. Tyler St. Germain pitched one inning allowing one hit and walking two.
Bailey Whittington was 1-for-1 with a double for the Eagles. Trevor Curry (RBI, stolen base) and Jacob Caballero were each 1-for-3 and Chris Patin scored a run.
Manny Miles earned the win for University striking out and walking four each over five innings while allowing just two hits. Miles was also 1-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Brandt Broussard got the save in two innings of relief striking out three and surrendering two hits. Broussard also had three RBIs and two runs.
Steven Sensley was 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and Gino Marucci was 3-for-5 with two doubles. Josh Jefferson (run, stolen base) and Jake Wharton were each 2-for-3 and Daniel Lockwood scored three runs.
Sensley’s homer put the Cubs ahead 2-0 in the top of the first after Marucci doubled. Caballero lined inside the right field line in the second but was left stranded.
Marucci doubled to the right gap in the third but Ledet induced a grounder to get out of the inning. Morgan Booksh and Curry drew consecutive walks in the bottom half but were left stranded.
Miles dropped a blooper into a campfire in shallow right field to make it 3-0 in the fourth after and University added two more runs in the inning.
Shortstop Curry completed a double play from second baseman Booksh, who snagged a liner, in the fifth inning and lined off the left fielder to score St. John’s only run in the bottom half after Patin and Colby Landry drew walks.
Wharton and James Kern lined through opposite infield to plate runs in the sixth and Whittington was left stranded after a one-out double.
University added four runs in the seventh on two walks and a hit batter. Curry lined through the left infield with two outs in the bottom and stole second but Broussard struck out the next batter to end the game.
Seth Gulotta pitched seven innings against Covanent Christian. Hunter Schnebelen pitched seven innings against West St. John. Brandon Noel pitched four innings against Dunham and Booksh two. Gulotta pitched five innings against Episcopal.
