Ascension Catholic stymies Eagles in District 8-1A play
PLAQUEMINE - Ascension Catholic got all the run support they needed in the first inning Thursday evening on the way to a 9-1 victory over St. John to grab command of District 8-1A standings at Eagle Park.
The Eagles (14-5, 4-1), under coach Heath Whittington, also defeated East Iberville 14-2 on Tuesday. St. John travels to Ascension Christian Thursday, Northside Friday and White Castle Monday.
Hunter Schnebelen took the loss for St. John allowing 11 hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking three.
Falcon Mire earned the win for the Bulldogs (11-9, 5-0), striking out eight over seven innings while walking three. He also was 3-for-4 at the plate with a double.
Jacob Caballero was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, two RBIs and one stolen base and Collin Landry hit a double.
Jacob Maranto went 2-for-4 to pace the Eagles and Brandon Noel hit a double.
The Bulldogs scored three runs on three hits in the first inning. Grant Montero reached on an infield single and Nick Bellina drew a walk before Caballero’s hit plated a run. Landry’s single to center made it 3-0.
Schnebelen picked off a baserunner to end the second inning and snagged a liner to get out of the fourth.
Ascension Catholic turned a double play in the third when first baseman Bellina caught a hard hit ball and stepped on the bag.
St. John finally got back-to-back singles in the fourth inning on a liner to right by Christopher Patin and chopper back up the middle from Jacob Maranto but they were left stranded.
The Bulldogs added two runs in the sixth inning. Mire and Garrett Hales hit consecutive singles and both runs scored on errors.
Hayden Hemenway beat out a grounder to lead off the bottom of the sixth and Maranto lined to centerfield to put runners on the corners. Noel’s double off the wall in the left gap plated St. John’s lone run.
Ascension Catholic added three insurance runs in the seventh. Landry grounded through the infield and Mire dropped a single to right to plate a run.
Montero then lined through the left infield for a run-scoring double after Hales drew a walk. A pass ball reflected the final tally.
Shortstop D.J. Latino robbed Schnebelen with a diving catch to open the bottom half and the Eagles grounded into a double play to end the game after Landry drew a walk and Mason LeBlanc lined to right.
Mason Young earned the win over Ascension Christian. Jacob Maranto was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, while Justin Maranto was 3-for-3 with four RBIs and Bailey Whittington was 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Randall Williams took the loss for East Iberville. Williams and Mark Tasker were each 1-for-2 at the plate.
