Jays stun Lions for bi-district win

GONZALES – A road win is a great way to open the playoffs.
No. 18 St. Edmund earned a 5-4 win over No. 15 Ascension Christian Monday in the bi-district round of the Class 1-A baseball playoffs.
The Blue Jays (14-13) will entertain No. 2 Covenant Christian, 11-1 winners over No. 31 False River Academy at 6 p.m. Friday.
St. Edmund grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Cole Bergeron doubled and scored on Jacob Duplechin’s hit to centerfield.
The Jays added to its lead in the top of the third as Gibson LaFleur doubled and quickly scored on a double by William Chachere.
St. Edmund pushed ahead 3-0 in the top of the fourth frame when Duplechin walked and scored on an error.
Ascension Christian’s Joshua Poirrier hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning as the Lions (17-8) closed the gap to 3-1.
LaFleur hit a home run in the top of the fifth as the Jays moved ahead, 4-1.
Ascension battled back with two runs in the sixth, begun when Seth Mangrum singled and Peyton Bahlinger ripped a RBI triple to centerfield.
Bahlinger scored on an error as the Lions closed the gap to 4-3.
The seventh inning proved to be an exciting finish between the Jays and Lions.
St. Edmund’s Jack Miller was hit by a pitch, LaFleur doubled and Drake Brunet was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Jack Brown then earned a walk to allow Miller to score to push the Jays ahead, 5-3.
Ascension Christian’s K’vone Delone singled and scored on Bahlinger’s hit to third in the bottom of the seventh, but the Jays defense held on for the win.
LaFleur pitched 5.1 innings for the Jays with nine strikeouts, a walk and allowed three earned runs on four hits.
Brunet closed the game as he walked three, struck out one and allowed one run on two hits.
LaFleur helped his own cause as he went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.