Tigers end Blue Jay run, 11-1

The St. Edmund High Blue Jays had a slow start and never could recover in Friday’s Class A quarterfinal game against the Oak Grove Tigers.

The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, using a walk, two errors, and a two-run double by Sam Philley to open the scoring. Philley later scored on a single by Hayden Waters before senior pitcher Gibson LaFleur retired the side.

LaFleur shut out the Tigers in the second inning, but the Tigers would score their fourth run in the third inning when Philley walked, stole second base, and scored on a double by Carlo Sciana. 

Oak Grove added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Tucker Hibbund singled and moved to third on a bunt single from Kohl Milligan in the fourth. Hibbund would score on an error. The fifth inning run came by way of a solo home run by Waters to make it 5-0.

“We didn’t recover from the early errors,” said Blue Jay head coach Scott Richard. “We just didn’t look comfortable out there and it put us in an early hole.”

Oak Grove pitcher Jackson Wyly kept the Jays’ offense at bay through the first three innings, not allowing a hit until a leadoff single by Drake Brunet in the fourth. Brunet stole second base, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on grounder to shortstop by Jack Brown, cutting the lead to 5-1.

Coach Richard would bring on Brunet to relieve LaFleur after a leadoff walk to open the sixth inning. Brunet was greeted by back-to-back-back doubles by the Tigers’ Milligan, Nate Jennings, and Mathes. Waters added a run-scoring single as the Tigers increased thier lead to 9-1.

The Tigers added another run on a run-scoring double by Philley to make it 10-1.

The Blue Jays had scoring opportunities in both the sixth and seventh innings. Brunet and Brown were left stranded in the sixth inning after each singled with two out. Jacob Duplechin and Lance Miller drew walks in the bottom of the seventh, but were stranded.

Both coaches praised their starting pitchers in post-game comments. “Wyly didn’t have his best stuff today, but he managed the game well.” Wyly went the distance, allowing four hits and one run. He issued six walks and struck out seven.

Rollinson said the three-run first inning was key for his team. “We did the small things, such as bunting and baserunning to get the early lead.”

Coach Richard praised LaFleur for his five-inning stint. “Gibson didn’t have his good stuff today, but he battled through it, trying to keep us in the game.” The Jays finished their season with a 15-13 record.

The Tigers (17-7), who were state runners-up in Class 2A last year, will head back to Sulphur next weekend to face either Vermilion Catholic or Ascension Catholic in the semifinals.