NEW ORLEANS — The St. Augustine Purple Knights defeated Holy Cross, 9-6 in game one of their best-of-three series in the opening round of the Division I select baseball playoffs.
How It Happened:
The Purple Knights jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st courtesy of a Dawson Simmons RBI double. Holy Cross would respond with a 2-run home run from Luca Saltaformaggio to take the 2-1 lead.
In the 2nd inning, Holy Cross would extend the lead to 3-1 on a Ross Klein RBI single.
In the top of the 4th, Howard Bachus would lay down a bunt, and a Holy Cross error on the play to first would result in a St. Aug run. The Purple Knights would tie the game at 3 following an Aiden Castillo RBI double.
In the bottom of the 4th, Holy Cross would battle back with an RBI double from Klein that gave the Tigers the 4-3 lead.
St. Aug’s offense would not stay quiet. In the top of the 5th, another Holy Cross error would allow the Purple Knights to tie the game at 4. Howard Bachus would capitalize with an RBI single that gave St. Aug the 5-4 lead. They would never lose it.
In the top of the 6th, a Dawson Simmons 2-RBI double with bases loaded would extend the St. Aug lead, 7-4. Howard Bachus would later draw a bases-loaded walk to make it an 8-4 ball game.
In the top of the 7th, the Purple Knights would add an insurance run off the bat of Yerdin Castillo to take a 9-4 lead into the bottom of the frame. Holy Cross would plate 2 runs in a late rally but would fall short.
Up Next:
St. Aug and Holy Cross will meet in game two of their playoff series Friday night at 4:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Park.
You can catch all of the high school baseball and softball action Friday night on WGNO’s Friday Night Fastball, presented by Delgado Community College, education that works.
The show starts at 11 p.m. on Nola 38 the CW. The replay is set for midnight on WGNO.
