| AWAY | HOME | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| FREEDOM CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | VS | JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | |
| 6 | 7 | ||
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Christian Academy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| John Paul II Catholic High School | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
When it was do-or-die time for the John Paul II Catholic High School baseball team on Monday, the Saints did.
Facing a two-run deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh and final inning, JPII pieced together a couple of walks and four hits — none bigger than a bases-loaded single by Nike Wiggins to plate the decisive run — as it earned a 7-6 victory over visiting Freedom Christian from Fayetteville.
Axel Keller led off the bottom of the seventh with an opposite-field single to left. Then with a full count, Tyler Winkler ripped an opposite-field triple to right to score Keller and make it a one-run game. James Donofrio followed with a bloop single to left and advanced to second on an error as Winkler scored to tie it up. After Donofrio went to third on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Ryker Butcher, Caleb Thrift walked to put runners at the corners.
Joseph Caporossi, inserted as a pinch-runner for Thrift, stole second on a 1-0 count to the next batter, Aaron Gregory, who subsequently was intentionally walked to load the bases and set the stage for Wiggins. On an 0-1 count, Wiggins laced a line-drive single to left over the heads of the drawn-in infield. That scored Donofrio and set off a Saints celebration.
“I’m very happy for all the boys,” said coach Matt Mason, whose team improved to 6-3 overall as Freedom Christian dropped to 4-6. “They work really hard to be good baseball players and to build this program. To see them have success, especially when facing adversity, is so rewarding. That was a really good win for our team against a very solid Freedom Christian.”
The Saints got an outstanding effort from freshman starter J.T. Williams on the mound. He didn’t give up a single hit and had faced the minimum until there was one out in the top of the fifth. In fact, he didn’t give up a single earned run, although the Patriots scored all six of their runs in that fifth inning. JPII committed three of their four errors in the fifth, essentially giving Freedom Christian, which finished with five hits, six outs in the frame. Williams walked only one and struck out 10 before giving way to Donofrio, who closed it out and earned the win on the mound.
The Saints got on the board with three runs in the third. Wiggins started it with a one-out single to left. He stole second and scored on a triple by Ray Shaw. With two outs, Keller drove in Shaw with a single to center. Winkler reached on an error and Donofrio singled to load the bases before Butcher walked to force in Keller.
JPII scored another run in the fourth. Aaron Gregory was hit by a pitch to open the inning. After stealing second, he went to third on a fielder’s choice by Wiggins. Shaw was walked before Gregory scored on an errant pick-off attempt by Freedom Christian’s pitcher.
Although the Saints finished with four errors, they did have a few stellar defensive plays. Most notable was one made by freshman shortstop Noah Sugg. In the top of the seventh, the Patriots had runners on first and second with one out when Ethan Bunce scorched a low liner toward Sugg, who somehow came up with the stop and was able to force out the runner going to second. The inning ended one pitch later when Butcher, the catcher, threw out Bunce trying to steal second.
The Saints, who are 2-1 in the CPIC, will be back in action at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, against conference-rival Wayne Country Day at the C35/ECAP Complex in Goldsboro. They will return home to face a much-improved Wayne Christian on Thursday in another CPIC game.
