| AWAY | Â | HOME | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAYNE CHRISTIAN | VS | JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | |
| 3 | Â | 13 | |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Christian | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| John Paul II Catholic High School | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
Freshman Noah Sugg was outstanding on the mound Thursday afternoon as the John Paul II Catholic High School baseball team defeated visiting Wayne Christian 13-3.
JPII improved to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the CPIC, and the Eagles dropped to 3-2 and 1-1.
Sugg threw a five-inning complete game for the Saints, with 47 of his 64 offerings being strikes. He allowed three hits and no earned runs. Sugg gave up no walks and struck out six. Wayne Christian scored all of its runs in a calamitous top of the second inning during which time JPII committed two of its three errors.
The Saints took the early lead at 3-0 after one inning. Nike Wiggins walked and stole second before Ray Shaw reached on an error, enabling Wiggins to score. J.T. Williams then tripled to right to plate Joseph Caporossi, who was pinch-running for Shaw after Shaw landed awkwardly on first base. Axel Keller walked and stole second to put runners on second and third, then Williams scored on a fielder’s choice to first base off the bat of Tyler Winkler.
After the Eagles tied it at 3 in the top of the second, JPII took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Caleb Thrift led off with a walk and eventually came around to score on a two-out triple by Shaw.
The Saints broke it open with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Thrift’s one-out single, Aaron Gregory was hit by a pitch and Wiggins singled to center to load the bases. Shaw drove in a pair with a line-drive single to center and then Williams plated one more with a single to left, putting runners on first and second. Keller walked to load the bases. With two outs, James Donofrio singled to left to drive in a pair, ending up at second himself on the throw with Keller at third. Ryker Butcher walked to load the bases, then Thrift was hit by a pitch to score Keller and make it 10-3. Max Mason was inserted into the lineup for Gregory and promptly was hit by a pitch, forcing in Donofrio. Butcher scored on a wild pitch to finish the scoring for the inning.
JPII ended it in the bottom of the fifth with a run to enforce the mercy rule. Fittingly, Sugg was the last batter, as he hit a grounder to the third baseman who misplayed it into an error, enabling Williams to score.
The Saints will hit the road for three games next week: at Harrells Christian on Monday, CPIC-rival Greenfield on Tuesday, and Grace Christian out of Sanford on Friday. JPII beat Harrells 9-2 in the opener Feb. 28. Greenfield is 2-1 in the CPIC and was 4-2 overall going into a game against Parrott on Thursday. Grace Christian, the NCISAA 1A state champion a year ago, was 6-1 after beating Wilson Christian 13-2 on Thursday.
