METAIRIE (WGNO) — When your 7-hole goes three-for-three with five RBIs and your Game 2 pitcher has nine Ks, it is easy to win high school baseball games. No. 2 Jesuit enjoyed those perks in its 11-3 series-clinching win over Carencro on Saturday at John Ryan Stadium.
Designated hitter Gates Barré drove in two runs on a double in the fourth, one on a double in the sixth, and two on a single in the seventh as the 7-hole.
The leadoff and cleanup did their jobs as well. Everett Denny went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and William Good was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run in the first. Good was good at the plate, but he was great on the mound.
After giving up two runs in the first inning and watching a third run score on an error, Good dialed in. The senior right-hander had allowed three hits in the opening frame and would allow just three more the rest of the game. Good struck out nine, walked three, and left five runners on base in the win.
The Blue Jays advance to the quarterfinals to face C.E. Byrd, who knocked out Brother Martin with a 16-5 win in Game 3 of their regional round series. Date and time for Game 1 of the Jesuit-Byrd series is yet to be known, but these teams know each other very well.
After each regional series ended, both head coaches spoke with WGNO about the upcoming matchup.
“Byrd is a good opponent that’s very well-coached. Three years in a row we will meet them in the postseason, and we know it’s going to be tough,” Jesuit head coach Kenny Goodlett said about the Yellow Jackets.
Byrd head coach Greg Williams, who will have to go through two Catholic League powerhouses to reach the semifinals, said, “Anytime you beat Brother Martin in the playoffs is special. Coach Lupo does a great job. They are very offensive, a lot of tough outs. And with Jesuit, they always pound it and throw strikes and play solid defense. And we expect the same thing out of them.”
Byrd scored 19 runs in Games 2 and 3 against the Crusaders, and Jesuit scored a combined 16 runs on the Bears in Games 1 and 2.
The floodgates are certainly open for both teams.