Eagles slaughter Gators in first-round action

AMELIA — Central Catholic pounded Delhi Charter into submission, 19-0, in first-round playoff action Thursday.
The Eagles (21-4), the sixth-seed, scored seven runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second en route to a run-rule stoppage in the fifth inning. Delhi Charter (9-18), the 27-seed, didn’t help itself by committing at least 10 errors.
“I think we swung the bat really well today. I was kind of worried because we didn’t have a great practice coming into the game,” Central Catholic Coach Tyler Jensen said. “We hit some good shots today but when you haven’t gotten the field very much since our game last Friday, you worry a bit because of rust and things like that, but I was really pleased.”
The Eagles loaded the bases twice in the second inning and the batting order came up to bat twice. By the third inning, Delhi Charter was on its third pitcher.
Gators starter Jake McPherson was pulled in the first inning; he had thrown 44 pitches. In the first two innings, Central Catholic had 18 runs on seven hits and six errors.
“We swung it very well,” Jensen said. “We also made the routine plays and they didn’t. Our pitchers did a really good job of throwing strikes. Anytime you can throw that many strikes and hit that many balls hard, good things are going to happen.”
Central Catholic played its entire roster.
Greg Leger got the start for the Eagles, tossing three innings with six strikeouts and two base-on-balls. Blake Hidalgo came in in relief, throwing two innings with five strikeouts.
The leading hitters for Central Catholic were Stefano Guarisco, 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run; Adam Dupuis, 1-for-1 with three runs; Samuel Guarisco, 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs; Mitchell Lemoine, 2-for-2 with three runs; and Thomas Garber, 2-for-2, an RBI and three runs.
Also contributing to the totals were Charlie Solar, 1-for-1 and an RBI; Patrick Barron, 2-for-2, an RBI and three runs; T.J. Ruffin, 1-for-3, three RBIs and two runs; Charlie Barron, 2-for-2, four RBIs and two runs; Leger, 2-for-3 with four RBIs; and Matthew Barbier, 0-for-1 with two RBIs.
“I told the kids that the next game will not be this simple and we have to get better at practice during the week,” Jensen said. “But I’m proud of how hard they played today and especially how hard we hit the ball. I think sometimes we get numb to these types of wins in the playoffs because we have been so successful, but any playoff win is a good win.”
The Eagles have won seven games in a row.
Central Catholic will play the winner of 11-seed Ascension Episcopal (17-9) and 22-seed Ascension Christian (10-8). That game is at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Ascension Episcopal and Central Catholic are District 7-1 foes. The Eagles won both meetings on the diamond this season.
--By CORWIN MURRAY