Central Catholic edges Hanson in state semifinals

SULPHUR _ After 6 and 2-3 innings, the No. 5 Hanson Memorial Tigers had the No. 1 seed Central Catholic of Morgan City Eagles locked into a scoreless battle, but a pair of late-game hits proved to be the difference in the semifinals of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Louisiana High School Athletic Association State Baseball Championships here Friday at McMurry Park.
Hanson Coach Ryan Stoute said it was a big game in which both teams competed.
“They are the best team in the state, I’ve said that and I thought we were right there with them,” Stoute said. “I was hoping we would meet them on tomorrow but the Good Lord didn’t have that, he would have us play them on the big stage a big game before and our guys competed and their guys competed, it was everything I expected and probably a little bit better than I expected. Hats off to those kids, they pitch well, they swung it well, they executed well.”
Central Catholic scored the game-winning run in its final at-bat to pull out a heart-pounding 1-0 win over the Hanson Memorial Tigers in the semifinals of the State Class 1-A playoffs.
Hanson starting pitcher John Guienze and Central Catholic’s Blake Hidalgo were locked into an old fashioned pitcher’s duel throughout the seven-inning contest which brought the partisan fans to their feet several times in the highly-contested battle of familiar squads with a chance at playing for the State Class A Championship on the line.
Guienze worked seven full innings, giving up only one run on 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
“He’s a stud,” Stoute said of Guienze. “For years he’s been being a stud for us, he’s not going to pop off the radar, but he’s a competitor and he gets up for big games, especially that team in red as he battled those guys for years and he did it again today. We couldn’t have been more proud and honored to have coached him these five years.”
Hidalgo went seven full innings, surrendering no runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and seven hits.
Central Catholic’s Drake Angeron belted the only RBI of the game on a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning which gave the Eagles the heart-breaking 1-0 victory.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Central Catholic’s Stefano Guarisco lined a double to left field on a full-count offering from Guienze. With Guarisco standing at second base, Angeron smacked an 0-1 pitch to shallow right field, delivering Guarisco from second with the game-winning hit which propelled Central Catholic into the State Class 1A championship game against Oak Grove on Saturday. Oak Grove posted a 9-4 victory over Vermilion Catholic of District 7-1A in Friday’s earlier contest. The Eagles beat Oak Grove 8-7 to win the State Class A Title in the finals Saturday.
Guienze and Hidalgo turned in superb performances, working out of jams throughout the heart-clutching contest which featured the two best teams in District 7-1A as well as long-time St. Mary Parish rivals.
Guienze and Hidalgo went toe-to-toe in an epic battle which had the makings of an instant classic. In the top half of the second inning, Hidalgo gave up an infield single to Hanson’s Brennan Young who advanced to third base on sacrifice bunts by Luke Rodriguez and Spencer Bishop. With the game’s first run standing at third base, Hidalgo ended the threat by going to his bag of tricks and pulling out a strikeout.
In the bottom of the second inning, Guienze took his turn working out of a huge jam as he worked his magic by striking out a pair of batters.
Central Catholic’s Gregory Leger smacked a one-out single to right field before Mitchel Lemoine singled him to third base, putting runners at the corners.
Guienze once again bore down, striking out the next two batters, denying the Eagles an opportunity to break the scoreless tie.
In the fourth frame, Guienze and Hidalgo mirrored each other’s efforts by giving up a hit before retiring the sides with phenomenal followed up with outstanding defense from their teammates.
Hanson’s Chase Mensman led off the inning with single up the middle before Hidalgo stopped the next three batters, striking out two to end the fifth frame.
In the bottom of the sixth, Guienze gave up a lead-off double to Samuel Guarisco before fanning one batter, inducing one to a popup before giving up an intentional walk to Leger before getting another batter to fly out at second base to end the inning.
Barrilleaux, who went 1 for 3, lined a two-out single in the fifth before swiping second and third bases, giving HMS an opportunity to break the knot before the inning ended with Hidalgo working his way out of the jam.
In the top half of the seventh inning, pinch-hitter Ashton Corcoran kept their hopes alive with a two-out single before giving way to courtesy runner Brian Sonnier. A double play later retired the side with the game remaining in a scoreless tie.
Guienze opened the seventh frame by stopping the first two batters on a throw out by second baseman Chase Mensman and a strikeout. Guarisco followed by taking seven straight pitches from Guienze before doubling a 3-2 pitch to left field. Angeron later lined an 0-1 pitch into shallow left field, scoring Guarisco from second, giving the Eagles the hard-fought 1-0 semifinal win.
Guienze recorded two hits for the Tigers while Bo Barrilleaux, Luke Rodriguez, Brennan Young, Spencer Bishop and Ashton Cocoran each had at least one hit for HMS.
Hanson finished the season with a 22-8 overall record, including an 11-3 District 7-1A record and state playoffs wins over East Beauregard, Southern Lab and Catholic of Point Coupee.
Central Catholic posted a 26-4 overall record with a 13-1 District 7-1A won-loss mark.