5A Finals Blog: Blue Jays fall 7-5 in 5A finals

Bottom 6th
Jordan Rittiner is fighting, He's got to be tired and his arm has to be sore, but he's sitting in there and giving it his all.

If Jesuit is to have a chance in the top of the 7th, he had to keep Barbe off the scoreboard.

Top 6th
Jesuit went down 1-2-3 in the top of the 6th, giving it three outs to work with if its going to win back-to-back state championships.

The Blue Jays, after starting the season 10-9, would certainly hate to have the season end this way after rattling off 16 wins in 17 games to get to the finals.

Bottom 5th
Again, we see the shallow bullpen playing havoc on this game. David Hatfield, who pitched a respectable three innings, gave up four runs on four hits.

Jordan Rittiner came in in relief, but he threw more than 100 pitches Friday in the Blue Jays' quarterfinal win over Acadiana.

A half-inning after Jesuit took a 5-4 lead, he gave up the tying run. Tanner Mathis doubled, then came home on Nick Doty's double. Then Rittiner came in and Cody Hilliard, pinch-running for Doty, scored on Ryan Doiron's single, then Doiron came home on Hommy Rosado's double to left-center.

Barbe leads 7-5 heading into the top of the 6th.

Top 5th
The legend of Mason Katz grows by the inning. He didn't get another home run, but he did get respect.

Barbe intentionally walked him. Didn't even give him a chance to get another home run.

It backfired. He moved to second on Joe Morse's single up the middle, then came home on Joe Palmer's single to right that bounced over the second baseman's head.

Jesuit leads 5-4.

Bottom 4th
Hatfield continues to impress in out of the bullpen. After a shaky start to begin his outing, he's settled down and really controlled Barbe.

He didn't allow anything in the bottom of the fourth.

Top 4th
Nico Caluda walked to begin the inning, moved to second on Manny Estrada's sac bunt and got to third on Scott Cronin's ground out to second. And then he was stuck.

Cory Guidry flied out to shallow right and Barbe got out of what looked to be a promising inning for the Blue Jays.

Bottom 3rd
David Hatfield entered the game in the second inning and gave up two hits that brought home three runs.

In the third, he settled down, sending three Barbe batters back tot he bench without a hit.

The game is still tied 4-4.

Top 3rd

Mason Katz tied the game with his second homer of the night. The first was a two-run shot to dead center. This one carried way over the left fielders head and over the wall.

We're now tied at 4 with at least 4 1/2 innings left to play.

This one could be a long one if the coaches have to go to the bullpen often. We've seen four pitchers already.

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Alex Roening is Jesuit's No. 3 pitcher. Saturday night, that became clearly evident. Nothing against Roening, but his stuff wasn't on against Barbe.

Head coach Tim Parenton pulled the junior pitcher after 1 1/3 innings. He gave up two hits and one run, but Barbe was getting to him. It was a good move.

Barbe is still at bat as David Hatfield came in. He gave up a single that scored a run, cutting Jesuit's lead to 3-2. Hatfield then gave up a two-run double down the third-base line.

It doesn't look good for Jesuit right now, down 4-3 heading into the top of the third.

I'm going to go on a tangent here - this is why I don't like the three games in two days aspect of this tournament. In Alabama, they play best two-of-three for every round. it gives a true accounting and chance for who is really best. This format doesn't work. At all.

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Sorry for the lack of updates. I was trying to get some pictures while the sun was out. I'm not sure how successful I was.

Mason Katz jacked a two-run homer in the top of the first, then Scott Cronin scored on Cory Guidry's single.

Barbe had runner at second and third in the bottom of the first, but Jesuit held the Buccaneers away from home plate.

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Starting lineups are in for the finals. You want them? You got them.

Visitor: Jesuit (26-10)
Cory Guidry, second base
Chad Guidry, center field
Mason Katz, third base
Joe Morse, catcher
Joe Palmer, left field
Stephen Lukinovich, first base
Nico Caluda, DH
Manny Estrada, short stop
Scott Cronin, right field
(Alex Roeling, pitcher)

Home: Barbe (34-7)
Garin Cecchini, second base
Josh Lebert, short stop
Tanner Mathis, pitcher
Nick Doty, catcher
Ryan Doiron, third base
Hommy Rosado, DH
Daniel Zaunbrecher, first base
Eric Cutrera, center field
Bubba Hoffpauir
(Kevin Berard, right field)

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Jesuit will defend its 5A state championship tonight at 7 p.m. at North Park against Barbe.

Barbe moved into the finals as the No. 5 seed, getting a 14-1 win over West Jeff, a 3-0 win over Hahnville, a 10-2 win over Ponchatoula and an 8-7 semifinal win over Airline.

Jesuit, the No. 10 seed, made it with a 4-3 win over Ouachita, an 8-2 win over Central, a 9-7 win over Acadiana and a 4-1 win over Catholic-B.R.

I'll be blogging at the half inning tonight, and will update prior to the game with starting lineups.