Posted below are stories prior to the 2012 Season.

2011

Fall Ball 2011 Scrapbook

Homeruns kept Green Wave alive in district

While the Green Wave didn’t quite manage to make the playoffs this year, homeruns were deciding factors in several district games.

Starting with Hayden Hutches’s home run in Slidell that scored three and resulted in Ponchy’s first district win in game three, the Green Wave fired .  Taylor Denham was responsible for another three-run home run at Northshore High that resulted in a 5-2 win and moved the team to 5-3 in district.

When Ryan Byers, Blake Falconello and Hutches nailed three home runs against Mandeville that resulted in a 10-8 win at home, the idea of playoffs brought a momentum to the team that lasted only through the next game in Slidell where Dylan Meyers and Byers both took the cover off the ball and propelled Ponchy to the 12-7 win.

With a 7-5 record going into the last four games of the season, the momentum ended with a 16-0 loss to St. Paul, followed by another loss to Fontainebleau and also a loss of hope to enter the playoffs.

The Green Wave, however, didn’t give up on the season.

Falconello proved he could do it again in the final game of the year when he crushed one out of the park at home against Hammond.  His two-run home run in the first inning was matched with two Hammond runs in the third.  Although both teams managed one run each in the fourth to keep the game tied, Hammond intentionally walked Brady Bass and Dylan Meyers in the ninth inning to load the bases and bring Falconello back to the plate.  Seemingly with ease, Falconello showed Hammond a base hit to win it for the home team.

Ponchatoula finished 8-6 for the 2011 season.

 

 

 

With three games in one week taking place at Hammond High School, the
Green Wave proved superior in defeating Hammond twice and Fountainebleau,
repeating the win against Fountainebleau at home as well.

The JV started its streak in defeating Fountainebleau at Hammond High on
April 2, beating the bulldogs 14-10. Highlights of the game included the
Green Wave posting seven runs in the fourth inning that were challenged by the
bulldogs’ six.  The Green Wave pulled it out with five runs in the sixth
that sealed their win.

Immediately following their win against Fountainebleau, the Green Wave
defeated Hammond in a knock-out fashion.  With a 10-run ruling in the
fifth inning, the junior varsity team went back to Athletic Park with winning
on their minds. 

The following Wednesday night’s action showed Fountainebleau no mercy once
again when the Green Wave opened the varsity’s win against Fountainebleau with a
win of their own.  The junior varsity beat Fountainebleau 11-2.  

The icing on the cake of the week-stretch of victories for the junior
varsity was Ponchatoula’s win against Hammond that set the stage for the
varsity’s 15-2 pelting of Hammond’s varsity squad.  With the junior
varsity win of , the varsity had no other choice but to show off their talent
at the plate.

 

 

The Ponchatoula Greenwave is now 2-3 in district after the first two weeks of play.

The team’s district opener was held at Athletic Field on March 22nd, giving Ponchy its first win against Northshore.  With Brett Vampran on the mound to start and Landyn Ragan relieving in the fourth inning, the Greenwave allowed Northshore five hits.

The Greenies were heavy on the bats with 10 hits for the night and Mark Traylor leading the team with three. Dylan Meyers had two hits and led the team with two RBIs.

Unfortunately, the Greenwave couldn’t follow up the first win and was 10-run-ruled in Covington on the 24th.  The Lions hit the ball well with 11 hits as compared to Ponchatoula’s two from Meyers and Blake Falconello.

Back at home on the 26th, Ponchatoula followed a loss with another against Mandeville 6-1.  Mandeville’s 11 hits proved superior to Ponchatoula’s three from Ryan Beyers, Meyers and Taylor Denham.  Meyer’s held the sole RBI for the Greenwave.

 

A rainout in Slidell paused the game in the second inning on March 29th.  When the game started again on the 31st, Ponchatoula was ahead 2-0, but Slidell was quick to score a run in the bottom of the second and inch closer to the Greewave.

This was as close as Slidell would get to Ponchatoula, however, as the Greenies scored three runs in the fourth.  In the seventh inning, Ponchatoula scored one run and was challenged with two runs in the bottom of the inning that still weren’t enough to capture the lead.The final score was 6-3.

 

The win against Slidell pelted Ponchatoula into Friday night’s match against St. Paul.  Darren Bach started on the mound, and Ragan relieved him. St. Paul scored five runs in the first inning of the game, one in the third, and didn’t score again until the sixth after Ponchatoula had used the first six innings to creap ahead 7-6.

Ponchatoula and St. Paul battled it out run-for-run int he last innings of the game, but the Greenies couldn’t quite hang on in the final inning when St. Paul scored the final run that put them ahead 9-8.

District games continue at Fountainebleau April 5.

With three losses of three at the St. Amant Tournament, the Green Wave hopes to rally as they enter their first district game on Tuesday against Northshore.

Parkview Baptist leaves Ponchy 2-2

Winning two games against Runnels, Ponchatoula’s Green Wave showed off at the plate and in the field. 

 

 

 

Green Wave falls twice in home double-header

Even with senior bats producing big hits for the Green Wave, Ponchatoula
marked losses for both games in Sunday’s double-header against Lafourche.

Rain canceled the Green Wave Tournament that was to take place on Friday and
Saturday at Athletic Park, but Lafourche made the trip on Sunday after the
field dried enough for play.  

 

 

Varsity beats Comeaux 7-3

Photos courtesy of Jeanne Vampran and Ashlynn Mullins.  Included also with game photos are photos of your seniors.

 

East Ascension Tournament

Even after three straight losses, the Green Wave found the determination to win the last game of the East Ascension Tournament.

Although it was a disappointing showing for the Green Wave at the East Ascension Tournament, Ponchatoula managed to pull out a win in the last game against New Iberia 6-2. 

The team changed uniforms and seemed to have a new energy in the final game of the tournament.  Although the win didn’t make up for three straight losses and only one run scored until then, it certainly did start to heal the bruises.

 

Check out the teams Game Changer site for a play-by-play of the game and the pictures for highlights.

 

JV loses to Loranger in final inning

With big hits and a fighting spirit, the junior varsity squad put on a
great show against Loranger.  After six strong innings, the Green Wave
fell in the final inning of the game.

Three double-plays wowed the crowd and kept the
team pumped for six straight.  While Loranger’s bats were also hot,
Ponchatoula managed to hold the team at bay.  Pitchers Allen Michael
Williams and Cole Galloway allowed three runs between them.

Shayne Narro was brought in for the final inning of the game but struggled
on the mound, walking the first two batters.  With an error behind him and
several wild pitches, Narro couldn’t hold on to the lead and allowed Loranger a
8-6 lead before heading to the dugout for the last at bat.

Although Narro scored in the last inning, it wasn’t enough to pull through
as Loranger defeated Ponchatoula 8-7.

Ponchy off to slow start

After a slow start to the season’s scrimmage and jamboree games, the Greenies hope to jump into the winner’s circle this weekend at the East Ascension Tournament.

Ponchatoula is scheduled to play Hahnville at 5 p.m. Friday and then Catholic on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The Greenwave will close out the tournament Sunday with games against Zachary at 3 p.m. and New Iberia at 5:30.

 

Green Wave adds new faces for 2011 season

Fall Baseball

Ponchy ties one, wins two to end Fall Baseball season

A tie game on Saturday and two wins on Sunday pushed Ponchatoula’s Fall
Baseball team further into the winner’s circle to end the season. 

Even with an injured elbow, Brice Hubert serves as pinch runner during the Fall Ball season.

Ponchatoula had to borrow two members from Albany’s team on Saturday due to
being short staffed.  With three of their teammates out with injuries and
two taking the ACT, Ponchy was left with seven players.

Junior Tyler Corbin was injured in week three of the four-week season when
he twisted his ankle on first base. Junior Zach Rock had surgery on his
shoulder, which halted his fall season before it started, and sophomore Brice
Hubert has an elbow injury that will keep him from playing until spring.

Sophomore Tyler Robinson and junior Taylor Denham were taking the ACT at
Ponchatoula High School during the 9 a.m. game.

Senior Darren Bach shares a moment with his dad before he bats for the last time in Fall Baseball.

Highlights of the tie ball game included junior Blake Falconello’s hit to
left field in the second; senior Darren Bach’s double in the third inning that
scored Brett Vampran, who got on base with a walk; and Falconello’s RBI, also
in the third inning, that scored Bach.  In the last inning, Falconello had
a sacrifice fly deep in center field to score junior Trey Foster and tie the
game.  Senior pitcher Darren Bach
allowed Albany three runs in five innings. 

Ponchatoula finished with two wins on Sunday.  Sophomore Brennan Costello woke up early in the morning to
start pitching at 9 a.m.  Costello
held Loranger scoreless for in the first inning, and Foster started
Ponchatoula’s lead with a sacrifice fly to score senior Brett Vampran. 

Costello loaded the bases in the second and allowed a runner to score on a
wild pitch for Loranger’s only run of the inning.

Costello had a single to start the bottom of the second inning, followed by
a walk from Robinson.  An
overthrown ball scored Rock, who was running for Costello.  Brett Vampran’s high hit to center
field met the ground and scored Robinson.
Bach walked, and Falconello hit a double to score Vampran and Bach.  Ponchy finished the inning with a 6-1
lead and allowed only one other run to finish the game 6-2.

 

Senior Brett Vampran’s last at-bat for Fall Baseball.

In their final game, Vampran pitched and managed to hold Holden to one run,
scored in the last inning of the game.
Ponchatoula scored 10 runs, seven of which came in the third
inning. 

Walks contributed to this lead in the second inning when Holden’s pitcher
loaded the bases and walked Vampran to score Hubert, running for Costello.  Errors in the third extended this lead
when several of Ponchatoula’s batters took position on first base after
Holden’s infielders fumbled balls or overthrew would-be forced outs.  A double from Foster, which resulted in
three runs, and a triple from sophomore Landyn Ragan that scored Foster didn’t
help stop Holden’s bleeding.  The
final score was 10-1.

 

 

Maurepas defeats the undefeated Ponchatoula; Ponchy takes Albany once again

With 14 strikeouts for the team, Ponchatoula lost Saturday to Maurepas and gave up their opportunity for an undefeated fall baseball season.

Darren Bach’s pitching shines once again in Saturday’s game.

Senior Darren Bach held Maurepas scoreless in the first four innings before turning the ball over to Landyn Ragan in the fifth when Ponchatoula was ahead 2-0.

Ragan took over with a runner on first and second.  A hit to right field
loaded the bases, and Falconello stopped the score by scooping a ground
ball at first and zinging it to catcher Brennan Costello.  Maurepas scored one run in the fifth before a couple of walks and four hits in the sixth netted the team four runs and the lead of 5-2.

Tyler Robinson’s two hits keep Ponchatoula alive on Saturday, but are not enough for the win.

In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs and the end of the game in sight, Costello stepped into the batter’s box and popped up a ball that got lost in the sun and secured him a spot on first base.  Sophomore Tyler Robinson capitalized with a hit to right field, and Shayne Narro had a hit to left that advanced Robinson to second and Costello to third.

Ponchy was offered another break when the Maurepas center fielder let Tyler Corbin’s fly ball touch down and score Costello and Robinson.  They would be the last to score, however, as Brett Vampran was tossed out at first to end the game.

Another break in the game belonged to Taylor Denham, who got to first base on an error in the first inning to score Zach Rock running for Bach.  Bach earned an RBI with a single in the fifth to score Robinson.

On Sunday, Ponchatoula closed the third week of their play with a 4-3 win against Albany.  Vampran was the starting pitcher and held Albany scoreless for the first four innings.  Costello releived Vampran in the fifth, allowing three runs but not enough for Albany’s win.

Shayne Narro goes two for three at the plate on Saturday.

In the first inning, Corbin got to first base on an error, and Vampran’s fly ball to left field caused confusion and dropped between three Albany players.  This advanced Rock, who was running for Corbin, to third base and allowed Vampran to get to second.

Bach hit a fly ball caught in center field for the first out. Falconello was thrown out at first, but earned an RBI on his way off the field when Rock scored, allowing Ponchy to take the lead 1-0.

Junior Trey Foster stops Albany from scoring with bases loaded in the second inning.

Vampran allowed two hits in the second inning.  The first was a single from Albany’s first batter of the inning.  The hit was followed by Vampran catching a fly ball from the second and striking out the third.  He walked the next batter, and a hit to right field loaded the bases.

Trey Foster stopped a ground ball at second base and tossed it to first to get the third out of the inning and leave Albany scoreless.

Ragan had a double in the second inning, stole third and then scored when Costello hit a single over second base.

Two more runs advanced Ponchatoula to a 4-0 lead.  Albany scored its only three runs in the fifth inning.

 

 

First weekend of Fall Baseball nets three wins for Ponchatoula

During the first weekend of Fall Baseball at Ponchatoula’s Alumni Field, Ponchatoula showed no mercy.  Beating Albany 9-2, Loranger 10-0 and Holden 4-3, Ponchy became the team to watch.

 

In the Fall Baseball opener against Holden, Ponchatoula trailed for the first four innings with Tyler Corbin’s first inning run counting as the team’s only score.  Holden scored two runs in the first inning against pitcher Darren Bach and one in the fourth against Landyn Ragan, leaving the score at 3-1 going into the last inning of the game.

When time was running short, and the home team knew the one hour, 45-minute time limit was nearing, Ponchatoula allowed bats to come alive during the fifth. Darren Bach hit a game-winning triple to score Shayne Narro, Tyler Corbin and Brett Vampran.

Later in the day, Ponchy held Loranger to two runs, which were scored in the last inning of the game.  With 10 runs, Ponchatoula easily won their second game of the day with pitchers Brett Vampran and Tyler Robinson.  Vampran and Blake Falconello scored in the first inning, , Bach scored in the third, Corbin scored in the fourth and Bach, Falconello, Trey Foster, Brennan Costello, Landyn Ragan and Tyler Robinson scored in the fifth inning.

In Sunday’s game against Albany, Ponchatoula dominated once again, winning 9-2 with Costello on the mound for the first three innings and Narro closing.  After Corbin and Vampran scored two runs in the first inning to tie the game, Ponchatoula did not allow any further runs for Albany.  Bach, Falconello, Foster and Taylor Denham scored in the third.  And in the fourth inning, Bach, Falconello and Denham scored once again.

For the second weekend of Fall Baseball, Ponchatoula will play Hammond On Saturday morning at 9 a.m. and Albany on Sunday at 9 a.m.

Ponchatoula remains undefeated in week two of Fall Baseball

Blake Falconello’s two RBIs on Saturday help Ponchatoula win over Albany.

Ponchatoula remains undefeated after beating Albany 4-0 and Maurepaus 9-1 in week two of Fall Baseball.

 

Highlights of the six-inning game against Albany included Blake Falconello’s sacrifice fly in the first inning to score Tyler Corbin and Falconello’s double in the fourth to score Brett Vampran.  Darren Bach pitched the first four innings of the game, walking only two batters. Landyn Ragan pitched the remaining two innings,closing out the game and also allowing no runs.

 

Senior Brett Vampran’s pitching aids Ponchy for the second week in Fall Baseball.

In Sunday’s action, the Ponchatoula team scored early and stayed on top throughout most of the game. It was 1-1 to start the bottom of the second inning, and middleclassmen shined as sophomore Tyler Robinson started a two-out rally with a single to right field, which advanced junior Zach Rock, pinch running for sophomore Brennan Costello, to second base.  Sophomore Shayne Narro’s single to left field scored Rock, and junior Tyler Corbin’s single to left field scored Robinson.

 

Senior Brett Vampran singled to left field also, and earned an RBI when Narro crossed the plate.  Darren Bach walked, and Falconello got to first on an error, once again loading the bases.  Taylor Denham walked as well, and Corbin crossed home plate to extend the lead to 5-1.  Ponchatoula earned two more runs in the second with Trey Foster’s and Costello’s trips to the plate and no runs in the third.

 

Pitchers for Sunday included Vampran, who only allowed one run in four innings, and Costello, who pitched for the last inning of the game.   The game was called due to time expiration in the fifth when Ponchatoula was batting. the final score was 9-1.

 

2010

Monday, June 7
Metro team finishes 2-1 in Denham Springs Tourney

Coming off a tough 3-1 loss to Denham Springs Thursday night, the Metro team rallied to win both their games on Sunday.  Beating Tioga 10-9 in comeback fashion and then holding a gamelong lead over Albany, the team won the battle against the wooden bats and the Louisiana heat.

Sophomore Brandon Lingerfelt pitched the six-inning game Thursday night, allowing three runs.  His team wasn’t able to answer with their bats as Cole Galloway scored the only run.

Rain plagued Friday and Saturday games, canceling both days of play.  It was a much-needed time of reflection for the Metro squad.

Sunday’s game started with an energetic punch from Ponchatoula.  Ponchatoula led the game 5-1, but Tioga rallied in the fourth and fifth innings to score eight unanswered runs.

Sophomore Shayne Narro started the sixth inning with a base hit, and  Tyler Robinson bunted to reach first on error and advance Narro.  Landyn Ragan’s double scored Narro and Robinson, who had each stolen one base to advance to second and third.

Incoming freshman Brett Hutson was the highlight of the game with a homerun that tied the game and paved the way for Hunter Landaiche to single to left field. With another single, Gallaway advanced Landaiche to second.

Corey Raiford, another incoming freshman, hit a ground ball that once again advanced Landaiche, and Lingerfelt hit a ground ball to third base that was bobbled and dropped to allow the game winning run to score.

There was no rest for the Metro team as they kept a lead throughout the second game to win 5-2 against Albany.  Ragan started pitching and struggled, loading the bases and walking a run in during the second inning.  He was then relieved by Hutson who would finish the game, allowing only one run.

Bats were alive once again for the Metro team throughout the second game.

“It wasn’t us,” said Coach J.T. Robinson in response to congratulations on the win.  “It was the team.  They won these games today.  They earned them.”

Monday, June 7
Legion starts the season in Loranger; heads to Walker

Saturday, June 12
Week two Legion action

Saturday, June 12
Week two Legion action

Saturday, June 12
Week two, Metro climbs to three game winning streak

Saturday, June 12
Metro climbs to three game winning streak

Coming off a double-header double-win on Sunday, the Pevey Realtors Metro team showed St. Thomas no mercy, winning 14-4 in Thursday night’s match-up.

Friday, June 25
Green Wave works to ready field

It takes a lot of work to get the fields ready for play, and these guys really work!

Friday, August 6
Scrapbooks for 2010 Summer Teams

Pevey Realtors Legion Team

Pevey Realtors Metro Team

Elisha Settoon was a top hitter for the Louisiana Knights with a .329 average

Tuesday, August 10
GREEN WAVE PLAYERS SHINE FOR LOUISIANA KNIGHTS

Trey Marino finished with the Knights’ top ERA

Three Ponchatoula Green Wave baseball players stood out this summer playing for the Louisiana Knights 18′s, the premiere showcase travel team in the Louisiana-Mississippi region.

Third baseman Elisha Settoon, pitcher Trey Marino and catcher Dylan Meyers all had an outstanding summer playing for the Knights, made up of the top players from the North Shore, New Orleans, and the Gulf Coast region of Mississippi.

The Knights 18′s finished 28-11, including four championships playing in two months of tournaments ranging from national tourneys in Atlanta and Dallas to regional tourneys at the University of Southern Mississippi, Tulane, UL-Monroe, LSU-Eunice and the University of West Florida at Pensacola.   The Knights played their midweek games at Southeastern.

Settoon, the three-hole hitter for the Knights the entire season, batted around the .400 mark for much of the summer before finishing with a .329 mark in 101 plate appearances, good enough for fourth among full-time players on the squad.

A full-time starter at 3B when he wasn’t pitching, Settoon finished second in RBI’s (16), third in doubles (7), fourth in total hits (26), second in runs scored (19), third in on-base percentage (.426), and fourth in base-on-balls (15).  He tied four others for the team lead in home runs with one.

Settoon also saw spot relief duty on the mound, posting a 1-1 record with 2 saves and a 4.36 ERA.  In 18 innings on the hill, he struck out seven batters and walked just four.   Settoon was voted by his Knights teammates as winner of one of five individual awards, the “Hustle Award”, at the season-ending banquet.

Marino was a member of the Knights’ starting rotation on the mound.  He posted a 3-1 record on the hill with one save to his credit.

In 26 innings pitched, Marino finished with a team-leading 0.27 ERA, allowing just one earned run during the summer.  He gave up 16 hits while striking out 16 batters and walking five.  In limited plate appearances, he finished with a .320 batting average (8 for 25).

Although one of only two rising juniors on a club made up almost entirely of recent high school graduates, Meyers was one of two regular starters behind the plate, logging 159 innings.

Facing often junior college and collegiate pitchers, Meyers hit .216 (11 for 51) with 5 RBI and drew 18 walks, good enough for third on the team.   He had the fourth best on-base percentage (.403) and also had a home run to tie for the team lead.

In the final game against the Louisiana Legends, Meyers gunned down three runners attempting to steal and whacked a double off the wall.  No season catching stats were tallied by the team.

A total of 18 players from the Knights 18′s roster have signed on to play college baseball.  Other top players from the North Shore on the squad included Northshore High’s Taylor Eads, Trey Rickrode, and Chris Miller, Fontainebleau’s Logan Peterson and Anthony LaGuardia, Covington’s Randy LeBlanc and Dexter Thompson, and Northlake Christian’s Zac Hawkins.

Dylan Meyers, only a soph, started at catcher for the Knights

Monday, January 18
WEBSITES OF DISTRICT 7-5A OPPONENTS ADDED AS LINKS
You can now view the latest news about Ponchatoula’s District 7-5A baseball opponents by visiting their websites from the links provided in the “District 7-5A Scores and Standings” entry at the column to the left.  Clicking on this link will bring you straight to the latest scores and schedules of each team in the Green Wave’s district, including Northshore, Fontainebleau, Slidell, St. Paul, Mandeville, Covington and Hammond.

Tuesday, January 26
GREEN WAVE MAKES SCHEDULE CHANGES

The Ponchatoula Green Wave has announced several changes to its 2010 spring schedule, including moving the April 29th district finale with arch-rival Hammond from the Tornados’ home field to Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

Hammond will remain the home team for the contest slated to begin at 6:30pm.  The junior varsity game previously scheduled for 4 pm. to precede the varsity fray that day at Hammond has been cancelled.

In another schedule change, the game time for the Ponchatoula varsity’s March 27th road trip to Mandeville has been changed to 12 noon.  The junior varsity starting time has been moved up to 10 am. that day.

Wednesday, February 10
WAVE JUNIOR VARSITY POPS AMITE, 18-0

Although it was a preseason scrimmage, the Ponchatoula Green Wave junior varsity got off to a strong start Wednesday, blitzing Amite, 18-0, at Loranger.

The Wave JV will make up Monday’s rained out contest with Covington at 4 pm. Friday at Loranger.

Friday, February 12
LBCA PRESEASON TOP 10 POLLS RELEASED

The Louisiana High School Baseball Coaches Association has released its preseason poll for 2010, and defending state champion Northshore is ranked on top:  

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class 5A Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Northshore
2. Barbe
3. Dutchtown
4. Destrehan
5. Jesuit
6. Catholic, BR
7. Airline
8. Zachary
9. West Monroe
10. C. E. Byrd
Others receiving votes: Brother Martin, Rummel, Denham Springs, St. Amant, Lafayette, Central, St. Paul, South Terrebone, Acadiana, Fontainebleau, East Ascension, and Sulphur.

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class 4A Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Sam Houston
2. Belle Chasse
3. Teurlings Catholic
4. Lutcher
5. West Ouachita
6. Vandebilt Catholic
7. Neville
8. St. Louis
9. St. Michael
10. Breaux Bridge
Others receiving votes: Salmen, Benton, Haughton, DeRidder, Cecilia, Tioga, Ruston, Franklinton, Woodlawn-BR, Parkway, Minden, and ASH.

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class 3A Pre-Season Top 10 Poll

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class 2A Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Evangel
2. St. Charles Catholic
3. Sterlington
4. University
5. Northlake Christian
6. Calvary Baptist
7. St. Thomas Aquinas
8. Episcopal
9. DeQuincy
10. John Curtis and Mangham
Others receiving votes: Kinder, Riverside, Newman, Menard, Dunham, and Farmerville.

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class 1A Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Ouachita Christian
2. St. John
3. St. Frederick
4. Cedar Creek
5. St. Edmund
6. Ascension Catholic
7. Hanson Memorial
8. St. Martin’s
9. Country Day
10. Central Catholic
Others receiving votes: Delhi Charter, LaSalle, Merryville, and Archbishop Hannon.

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class B Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Oak Hill
2. Forest
3. Maurepas
4. Choudrant
5. Florien
6. Zwolle
7. Downsville
8. Pitkin
9. Bethany Christian
10. Grand Lake
Others receiving votes: Converse, Stanley, Houma Christian, and Holden.

Thursday, February 11
2010 Class C Pre-Season Top 10 Poll
1. Claiborne Christian
2. Grace Christian
3. Family Christian
4. Elizabeth
5. Reeves
6. Hicks
7. Kilbourne
8. Northside Christian
9. Calvin
10. Hackberry
Others receiving votes: Plainview, Assembly Christian, Cotton Valley, and Dubach.

Dylan Hills led off the scrimmage vs. Franklinton with a triple

Wednesday, February 17
WAVE STRANGLES DEMONS IN SCRIMMAGE, 11-2

Dylan Hills and Elisha Settoon combined to pitch eight innings, limiting Franklinton to just two runs, while the Ponchatoula Green Wave scored all of the runs they needed in the top of the first to whip the Demons, 11-2, Wednesday in a season-opening scrimmage in Franklinton.

Hills started and pitched four innings of shutout ball, holding Franklinton to just two hits while striking out five, walking one and hitting a batter.

Settoon came on in relief in the fifth with a 4-0 Greenie lead, and he struck out six while allowing two runs on six hits with no walks over the next four innings.

Branden Lessard pitched the final inning, allowing no runs on no hits with one strikeout and one walk.

The Green Wave jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first and never looked back.  Hills led off the game with a triple to right before Settoon drove him home with a single.  Trey Marino walked, and with two out Justin Crowell doubled home Settoon.  Marino then scored on a passed ball for a 3-0 lead.

Franklinton mounted a threat in the bottom of the second with men on first and second and one out.  But an attempted bunt was popped up, and Hills made a running catch before firing to first to double off the runner and end the inning.

Ponchy stretched its lead in the top of the third.  Dylan Meyers walked, and pinch runner Jake Lipps made it to third on Crowell’s double.  Joe Green then brought Lipps home on a ground ball that was muffed by the shortstop for a 4-0 lead.

The Wave stretched its lead to 7-0 in the top of the sixth.  Green singled to center and stole second, advancing to third on a wild throw by the catcher.  Randall Meyers then walked and stole second as Green scored on a wild throw home by the second baseman.

After Ryan Byers walked, Hills singled Meyers home before Settoon’s sacrifice fly to right scored Byers for a 7-0 lead.

Franklinton struck for its only runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out, two-run homer off Settoon.  The rally could have been worse, but Haydn Hutches made a diving catch on a liner to right.

Meanwhile, Ponchy scored three more in the seventh.  Brady Bass was hit by a pitch before Tyler Corbin and Brett Vampran walked to load the bases.  Haydn Hutches was then hit by a pitch to bring home Bass while walks to Taylor Denham and Chris Foster brought home two more for a commanding 10-2 lead.

The Wave scored its final run in the top of the ninth when Hutches walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on another wild pitch.

Top hitters for Ponchatoula were Hills, Crowell and Green with two hits each while Settoon, Darrin Bach and Tyler Corbin had one hit apiece.  Settoon led Ponchy with two RBI.

Ponchatoula returns home Thursday for its final preseason scrimmage with Brother Martin at 3:30 pm.

 

Trey Marino readies for the pitch in the scrimmage vs. Franklinton

Friday, February 19
PONCHY AND BROTHER MARTIN MANAGE SCRIMMAGE SPLIT

Ponchatoula and Brother Martin staged a 13-inning scrimmage Thursday at Athletic Park with the Wave starters winning, 7-6, in the first seven innings while the backups fell to the Crusaders, 8-1, in the last six frames.

The Green Wave pulled out the battle of starting lineups, overcoming a 6-5 deficit in the bottom of the seventh when Elisha Settoon smashed a two-run double to deep left center to score Ryan Byers and Dylan Hills with the tying and winning runs.  Both Byers and Hills had walked to lead off the frame.

Ponchy led 1-0 through the first three innings with Wave starter Trey Marino blanking the Crusaders on one hit with five strikeouts and a walk.  The Wave scored its run in the top of the first on a leadoff double by Hills and a run-scoring double by Dylan Meyers.

Brother Martin tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth off of Ponchy reliever Darrin Bach on an infield error and a run-scoring single.

But the Wave regained the lead in the bottom half on consecutive walks to Kaleb Kraft, Joe Green and Randall Meyers, a fielder’s choice ground out by Bach, and a sacrifice fly to left by Byers.

Brother Martin, which entered the scrimmage ranked 11th in the state coaches preseason 5A rankings, cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of the fifth on a solo homer.

Ponchatoula answered with two more runs in its half of the fifth.  Settoon walked and scored on a double to left center by Dylan Meyers.  A sacrifice fly to left by Justin Crowell made it 5-2, Ponchy.

The Crusaders busted open for four more runs on four hits and two walks in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.

Reliever Haydn Hutches held Brother Martin scoreless in the seventh, and Ponchatoula rallied for the winning runs in the bottom half on Settoon’s two-run double.

Dylan Meyers had two doubles to lead the Wave starters at the plate while Hills, Settoon and Byers each had a double.

In the second game, the Wave backups could manage only one hit, a single to center by Hutches, in six innings of play.

The Crusaders got all of the runs they needed with a four-run rally in the first off of Hutches.  They added one more off of Byers in the second, one off of Branden Lessard in the fourth, and two more off Lessard in the fifth.

Byers gave up only one run on two hits in a little over two innings on the hill.  He struck out two and walked one.

Leadoff hitter Dylan Hills unloaded two tape-measure home runs in the jamboree

Saturday, February 20
PONCHY SLAPS AMITE IN JAMBOREE

	Randall Meyers smashed a second-inning grand slam vs. Amite

Dylan Hills blasted two home runs, and Randall Meyers clouted a grand slam as Ponchatoula took advantage of ten walks issued by Amite pitchers to slap the Warriors, 10-4, in the Tangipahoa Parish jamboree Saturday at Independence.

Ponchatoula managed only four hits in the six-inning game with three of them being home runs. The other Wave safety was a double by Kaleb Kraft.

Meanwhile, Ponchy starting pitcher Ryan Byers picked up the win on the mound, shutting out the Warriors on no hits in three innings of work while striking out two and walking two.

Hills got Ponchatoula off to a booming start in the bottom of the first, launching a prodigious shot over the centerfield fence for a 1-0 lead. Amite starter Kyle Bracy issued walks to Elisha Settoon and Dylan Meyers before Justin Crowell’s ground out scored Settoon for a 2-0 lead. Kraft then doubled home pinch-runner Jake Lipps for a 3-0 first-inning cushion.

The Green Wave then blew it open in the bottom of the second. Byers walked before Hills sent a towering shot over the left field fence for a 5-0 lead. Dylan Meyers walked, and with two out pinch-runner Brett Vampran scored on Justin Crowell’s fly ball that was dropped by the left fielder. Kraft and Joseph Green then walked before Randall Meyers lined a grand slam over the left field fence for a 10-0, second-inning lead.

Amite scored three runs off of reliever Branden Lessard in the top of the fourth. A pair of hit batters and consecutive wild pitches brought home one run before Aaron Roper slammed a two-run homer.

The Warriors added one more in the fifth when Terry Bridges walked, moved to second on a single by Don Bazely, and scored on an outfield error.

In Lessard’s three innings of relief, he allowed four runs on two hits with three strikeouts, three hit batters, and one walk.

Ponchatoula will officially open the 2010 spring season at 4 pm. Monday against 5A Comeaux of Lafayette at Athletic Park.

Sophomore Ryan Byers shut out Amite on no hits through 3 innings

Sunday, February 21
PONCHY ANNOUNCES 2010 WAVE TV SPONSORS

The 2010 Ponchatoula Green Wave baseball team has announced its sponsors for televised Green Wave baseball games this spring.

Hancock Bank, Jani-King, Raising Cane’s, Smoothie King, Subway, S&S Sports, Bonjour Boutiques, the Car Wash Depot and Tangipahoa Clerk of Court Julien Dufreche are this year’s sponsors.

The Wave games will be televised on Charter Cable’s FPTV-Channel 17 beginning March 13.  A “Game of the Week” will air each week at 2:30 pm. Saturdays, 2:30 pm. Sundays, and 11 pm. Wednesdays on Channel 17.

The games will be produced again this year by WaveSportsVideo with individual game DVD’s, team highlight DVD’s and individual player highlight DVD’s available at the season’s end.  Orders for individual player highlight DVD’s must be made by March 12th by contacting Allen Waddell (allenwaddell@wavesportsvideo.com).

Justin Crowell (14), who had 3 hits, breaks up a double play against Comeaux

Tuesday, February 23
GREEN WAVE DOWNS COMEAUX, 6-3, IN OPENER

Dylan Hills and Elisha Settoon limited Comeaux to just four hits while Ponchatoula pounded out 10 safeties for a pair of three-run rallies and a 6-3 season-opening win over the Spartans from Lafayette Tuesday night at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave (1-0) scored three runs in both the first and fifth innings for the victory over the Spartans (0-1) from District 3-5A.

“We’re really excited to get a win tonight in our first game of the season,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “Comeaux has an outstanding team, and they’re going to win a lot of games this year.  This was a real good test for us early in the season.”

Hills started on the mound and picked up the win, chunking four innings of scoreless ball before giving up two runs in the fifth.  Hills allowed three hits while striking out four, walking three and hitting a batter.

Settoon relieved in the sixth and gave up one run on one hit while striking out three, walking two and hitting a batter in two innings of work.  He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh to pick up the save.

“Dylan was outstanding for five innings, and Elisha did his normal great job of shutting them down in the sixth and seventh innings,” Gosnell added.

The Green Wave started their scoring with a three-run surge in the bottom of the first.

Hills drew a leadoff walk from starter Haydn Saucier before singles by Settoon and Trey Marino loaded the bases.  Justin Crowell’s single plated Hills, and Kaleb Kraft’s grounder to short scored Settoon with Marino scoring on a wild throw to first.

With Hills holding Comeaux’s bats at bay, the score stood 3-0 until the Spartans made a game of it with two runs in the top of the fifth.

With one out, Mason Broussard and Brad Landry worked Hills for walks before Saucier singled home Broussard with Comeaux’s first run.  Mike Strentz then drove a sacrifice fly to deep left center to plate Landry, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

But Ponchy responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth.  Settoon led off with a single, and pinch-runner Jake Lipps moved to third when Dylan Meyers’ sacrifice bunt was thrown wildly to first.

Marino then singled home Lipps before Crowell’s bloop single loaded the bases.  Joe Green then singled home Dylan Meyers, and Randall Meyers’ fielder’s choice ground ball scored Marino for a 6-2 lead.

Settoon then relieved Hills on the mound and held Comeaux scoreless in the sixth before facing a bit of drama in the top of the seventh.

Settoon hit Broussard and walked both Landry and Saucier to load the bases with nobody out.  Strentz, the three-hole hitter who slammed 15 home runs for Comeaux last year, worked the count to 3-2 before Settoon blew a fastball by him for the first out.

Settoon then got cleanup batter Robbie Romeo to ground into a force out, scoring Broussard on the play to chop the lead to 6-3.

With two out and the tying run at the plate, Settoon then struck out Shawn Hebert on three pitches to preserve the victory.

Settoon and Crowell led the 10-hit Ponchy assault with three hits apiece while Marino had two hits. Hills and Green had one hit apiece for the Wave.

“Comeaux’s pitcher was very good, so we’re really happy with the way we swung the bats tonight,” Gosnell said.  “We put pressure on them every inning up and down the lineup, and if we continue to concentrate like that at the plate we can go a long way this season.”

Gosnell said he was pleased with the way his players have overcome the lack of outdoor practice time due to bad weather conditions.

“I was very proud of the way our kids stayed focused,” he said.  “We have a mature team, and hopefully we can keep that going that day-in and day-out, especially when we get to the thick part of the schedule.”

Ponchatoula will next face 4A Tioga, ranked 16th in the LBCA preseason poll, in the first round of the East Ascension tournament at 4 pm. Thursday at Catholic High in Baton Rouge.

Thursday, February 25
TIOGA TOPS GREEN WAVE, 7-2

Lefthander Brandon LaCoy shut down Ponchatoula on four hits, and his Tioga teammates scored all of the runs he needed in the first two innings to down the Ponchatoula Green Wave, 7-2, in the opening round of the East Ascension Tournament Thursday in Baton Rouge.

LaCoy pitched all seven innings, striking out seven, walking four and hitting two batters to pick up the win.

“We got beat by a good baseball team,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We could only manage four hits and struggled at the plate.  But that’s a credit to their pitcher- he mixed it up well.  Our hats are off to Tioga.”

The Green Wave (1-1) could manage only a double by Dylan Meyers and singles by Trey Marino, Kaleb Kraft and Justin Crowell in their first loss of the season.

Meanwhile, the Indians (1-1) greeted Marino, the Wave starter, with five runs on six hits in the first two innings.

Two singles, a double and an RBI ground out led to a 2-0 first-inning lead for Tioga.  A solo homer, two singles and two errors put three more runs on the board in the second for a 5-0 Indian cushion.

Marino allowed only one run over the next four innings while the Green Wave looked to make a game of it in the third with a two-run rally.

Dylan Hills was hit by a pitch before Elisha Settoon reached on an infield error.  Marino singled Hills home, and Settoon later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Joe Green to cut the deficit to 5-2.

But that was all of the offense that Ponchy could muster as the Wave produced only five baserunners over the last four innings.

In taking the loss Marino pitched six innings, allowing six runs, four of them earned, on eight hits while striking out six and walking none.

“Trey got the ball up a little bit early, but he settled down after the second inning, and I was proud of the way he came back,” Gosnell said.

Darrin Bach pitched the final inning for Ponchatoula, allowing one run on one hit while walking one.

Ponchatoula will play two games in the East Ascension Tournament Saturday, both at Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge.  The Wave faces 5A New Iberia at 10 am. and 4A Holy Cross at 3 pm.

Sunday, February 28
WAVE BLITZES WALKER, 11-4

Dylan Hills had two triples and a double to lead Ponchy

Ponchatoula staged a six-run rally with two out in the fourth inning to bust open a tight game and drown the Walker Wildcats, 11-4, Saturday morning in the second round of the East Ascension Tournament at Walker.

The Green Wave (2-1) led 3-2 with two out in the top of the fourth, but a triple to deep right-center by Dylan Hills and a run-scoring double to deep left by Elisha Settoon keyed a decisive, six-run rally.

After consecutive walks to Dylan Meyers and Trey Marino loaded the bases, Justin Crowell produced a  single scoring Settoon with pinch-runner Jake Lipps scoring on an error by the catcher.

Joseph Green then walked to load the bases again before a base-clearing double by Kaleb Kraft to deep right made the score 9-2.

The Wave added two more runs in the fifth on a two-run single by Trey Marino which plated Zack Traylor and Hills.

Ponchatoula drew first blood off of Walker starter Kaleb Ward in the top of the first on a leadoff triple by Hills and Settoon’s RBI single.

Walker took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first off Ponchy starter Ryan Byers.  Seth Gaudet singled, Trenton Strange was hit by a pitch, and Taylor Wade delivered a two-run double.

The Wave responded with two runs in the top of the third to take a two-run lead.  Hills doubled, Dylan Meyers walked, and Crowell lined a two-out, two-run single to score both Hills and pinch-runner Lipps.

Ponchatoula banged out 10 hits in the victory.  Hills led the way with three hits while Settoon and Crowell had two apiece.  Marino, Green and Kraft had one each.

Byers was the winning pitcher for the Wave, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out four, walking one, and hitting three batters.

Darrin Bach relieved in the fifth and picked up the save, allowing one run on one hit while striking out one and walking one.

The Green Wave was scheduled to face 5A Rummel in the third round of the tourney at Dutchtown Saturday evening.

Elisha Settoon pitched 5 innings and had 3 hits vs. Rummel

Sunday, February 28
12TH-RANKED RUMMEL RALLIES PAST WAVE, 7-3

12th-ranked Rummel erased a 3-1 deficit, erupting for five runs in the fifth inning to overcome the Ponchatoula Green Wave, 7-3, Saturday night in the third round of the East Ascension Tournament at Dutchtown.

The Green Wave (2-2) held a 3-1 lead through four innings as starter Elisha Settoon limited the Raiders to just one hit.

But Rummel got to Settoon in the fifth, scoring five runs on six hits for a 6-3 lead.  The Raiders notched another run in the sixth off of Ponchy reliever Branden Lessard.

The Green Wave took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Dylan Hills and Settoon slapped back-to-back singles off of Rummel starter Ross Mutter.  Kaleb Kraft and Justin Crowell followed with RBI singles for the two-run margin.

Rummel scored an unearned run off Settoon in the first before the Wave responded with another run in the third off of Raider reliever Taylor Migliore.

Hills blooped a double over the first baseman’s head before Settoon crashed a line drive double to deep center for a 3-1 Ponchatoula lead.

The Raiders then got to a tiring Settoon in the fifth with an RBI single by Ray Veit, RBI doubles by Kyle Blakesly and Albert Hotfelter, and a two-run triple by Cameron Hoffman.

Hotfelter relieved Migliore in the seventh to squelch a bases-loaded rally with a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

Migliore picked up the win in relief, going 5 and 1/3 innings in relief, giving up one run on 7 hits while striking out 11 and walking four.

Settoon and Hills had three hits each to lead Ponchy at the plate while Crowell had two hits.  Kraft, Joe Green and Dylan Meyers had one hit each.

Ponchatoula actually outhit Rummel, 11-8, but the Green Wave left 12 men on base, including two bases-loaded situations.

Settoon was tagged with the loss as he gave up six runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking two.

Lessard pitched one inning in relief, allowing one unearned run on one hit with one strikeout.

The Wave was scheduled to play its final game of the East Ascension Tournament Sunday against 14th-ranked St. Amant at St. Amant.

Sunday, February 28
14TH-RANKED ST. AMANT HOLDS OFF GREEN WAVE, 4-2

1B Kaleb Kraft had 2 hits against St. Amant

Kahn Petite belted a two-run, first-inning homer, and the 14th-ranked St. Amant Gators never looked back to defeat Ponchatoula, 4-2, Sunday in the East Ascension Tournament finale at St. Amant.

Ponchatoula finished 1-3 in the tournament with their regular season record falling to 2-3.  For the second straight game, the Green Wave outhit their opponent- this time 7 to 4- but left 12 men on base in the loss.

After Lee Elisar was hit by a pitch, Petite unloaded his right-field blast off of Ponchatoula starter Dylan Hills for a 2-0 St. Amant lead in the bottom of the first.

The Gators scored two more in the fourth.  Task Plauche singled, David St. Pierre sacrificed him to second and Chris Boyter walked before both runners advanced on a wild pitch.  On a subsequent wild pitch, a wild throw at the plate allowed two runners to score, making it 4-0, St. Amant.

Ponchatoula got on the board in the fifth when Blake Falconello and Dylan Meyers walked before Trey Marino singled home pinch-runner Brett Vampran, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

The Wave scored again in the top of the seventh when Justin Crowell walked, moved to second on a passed ball, and scored on a single to right by Kaleb Kraft.

But it was too late as the Green Wave left 12 runners stranded for the game, including three times with the bases-loaded.

Marino and Kraft both had two hits to lead Ponchatoula at the plate while Settoon, Crowell and Joseph Green had the other safeties.

In suffering the loss, Hills went five innings on the bump for Ponchy, allowing four runs, two of them earned, on four hits.  He struck out five, walked one and hit three batters.

He was relieved in the sixth by Darrin Bach, who retired the St. Amant side in order.

Wednesday, March 3
16TH-RANKED WILDCATS CLAW PONCHY, 10-3

Starter Trey Marino smacked a 1st-inning homer

Lefty Kelly Blalock limited Ponchatoula to six hits while his Central teammates banged out 12 en route to a 10-3 pasting of the Green Wave Wednesday at Central.

The Green Wave (2-4) opened the scoring in the top of the first when Trey Marino blasted a solo homer over the right centerfield fence.

But Central countered off of Wave starter Marino with a solo homer of its own by Landon Thibodaux.

Central struck again in the bottom of the second for two runs with two out on a single by Jacob LeSage, a double by MJ Leduff, and a two-run single by Chet Myer.

The Wildcats increased their lead to 5-1 in the fourth on two singles, a double, a sacrificy fly, a walk and a hit batter.

Ponchy then replaced Marino with reliever Darrin Bach, and the Wildcats broke the game open in the fifth. Three walks, a single and a double did all of the damage for an 8-1 lead.

Ponchatoula scored a pair of runs in the sixth. With one out Dylan Hills singled before Marino doubled him to third. Elisha Settoon then brought both runners home with a two-run single to make the score 8-3.

In a little over five innings on the hill, Blalock gave up only one run on six hits, fanning four and walking one. He benefitted from two rally-killing double plays.

Marino pitched four innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, striking out three, walking two and hitting one batter.

Bach pitched one inning in relief, allowing three runs on two hits while walking three.

Brandon Lessard relieved for Ponchy in the final inning. He allowed two runs on three hits and two walks, striking out one.

Marino led Ponchy at the plate with two hits while Settoon, Hills, Crowell and Ryan Byers had one hit apiece.

The Green Wave next hosts South Lafourche at 6:30 pm. Friday in the opening round of Ponchy’s Gateway Ford Classic.

Thursday, March 4
GREEN WAVE TO HOST GATEWAY FORD CLASSIC

State playoff contenders from 5A, 4A and 2A classifications will highlight the schedule of the 2010 Gateway Ford Classic to be held at Ponchatoula’s Athletic Park Friday and Saturday, March 5-6.

South Lafourche (5A), Franklinton (4A) and Newman (2A) will dot the schedule beginning at 4 pm. Friday.

The Gateway Ford Classic schedule is as follows:

 

Fri., Mar. 5        4:00  Newman vs. Franklinton

6:30  S. Lafourche vs. PHS

 

Sat., Mar. 6       10:00   PHS vs. Franklinton

12:30  Franklinton vs. S. Lafourche

3:00  S. Lafourche vs. Newman

5:30  Newman vs. PHS

Dylan Hills pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout and banged a 2-run homer

Friday, March 5
HILLS ONE-HITS TARPONS AS PONCHY ROLLS

Dylan Hills fired a complete-game, one-hit shutout and helped his own cause with a two-run homer as Ponchatoula blanked South Lafourche, 8-0, Friday night in the opening round of the Gateway Ford Classic at Athletic Park.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Wave (3-4), who had played four of their last six games against ranked opponents.

“We’re thrilled to get a victory at home tonight,” said Ponchy head coach Mark Gosnell.  “It seems like we’ve been on the bus for the past two weeks.  We had to find a way to stop the bleeding, and it starts on the mound.”

Hills (1-1) gave up a leadoff double to Tyler Danos in the top of the first, but he dominated the Tarpons the rest of the way.  He allowed only three more baserunners, two on infield errors, while striking out eight and walking just one in seven innings of work.

“Dylan was outstanding tonight, and he put up some zeros on the board early which allowed us to get going offensively,” Gosnell said.  “We finally got some two-out hits from some of the guys who’ve been struggling, and that gave us a lead, allowing us to relax a little bit at the plate.”

Hills capped a four-run, third-inning rally with a two-run homer while also doubling off the wall in the sixth.

He got Ponchy going in the top of the first with a walk before stealing second and moving to third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Trey Marino.  Hills then scored the game’s first run on a ground ball to third by Elisha Settoon when he beat the throw home.

Settoon moved to second on Justin Crowell’s single and later scored on a wild pitch.  Dylan Meyers’ sacrifice fly plated Crowell for a 3-0 Ponchy lead.

The Greenies scored four runs with two out in the third to up the lead to 7-0.  Kaleb Kraft walked, Dylan Meyers singled, and with two out Randall Meyers slapped an RBI double to left, scoring Kraft. Ryan Byers followed with a single to score Meyers, and Hills belted a towering shot over the left centerfield fence to climax the scoring.

Ponchy added a final run in the sixth when Hills doubled off the wall and courtesy runner Jake Lipps advanced to third on Trey Marino’s sacrifice fly.  Justin Crowell’s RBI single scored Lipps for the final 8-0 margin.

Hills and Crowell both had two hits to lead Ponchy at the plate while Kraft, Dylan Meyers, Randall Meyers and Byers had one hit each.

Ponchatoula will face Franklinton, a 4-0 winner over Newman, at 10 am. Saturday and will wrap up the tourney with a 5:30 pm. matchup Saturday with Newman.

Saturday, March 6
GREEN WAVE DUMPS NEWMAN, 8-4

Ponchatoula rallied for four runs in the fifth inning, capped by Darrin Bach’s two-run single, to drop Newman, 8-4, in the Gateway Ford Classic finale Saturday night at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave (4-5) rebounded from a close 2-1 loss to Franklinton Saturday morning.  Ponchatoula finished 2-1 in the tourney as did South Lafourche and Franklinton.  Newman finished 0-3.

“I was very proud of the way we bounced back after a tough loss in the morning,” said head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We tacked on some runs by doing a lot of the little things right that we didn’t do in the morning, like getting the sacrifice hits and moving runners around.  It’s the type of thing that we have to be able to do in tight games.”

Ponchy drew first blood in the bottom of the first.  Hills led off with a single and stole second before Trey Marino walked.  Justin Crowell then brought both runners home with a two-run single.

Newman tied the score in the top of the third off of Greenie starter Ryan Byers.  A hit batsman and a walk set the stage for a two-run double by Joe Wolf.

The Wave regained the lead in the fourth when Kaleb Kraft reached on an infield error and moved to second on a single by Joe Green.  With two out Hills singled home pinch runner Mark Traylor for a 3-2 lead.

Ponchy then put the game away in the fifth.  Crowell walked, and Elisha Settoon reached on an infield error.  Dylan Meyers laid down a bunt single, and Kraft plated Crowell with a sacrifice fly to center.

Green then drove home Settoon with a sacrifice fly to right before Randall Meyers walked and Bach dropped a single into left, scoring both Randall Meyers and courtesy runner Jake Lipps.

Bach, who relieved Byers in the fifth, was charged with giving up a pair of runs in the sixth when he walked three straight batters with two men out.

Morgan Hall then greeted reliever Trey Marino with a ground ball that was booted for an infield error, allowing two runs to score.

But Marino shut the door on Newman after that, facing only four more batters to pick up the save.

“Marino did a great job of closing the game out,” Gosnell said.

Byers notched the win with four innings of work, allowing two runs on three hits.  He struck out five, walked four, and hit one batter.

Hills led the 10-hit Ponchy attack with three hits.  Marino, Crowell, Settoon, Dylan Meyers, Kraft, Green and Bach all had one hit.

The Green Wave will host Walker Tuesday in a 6 pm. game at Athletic Park.

Saturday, March 6
FRANKLINTON NIPS PONCHY, 2-1
Terrence Magee scattered seven hits and singled home Josh Robinson with the go-ahead run in the seventh inning to lead Franklinton over Ponchatoula, 2-1, Saturday morning in the Green Wave’s second game of the Gateway Ford Classic at Athletic Park.

Ponchatoula (3-5) shut out South Lafourche, 8-0, Friday night in the tourney opener and was scheduled to host Newman in the tourney finale Saturday night.

Magee’s RBI single broke a 1-1 deadlock after 5 innings of a pitcher’s duel between Magee and Ponchy’s Elisha Settoon, who lost despite giving up only three hits in a complete-game effort.

The Green Wave took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Dylan Hills was hit by a pitch, advanced all of the way to third on a pair of wild pitches, and scored on Justin Crowell’s RBI single.

Franklinton tied it in the bottom of the third.  Caleb Kimble singled, and pinch-runner Jordan Burris moved to second on a fielder’s choice.  Burris advanced to third on a passed ball before Josh Robinson singled him home.

The score stood deadlocked 1-1 until the last of the sixth as Ponchatoula left 10 runners on base, seven in scoring position.

With one out in the last of the sixth, Settoon hit Robinson with a pitch before throwing wildly to first on an attempted pickoff play.  Robinson advanced all
the way to third on the play before Magee singled him home with what proved to be the winning run.

Settoon went all six innings in the loss, allowing only one earned run on just three hits.  He fanned four and walked one while hitting a batter.

Magee allowed seven hits, striking out seven while walking four and hitting one batter.

Justin Crowell and Ryan Byers led Ponchy with two hits each.  Trey Marino, Kaleb Kraft and Dylan Meyers each had one hit.

Elisha Settoon fired a complete game 6-hitter vs. 5th-ranked Central

Friday, March 12
GREEN WAVE RATTLES 5TH-RANKED CENTRAL, 10-4

Elisha Settoon scattered six hits in a complete-game effort, and Joe Green went 4-for-4, including a solo homer to give the Green Wave the lead, as
Ponchatoula whipped fifth-ranked Central, 10-4, Thursday night in the opener of the Parkview Baptist Tournament in Baton Rouge.

Ponchatoula (6-5) will play Mandeville at 3:30 pm. Friday in the second round.

Central entered the game with a 9-1 record and a lofty number five ranking among the state’s 5A teams in this week’s latest Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association poll.

“I’m just extremely pleased with our performance against one of the best teams in the state on the road tonight,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.

Settoon allowed only two earned runs in going the full seven innings on the hill, striking out four and walking four.  He shut out the Wildcats in five of the seven innings he pitched.

“Elisha did an outstanding job against one of the best 5A teams in the state,” Gosnell said.  “He just shut them down and gave us a chance to get our bats
going.  One of the biggest things was that he stayed away from giving them a big inning.”

Ponchatoula hammered out nine hits in the victory, fueling big rallies in the third and fourth innings.

“We swung the bats excellent tonight, and hopefully it’s a sign of things to come”, Gosnell said.  “What can you say about Joe?  Just a great night, and you
really can’t swing the bat any better than that.”

Green, playing his first year of baseball for Ponchy after a stalwart career on the gridiron, staked the Wave to a 1-0 lead with two out in the top of the
second with a line shot over the left field wall.

He also stoked the Wave’s three-run rally in the fourth for a 4-0 Ponchy lead.  After Trey Marino’s double, Settoon’s sacrifice and a muffed grounder off the bat of Justin Crowell made it 2-0, Green tripled down the right field line and scored when the throw to third went wild.

Green later singled in the fifth and seventh innings, the latter one off the wall in left.

Courtesy of three Ponchy errors and a single, Central cut the lead to 4-2 in the fourth.

But Settoon got out of a bases-loaded jam with nobody out when second baseman Ryan Byers caught a popup in shallow centerfield and gunned down the runner attempting to tag and score from third with catcher Dylan Meyers applying the tag.  Settoon got the next batter to ground out to end the Central threat.

The Wave then responded with a decisive fifth inning, scoring five runs for a commanding 9-2 lead.

Byers led off the big inning with a triple off the wall in center and came home on a wild throw.  Dylan Hills was hit by a pitch before Marino singled and
Settoon walked, loading the bases.  Crowell then drew an RBI walk before Kaleb Kraft delivered a two-run single.  After Green walked, Dylan Meyers brought home another run on a walk to complete the
scoring.

Ponchy added another run in the sixth when Hills was again hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on Settoon’s fielder’s choice, and scored on Crowell’s
double.

Green had four hits to lead the Greenies while Marino had two and Crowell, Kraft and Byers had one each.

“We did a lot of little things well, like putting down the sacrifice bunts and moving runners on the bases,” Gosnell said.  “In the last week we’ve learned how to be an unselfish team, and that’s what we need to do.”

Friday, March 12
PONCHY MAULS WALKER, 12-2

Trey Marino pitched a one-hitter and blasted a 2-run homer

Trey Marino fired a complete-game one-hitter and broke the game open with a two-run homer in the fourth inning to propel Ponchatoula to a 12-2 blasting of Walker Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave evened its record on the season at 5-5.

Marino pitched all five innings in the game shortened by the ten-run rule. He allowed no earned runs and only an infield single by Walker’s Connor Lee in the second inning. Marino struck out two batters and walked one. The only other two baserunners for Walker came on a pair of infield errors.

“Trey Marino was outstanding tonight on the mound,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell. “He had great stuff and was very economical with his pitches. He had several quick innings.”

Ponchatoula took a quick 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Dylan Hills led off with a walk before Marino singled him to third. Hills scored on a wild throw to third on the play before Elisha Settoon’s triple to deep center brought Marino home.

Justin Crowell then singled Settoon home for the third run of the inning. Walker cut the lead to 3-2 in the second on two infield errors, a pair of sacrifice bunts, and a passed ball.

But Marino allowed no runs after that. After Hills reached on an error in the top of the second, Marino doubled, and Hills scored on Settoon’s sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 4-2 lead.

The Greenies increased their cushion to 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth. Randall Meyers led off with a walk, and Ryan Byers bunted him to second. Hills then drove home Byers with a single before Marino crashed a two-run homer over the left centerfield wall.

Ponchatoula then finished the game off with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Joe Green doubled before Dylan Meyers was hit by a pitch. Randall Meyers then sacrificed the runners to second and third before Darrin Bach launched a two-run double to deep center.

Hills slapped another double to plate Bach before Settoon and Crowell were walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Hayden Hutches then grounded to the third baseman, who threw wildly to first to score both Hills and Settoon to end the game.

Ponchatoula banged out 10 hits on the evening.

“We’ve really been on the verge of breaking out offensively over the past few games, and we finally did that tonight,” Gosnell said. “We hit some balls hard and in the gaps, and we drove some runs in. Hopefully, this will jumpstart us for the rest of the season.”

Marino led the Ponchy bats with three hits while Settoon and Hills had two hits apiece. Byers, Green and Crowell each had one hit.

Joe Green opened the Parkview tourney going 7-for-8 with two home runs

Friday, March 12
WAVE OUTLASTS MANDEVILLE, 7-6

Joe Green’s ground ball to third in the bottom of the seventh was thrown wildly to first, scoring Elisha Settoon with the winning run from second as Ponchatoula overcame Mandeville, 7-6, Friday in the second round of the Parkview Baptist Tournament in Baton Rouge.

The Green Wave (7-5), who’ve won three in a row and four of their last five, will face host Parkview Baptist, the defending 3A champs, at 10 am. Saturday.  The two teams could possibly meet again in a rematch in the tournament finale at 5 pm.

“We’re excited about our start to the tournament,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We hope it continues on Saturday against Parkview.”

The second-round matchup between the Wave and Skippers, a pair of District 7-5A rivals, looked like it would go entirely Ponchatoula’s way as the Wave held a 5-2 lead through three innings.

But the Skippers rallied for a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, forcing the game into the bottom of the seventh with a 6-6 tie.

Settoon opened the final frame with an infield single hard off the third baseman to put the winning run on base. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch before Green’s grounder to third was thrown into the first base dugout, allowing Settoon to score the winning run from second.

It was the only at-bat during the day- and in the entire tournament so far- in which Green didn’t register a base hit.  He went three-for-three in his first three at bats, including a scorching three-run homer to left in the third inning, his second bomb in two days.  Through the first two games this weekend, Green has blistered tournament pitching with a 7-for-8 performance and two home runs.

Dylan Hills started on the mound for Ponchy and held Mandeville scoreless through the first two innings.

Meanwhile, the Wave got on the board in the last of the first when Hills walked, moved to second on a ground out by Trey Marino, and scored on Justin Crowell’s RBI grounder.

The Skippers took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third on a walk, two throwing errors and a pair of doubles.

But the Green Wave answered with four runs in the bottom half.  With one out Hills blasted a home run into the wind over the centerfield wall.  After a walk to Marino and a single by Crowell, Green crushed a two-strike pitch over the wall in left for a 5-2 lead.

Mandeville responded with two runs in the fifth to make it a one-run game.  Two errors, a walk, and a pair of singles made the score 5-4, Ponchy.

Ponchy added another run in the bottom half when Settoon and Green rapped back-to-back singles, and with two out Kaleb Kraft smacked a run-scoring double to deep right, plating Settoon.

However, Mandeville greeted Ponchy reliever Trey Marino with two runs in the top of the sixth.  With two out, a walk, a single and a two-run double made the score 6-6 going into the bottom of the sixth.

Ponchatoula failed to score in the sixth, and Marino got out of a jam in the top of the seventh with a pair of defensive gems.  With the go-ahead run on second base, third baseman Settoon made a diving grab of a line drive in the hole, and one out later Marino made a backhand stab of a hard grounder up the middle to end the inning.

That set the stage for Ponchy’s final game-winning rally in the last of the seventh.

Green’s three hits and 3 RBI led the Wave at the plate while Hills and Settoon had two hits apiece.  Crowell and Kraft each had one hit in the victory.

“I thought offensively we swung the bats well again today,” said Gosnell.  “We hit some balls hard, and they (Mandeville) made some good plays on several of them.”

Hills worked five innings on the bump, surrendering four unearned runs on six hits.  He struck out seven and walked three.

Marino picked up the win in his two innings of relief. He gave up three hits and walked two.

“Dylan didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled to get us to the sixth inning,” Gosnell said.  “And Trey came on after having pitched Tuesday night and didn’t have his best stuff, but he also found a way to get the job done.”

“Then in the last inning Elisha started us off, and Joe, who’s had a great weekend, brought him around for us to win,” Gosnell added.

Saturday, March 13
PARKVIEW EDGES WAVE, 6-5

James Coats lined a walkoff single to right field, scoring Landon Brown with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, as Parkview Baptist nipped Ponchatoula, 6-5, Saturday morning in Parkview’s annual tournament in Baton Rouge.

The Green Wave (7-6), which qualified for Saturday’s 5:30 pm. championship game with earlier tourney wins over Central and Mandeville, will face Parkview in a rematch for the tourney title.

In winning the extra-inning thriller, Parkview had to overcome a staunch Ponchatoula comeback from a 5-0 deficit with a five-run rally in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

In the final frame the Eagles loaded the bases against Ponchy reliever Branden Lessard on a walk and a pair of singles.  With two out Coates lined his shot toward the rightfielder, but it sliced away on the windy day for the game-winner.

Parkview, the defending 3A state champs, jumped out to a 4-0 lead on Wave starter Darrin Bach on an outfield error, three walks, a single and a double.

But Bach settled down after that, allowing only a single run in the fifth on two singles, a fielder’s choice and a pair of walks.

Meanwhile, Eagle starter Will Bacon shut out Wave hitters through the first six innings, surrendering only singles to Dylan Meyers and Ryan Byers and a pair of singles to Joe Green, who continued his torrid tourney hitting streak with a 3-for-4 performance.

But Ponchy staged a huge rally in the top of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.  Green led off with a single before consecutive walks to Elisha Settoon, Dylan Meyers, and Kaleb Kraft brought Green home the Wave’s first run.

The Eagles then brought reliever Garrett Deschamp to the mound, who walked pinch-hitter Blake Falconello to plate Settoon and cut the deficit to 5-2.

Two outs later, Trey Marino’s grounder to short was thrown wildly into the dugout, scoring both Dylan Meyers and pinch-runner Jake Lipps to make it 5-4.

Justin Crowell followed with an RBI single to right to plate pinch-runner Hayden Hutches with the tying run, but Marino was gunned down at the plate by rightfielder Jake Clouatre to preserve the tie.

Lessard escaped a Parkview threat in the last of the seventh, inducing a ground out with two men out and the winning run on second.

But Parkview reliever Jake Godbery retired the Greenies in order in the top of the eighth, setting the stage for Coats’ game-winner in the bottom half.

Bach pitched five innings for Ponchy, allowing five runs on seven hits while walking five.

Lessard threw three and a third innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits while walking two and striking out two.

Green again led Ponchatoula at the plate with three hits, and through three tourney games had gone 10-for-12 for an .833 average, two home runs and five RBI.

Crowell, Byers and Dylan Meyers had one hit each for the Green Wave.

Saturday, March 13
PARKVIEW BLANKS PONCHY FOR TITLE

Starter Brooks Godbery shut out Ponchatoula for four innings on one hit and combined with two other Parkview Baptist pitchers for a two-hit whitewashing of the Green Wave, 7-0, to win the championship of the annual Parkview Baptist tourney Saturday night in Baton Rouge.

The Wave (7-7) finished 2-2 in the tournament for a second-place finish.  Having used up its veteran pitching in the tournament prior to Saturday, the Wave was forced to go with a young pitching staff in the finale.

“I was proud of the way we competed this weekend,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We kind of ran out of gas at the end, and it was tough having to play both early and late on the last day.  But our guys battled, and overall it was a good tournament for us.”

A first-inning leadoff single by Dylan Hills was all the Green Wave could muster off of Godbery, who closed the first game Saturday and picked up the win.

The Parkview ace allowed only two baserunners with the other being Dylan Meyers, who drew a second-inning walk.  Godbery struck out five in four innings of work.

The only other hit registered by Ponchy was a sixth-inning single by Trey Marino.  The only other Wave players to reach base were Meyers with a second walk, Darrin Bach with a walk, and Elisha Settoon on an infield error.

Ponchy sophomore starter Ryan Byers held Parkview scoreless until the third inning when three singles resulted in a 2-0 lead.

The Eagles scored two more in the fourth on three singles, a walk, and a balk.

Reliever Branden Lessard got out of the fourth-inning jam, but ran into trouble in the fifth when two errors and a two-run single upped the Parkview lead to 6-0.

Zack Rock relieved Lessard and got out of the fifth inning.  He surrendered one run in the sixth on a single, a wild pitch, a fielder’s choice and a sacrifice fly.

Byers gave up four runs on six hits in four innings of work to absorb the loss.  He also struck out three batters and walked only two.

Ponchatoula hosts Acadiana Monday in a 6 pm. game at Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

Ryan Byers beats the throw to first vs. Acadiana (Wendy LeSaicherre photo)

Monday, March 15
ACADIANA RIPS WAVE, 8-0

Zack Rock threw 2 and 1/3 scoreless innings with 3 K’s

Tenth-ranked Acadiana belted out 14 hits and took advantage of ten Ponchatoula errors en route to an 8-0 whitewashing of the Green Wave Monday night at Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

The Wave (7-8) could manage only four hits off of Acadiana starter Brian Bergeron, who pitched five innings of shutout ball, walking six and striking out one.

The Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off of Ponchy starter Elisha Settoon.  Two singles and a double plated one run before a throwing error allowed two more Rams to score.

With Bergeron silencing the Green Wave bats, his Acadiana teammates added three more in the fourth.  Once again, Ponchy errors played a key role as with one out, a would-be inning-ending double play ball was thrown wildly to first, prolonging the inning.

Two consecutive singles and a dropped throw at home made the score 4-0 before a wild pickoff throw and a two-run single upped the Ram lead to 6-0 through four.

Acadiana scored two more with two out in the fifth.  A double and a single produced one run while a single and an outfield error allowed another run to score for the finally 8-0 tally.

In five innings of work, Settoon allowed only two earned runs while giving up 12 hits, striking out four and walking one.

Ponchy reliever Zack Rock threw two and one-third innings, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out three and walking one.

Ryan Byers led the Green Wave at the plate with two hits while Dylan Hills, Trey Marino and Blake Falconello had one apiece.

The Green Wave returns to action at 5 pm. Thursday against 18th-ranked St. Amant in the first round of the St. Amant Tournament.

Wednesday, March 17
GREEN WAVE RANKED 33RD IN FIRST POWER RANKINGS

With the opening of the district schedule just around the corner, the Louisiana prep baseball power rankings have been released, and through 14 games the Ponchatoula Green Wave stood at No. 33 in the state 5A rankings.

The Wave trails #32 Natchitoches Central by .03 of a point.  By the season’s end, those qualifying for the state 5A playoffs must have finished first or second in their district or among the top 32 teams in the state power rankings for 5A.

The Wave (7-8 overall) has already played Acadiana (No. 6), Brother Martin (#9), Rummel (#10), Central (#16), South LaFourche (#39), and Comeaux (#42) among top 5A teams this season.

The Green Wave will play East Ascension (#23) and St. Amant (#25) this weekend.  Once district begins, the Wave will face Northshore (#4), St. Paul (#7),  Slidell (#17), Fontainebleau (#21),  Covington (#31), and Hammond (#40) twice.

Ponchatoula has already played a pair of 4A powers- Franklinton (#1) and Tioga (#7)- along with a pair of games vs. 3A power Parkview Baptist (#1) and one game against 2A Newman (#22).

The Wave will face Parkview one more time later this season along with a date with the #8 3A school, Holy Cross.

For updated state power rankings, visit http://www.louisianasportsline.com/.

Thursday, March 18
GREEN WAVE CRASHES 25TH-RANKED GATORS, 8-3

Trey Marino had 3 hits and 3 RBI vs. St. Amant

Dylan Hills fired a complete-game three-hitter, striking out 12 St. Amant batters, and his Ponchatoula teammates belted 10 hits to swamp the 25th-ranked Gators, 8-3, Thursday in the first round of the St. Amant Tournament at St. Amant.

Ponchatoula, which entered the game ranked #33 in state power rankings, evened its record at 8-8 and avenged an earlier 4-1 loss to St. Amant with the victory.

“I thought we played well at one of the toughest parks in the state to play in with all of their championship banners hanging out there in left field,” said Ponchatoula skipper Mark Gosnell.

“I’m just proud of the way our guys responded,” Gosnell said.  “They’ve had kind of a rough go of it here early in the season.  We’re 8-8, but we’ve played a very tough schedule almost entirely on the road.  It will be nice when we can finally play some home games once district begins.”

After Gator leadoff batter Dylan Morin punched a triple down the right field line and scored on a fielder’s choice in the top of the first, Hills put a choke hold on St. Amant batters, allowing only four more baserunners the entire game.

Other than Morin, Hills allowed only a single to Daniel St. Pierre and a double to Task Plauche while striking out 12 and walking none.  The other two runners reached by way of errors.

“Dylan Hills was outstanding today on the mound,” said Gosnell.  “We didn’t have to make a lot of plays defensively when you strike out 12 batters.  We gave him support in the field and at the plate with some big two-out hits, so  Dylan could kind of relax and throw his game.”

Trailing 1-0 after the first inning, Ponchy rallied in the top of the second to take a 3-1 lead.  With one out Kaleb Kraft and Randall Meyers rapped back-to-back singles.

Ryan Byers walked to load the bases, and after an infield popup Trey Marino delivered an RBI single to plate pinch-runner Zach Traylor.  Justin Crowell then singled home Meyers and Byers to cap the three-run rally.

Ponchatoula scored two more in the third.  Dylan Meyers led off with a home run over the centerfield wall before Elisha Settoon’s double to deep left center. Two outs later Hills drove Settoon home with a single to left for a 5-1 lead.

Ponchatoula then put the game away with three runs in the fifth.  Settoon led off the inning with a single to left, and with one out Randall Meyers and Byers walked to load the bases.

Hills was then hit by a pitch to score Settoon from third, and Marino followed with a two-run single to left, scoring both Randall Meyers and Byers for a commanding 8-1 lead.

“We’ve been telling the team it’s about pitching, defense and getting the two-out hits, and we did all three of those things today,” Gosnell said.  “We hadn’t been getting the two-out hits lately, but we did today, and that was huge.”

St. Amant scored two runs in the last of the fifth on an infield error, a single, a double, and an outfield error, but that was all they could muster off of Hills.

Marino led the Wave with three hits and three RBI’s while Settoon had two hits and Hills, Crowell, Dylan Meyers, Randall Meyers and Kraft had one apiece.

Ponchatoula plays again Friday in the second round of the St. Amant Tournament against 23rd-ranked East Ascension at 5 pm. at East Ascension in Gonzales.

Saturday, March 20
PONCHY FALLS TO EAST ASCENSION, 8-7

	Justin Crowell had 2 RBI singles vs. East Ascension

Jared Kleinpeter scored on a wild throw from centerfield after Leon Fairchild’s fly out in the bottom of the seventh to lift East Ascension over Ponchatoula, 8-7, Friday night in the St. Amant Tournament at East Ascension.

The Green Wave (8-9) blew a two-run lead by committing three big errors in the final two innings.

With Elisha Settoon relieving Trey Marino on the mound with a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth, leadoff batter Miles Holley singled, moved to second on a passed ball and then to third on a fielder’s choice.

Settoon then induced Chase Rivette to ground to third, but the third baseman tried to get Holley at the plate and threw wildly over the catcher’s head, allowing Holley to score and Rivette to advance to second.

Courtland Giardina then grounded to the shortstop, who threw it in the dugout to allow Rivette to score and tie the game at 7-all.

The Green Wave threatened in the top of the seventh.  Dylan Meyers led off with a double off the centerfield wall.  Settoon then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but  Jake Lipps, who was running for Meyers, decided late to try for third and was gunned down by first baseman John DeArmond for a double play.  The next batter struck out to end the threat.

Kleinpeter led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple to centerfield.  Settoon then struck out the next batter before intentionally walking the next two hitters to load the bases and create a force-play situation.

With two strikes Fairchild sent a line drive to shallow centerfield that was caught but overthrown badly to home plate, allowing Kleinpeter to score the winning run.  All three runs scored off Settoon in relief were unearned.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off of starter Marino when Rivette singled, moved to second on a sacrifice, and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice before scoring on a single by Austin Todd.

The Wave rallied for four runs in the top of the third for a 4-1 lead.  Randall Meyers walked and scored on Ryan Byers double off the centerfield wall.  Dylan Hills then doubled home Byers, and with two out Justin Crowell singled home Hills.  Joe Green’s RBI single plated Crowell to round out the inning.

The Spartans responded with four runs in their half of the third.  An error by the shortstop, a triple, three singles, and an error by the second basemen gave East Ascension a 5-4 lead.

Ponchy tied the score 5-all in the top of the fourth when Settoon walked and with two out scored on Byers’ second triple of the game deep to centerfield.

The Wave then took a 7-5 lead in the top of the fifth.  Hills doubled, and Crowell singled him home.  Green then walked, and both runners moved up on a wild pitch.  With two out, Settoon singled Crowell home  to give Ponchy a two-run lead.

Marino worked five innings on the mound for the Wave, giving up five runs, three of them earned, on nine hits while striking out one and walking two.

In two innings of relief, Settoon gave up three runs, all of them unearned, on two hits while striking out one.

Hills had three hits to lead Ponchy at the plate.  Crowell, Green and Byers had two hits each while Settoon and Dylan Meyers had one apiece.

Ponchatoula faces Riverside Academy Saturday at 2:30 pm. at Lutcher in the final round of the St. Amant tournament.

Dylan Hills fired a 3-hitter with 12 K’s vs. St. Amant and had 3 hits vs. EA

Ryan Byers pitched 5 innings and had the game-winning hit vs. Riverside

Saturday, March 20
GREEN WAVE SHAVES RIVERSIDE, 8-7

Joe Green had a single, triple and homer vs. Riverside

Ryan Byers ripped a walkoff single to left field to score Joe Green in the last of the seventh as Ponchatoula trimmed Riverside, 8-7, Saturday in the final round of the St. Amant Tournament at Lutcher.

The Green Wave finished its non-district slate at 9-9.  Ponchatoula opens District 7-5A play at 3:30 pm. Tuesday on the road against defending 5A state champion Northshore.

For the second game in a row, Ponchatoula squandered a comfortable lead with errors in the final innings to send the game into the bottom of the seventh tied.

“Once again, it was, ‘Don’t leave the ballpark early if you’re watching Ponchatoula play- we’ll make it exciting,” quipped Ponchy head coach Mark Gosnell.

Heading into the top of the seventh, the Green Wave led 7-3 with three runs coming on home runs by Dylan Hills, Joe Green and Darrin Bach.

But Ponchy hurler Zack Rock, who’d relieved starter Byers in the sixth, ran into trouble almost immediately in the seventh.  He hit the leadoff batter, surrendered a double, and hit another batter to load the bases.

Rock’s wild pitch allowed Bryant Tussin to score before Ponchy coach Mark Gosnell brought in Elisha Settoon to relieve.  Settoon struck out the first two batters and got the third batter to hit a routine grounder to short, but the shortstop made a wild throw to first, allowing two runs to score to cut the deficit to 7-6.

Austin Vicknair then looped a two-strike pitch for a double to right, scoring Rickie Johnson with the tying run. But Johnson tried to stretch the single to a double, and Bach gunned down Johnson at second to get Ponchy out of the inning.

With one out in the last of the seventh, Green walked, and one out later, pinch-hitter Blake Falconello walked.  This set the stage for Byers’ game-winning line drive over the shortstop’s outstretched glove.

“Joe and Blake had great at-bats to get on base, and then Ryan found a pitch he liked for a base hit to win it,” Gosnell said.

Riverside jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a leadoff triple by Austin Vicknair, who scored on the play when the second baseman’s throw to third sailed wide. A  walk to pitcher Bryant Tussin and an RBI single by Chase Bazille accounted for the second run.

Ponchy answered with one run in its half of the first when Trey Marino doubled and scored on Green’s RBI single to left.

With Byers, the Ponchy starter, holding Riverside scoreless through the fourth, the Green Wave rallied for a pair of runs in both the third and fourth innings.

Hills led off the last of the third with a solo homer to left.  Marino then singled, and Settoon bunted him to second.  With two out, Green laced a triple to right-center, scoring Marino for a 3-2 Wave lead.

Kaleb Kraft led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and Byers reached on an error by the third baseman.  Randall Meyers advanced pinch-runner Taylor Denham to third with a fielder’s choice before Hills’ fielder’s choice grounder brought Denham home for a 5-2 lead.

After Riverside cut the lead to 5-3 on a solo homer by Tussin, Ponchatoula scored a single run in the fifth on a solo homer by Green and again in the sixth on a solo roundtripper by Darrin Bach for a seemingly comfortable 7-3 lead before the final-inning dramatics.

“We did a great job again with the bats, and our pitching was good enough,” Gosnell said.  “But our defensive woes continued as we again gave up a lead in the seventh.”

Settoon picked up the win with one inning of relief work, allowing one unearned run and two hits, striking out two and walking none.

Byers, the starter, worked five innings and left the mound with a 4-3 lead.  He allowed two earned runs on six hits, striking out one and walking one while hitting a batter.

Rock pitched 1.1 innings of relief, allowing three runs with one of them earned.  He gave up two hits, walked one, and hit three batters.

Green and Marino led a 10-hit Green Wave assault with three hits apiece.  Hills, Byers, Kraft and Bach had one hit each.

Ponchatoula has played only five of its first 18 games at home.

“We’re glad to get a win and finish 2-1 in the tournament over here,” Gosnell said.  “We’re now 9-9 headed into district, and soon it will feel good to finally get off of the bus and play some home games.”

Darrin Bach clouted a solo homer vs. Riverside

Wendy LeSaicherre has great shots like Brady Bass stretching for the ball

Sunday, March 21
WENDY LESAICHERRE PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE
Again this season great individual and game action photos for Ponchatoula Green Wave baseball are available by contacting Wendy LeSaicherre Photography.  Also, senior photographs and albums among other packages.  Call Wendy at 985-386-3077 or email lesaicherre@charter.net.  You can view game action galleries and order directly from the website at www.wendylesaicherrephotography.com.  Sample photos can be seen by clicking on the link to your left entitled “Wendy LeSaicherre Photography”.

Tuesday, March 23
WAVE RANKED #32, OPENS DISTRICT WITH DEFENDING CHAMP NORTHSHORE

The Ponchatoula Green Wave opens its District 7-5A season today on the road with a 4 pm. matchup with Northshore at Slidell.

The Panthers, 11-5, are the defending state 5A champions and have won the 7-5A district two years in a row.  They are currently ranked #4 in the latest state 5A power rankings.  After an unbeaten start, the Panthers have lost five of their last six games.

Ponchatoula, 9-9, is currently ranked #32 in the power rankings, meaning that if the state 5A playoffs began today, Ponchatoula would be included.

Ponchatoula opponents in this week’s poll include #6 Rummel, #8 Acadiana, #10 St. Paul, #15 Central, #18 Slidell, #19 Fontainebleau, #26 East Ascension, #27 Covington, #29 St. Amant, and #33 Carencro.

Tuesday, March 23
NORTHSHORE HAMMERS PONCHY, 9-5

Breck Kline blasted three home runs, and his Northshore teammates walloped two more as the defending 5A state champions outslugged  Ponchatoula, 9-5, Tuesday in the District 7-5A opener for both teams at Slidell.

Despite trailing 3-0 early in the game, the Green Wave (9-10, 0-1) cranked two homers of their own to battle throughout against the two-time defending 7-5A champs, chopping the lead to 7-5 in the sixth inning.

But in the end it was Northshore’s power with five of their 10 hits being homers off of Ponchatoula starter Elisha Settoon.

“They’re not the defending 5A state champions for nothing,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “In this small park, if they get a ball up in the air it’s out of the park.  Elisha did a nice job of limiting their baserunners, and although they had five home runs, they were solo home runs instead of three-run shots, so we were still in the ballgame at the end.”

The Panthers began their home run barrage in the bottom of the first.  With one out Kline ripped a solo shot to left-centerfield, and after Taylor Eads walked, Chris Eades belted a two-run shot to left for a 3-0 lead.

Ponchatoula responded in the top of the third, cutting the lead to 3-2.  Dylan Hills singled, advanced to second on a wild pickoff attempt, and scored on Joe Green’s RBI single.  With two out, Dylan Meyers singled home Green for the second run of the inning.

Kline’s second solo shot, this one to centerfield, made it 4-2 in the last of the third.

But the Wave chopped the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the fourth on Ryan Byers’ solo homer to centerfield.  One out later, Hills appeared to have tied the game on a line shot deep to left, but leftfielder Chris Miller robbed Hills with a leaping catch over the fence.

“There were a couple of times where if we get a hit here or there, we have the lead,” Gosnell said.  “I’m very proud of the effort our team gave- our guys made some great plays.  We played well, and they played well.  We just got beat.”

Northshore scored the decisive runs in the bottom of the fifth.  Back-to-back solo homers by Kline and Taylor Eads, a double by Chris Eades, and a sacrifice fly by Jacob Corbin made it 7-3.

Ponchy cut the lead to 7-5 in the sixth when Byers reached on an error and Hills clouted a two-run homer to left-center.

But the Panthers answered with two more in the last of the sixth on a walk to Miller, a dropped fly ball, a walk, and Chris Eades’ two-run single.

Northshore upped its record to 12-5 overall and 1-0 in district.  The Panthers entered the game ranked fourth in the state 5A power rankings.

“We know we can play with them (Northshore),” Gosnell said.  “We just have to let this one go and get ready for Covington Thursday night.  Our goal was to go 2-1 this week, and we can still accomplish that.  Every coach in this district would be happy with 2-1 at the end of the first week in this league.”

Settoon pitched five innings for the Wave, surrendering seven runs on eight hits, five of them home runs.  He struck out one and walked three.

Trey Marino relieved Settoon and hurled one inning, allowing two runs on one hit.  He struck out two and walked two batters.

Hills and Green paced Ponchy with two hits apiece while Settoon, Byers, Justin Crowell and Dylan Meyers had one hit each.

Ponchatoula returns home at 6:30 pm. Thursday for their second district matchup against Covington.

Thursday, March 25
GREEN WAVE TO HOST COVINGTON TONIGHT

The Ponchatoula Green Wave, looking for its first district win of the season, hosts the Covington Lions in a key District 7-5A matchup at 6:30 pm. tonight at Athletic Park.

The Wave (9-10, 0-1) fell to defending 5A state champ Northshore, 9-5, in the league opener Tuesday while the Lions (12-9, 1-0) thumped Slidell, 8-2.

There will be a junior varsity game beginning at 4 pm. and immediately preceding the varsity fray.

Dylan Hills shut out Covington on one hit and struck out nine in a complete game

Thursday, March 25
PONCHATOULA SHUTS DOWN COVINGTON, 6-0

	Dylan Meyers had two hits to lead the Wave vs. Covington

Dylan Hills shut out Covington with a complete game one-hitter, and Ponchatoula scored all of the runs it needed with a second-inning rally to blank the Lions, 6-0, Thursday in the season’s second game of District 7-5A play at Athletic Park.

The Wave (10-10 overall, 1-1 in district) had six hits and took advantage of four errors by the Lions (12-10, 1-1).

Hills allowed only a second-inning single to John Schaffer while striking out nine and walking four.  It was his second one-hit shutout of the season, having duplicated the feat against South LaFourche earlier this season.

After a scoreless first inning, Ponchy struck first in the last of the second.  Joe Green grounded to third,  reached second on an errant throw to first, and moved to third on a wild pitch.

With one out Elisha Settoon walked, and Ryan Byers doubled home Green for a 1-0 lead.  Settoon scored on Kaleb Kraft’s fly ball that was dropped by the left fielder, and Byers scored when Randall Meyers grounded into a wild throw to first base for a 3-0 lead.

With Hills holding Covington without a run, the Greenies struck for two more in the fifth.  Justin Crowell led off with a single and moved to second on a single by Dylan Meyers.

Settoon was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and with two out Brady Bass drew a bases-loaded walk for a 4-0 lead.  Darrin Bach was then hit by a pitch for a 5-0 lead.

In the sixth, the Green Wave posted an insurance run when Crowell reached third on an outfield error and Green brought him home with a sacrifice fly for a 6-0 cushion.

Dylan Meyers led Ponchy at the plate with two hits while Green, Hills, Crowell and Byers had one hit each.

Ponchatoula travels to Mandeville Saturday for a 12 noon clash with the Skippers in 7-5A play.

Saturday, March 27
WAVE TRAVELS TO MANDEVILLE SATURDAY
Ponchatoula will go on the road Saturday for a 12 noon contest with the Mandeville Skippers at Mandeville.  The Green Wave, 10-10 overall, will try to up its record to 2-1 in District 7-5A.  Mandeville enters the game 5-13 overall and 1-1 in district.

Saturday, March 27
PONCHY RANKED #25 IN LATEST STATE 5A POWER RANKINGS

The Ponchatoula Green Wave has moved up to No. 25 in the latest state 5A power rankings released by www.kenramsey.com based on the official LHSAA formula.  The Ramsey website rankings are updated daily.  Teams ranked in the Top 32 (5A) at season’s end qualify for the state playoffs.

Green Wave opponents that are ranked are Northshore (4), Rummel (8), Acadiana (10), St. Paul (12), Fontainebleu (13), Central (17), St. Amant (20), Comeaux (28), Slidell (29), Covington (30), and East Ascension (32).

The Wave has also played top 4A teams Tioga (2) and Franklinton (3).  Parkview Baptist is the top-ranked 3A team.  Newman (16) and Riverside (17) are 2A opponents that are ranked.

Saturday, March 27
LATEST DISTRICT 7-5A SCORES AND RANKINGS

District 7-5A Thursday’s Results (3/25): Ponchatoula 6 – Covington 0 Mandeville 5 – Slidell 0 Fontainebleau 11 – Northshore 5 St. Paul’s 9 – Hammond 3 St. Paul  10  – 5        2 – 0 Fontainebleau  14 – 7         2 – 0 Northshore  12 - 7         1 – 1 Covington  12 - 10       1 – 1 Ponchatoula  10  – 10      1 – 1 Mandeville   5  – 13       1 – 1 Slidell   9  - 8         0 – 2 Hammond   7 – 11        0 – 2

Dylan Meyers had 3 hits & a 2-run HR to jump start the Wave vs. Mandeville

Saturday, March 27
PONCHATOULA SMASHES MANDEVILLE, 11-1

Trey Marino pitched a complete game 6-hitter vs. Mandeville

Ponchatoula blasted three home runs, one a grand slam by Ryan Byers, and pitcher Trey Marino scattered six hits over six innings as the Green Wave smashed Mandeville, 11-1, in a District 7-5A matchup Saturday in Mandeville.

Ponchy (11-10, 2-1) won its second district game in a row while Mandeville (5-14) fell to 1-2 in district.

“In our first three district games, our guys have really come out to play, and they came to play today,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “Our district is so competitive- it seems like every game is decided by one or two runs.  So it was nice to get a big lead early and a district win on the road.  I can’t remember us ever coming away from Mandeville with more than a one or two-run win.”

The Green Wave ripped 13 hits, including homers by Dylan Meyers, Randall Meyers and Byers, and ended the game by the mercy rule in the sixth inning.

“Our hitters had a great day,” Gosnell said.  “We got a bunch of runs early and were able to relax a little bit. Ryan Byers really jumped us ahead with his big grand slam.”

Meanwhile, Marino handcuffed the Skippers on six hits, just missing a shutout in the fourth when a dropped infield popup prolonged the inning and set up an RBI sacrifice fly.  He struck out four, walked none and hit one batter to pick up the complete-game victory.

“Trey did a great job of getting ahead of the hitters,” Gosnell said.  “He got his curveball in for a strike and moved the ball around well.  He deserved the win and should’ve had a shutout.”

Ponchy jumped on the board first with a three-run rally.  Dylan Hills doubled to lead off the game, and one out later Justin Crowell singled him home.  With two outs Dylan Meyers then socked a two-run homer well over the right field fence for a 3-0 lead.

The Green Wave upped its lead to 4-0 in the top of the second when Randall Meyers smoked a line drive over the left field fence.

With Marino holding Mandeville scoreless, the Greenies busted the game open in the third with a five-run rally.  Joe Green reached second on an infield throwing error before Dylan Meyers walked and Elisha Settoon singled to load the bases.

Byers then unloaded a grand slam high over the left field fence for a commanding 8-0 lead.  The Wave put a cap on its big rally when Kaleb Kraft walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a two-out single by Marino.

Mandeville scored its only run in the fourth when Josh D’ Archangelo singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after a dropped infield popup by the second baseman, scored on a sacrifice fly by Drew Francis.

But Ponchatoula countered with two runs in the top of the sixth.  Crowell doubled, and Green singled him to third before Dylan Meyers’ single to right drove home Crowell and Settoon’s single to center scored Green to make it 11-1.

Marino then retired Mandeville without a run in the last of the sixth, the final out coming on a shoetop stab of a line drive by rightfielder Darrin Bach, to end the game by the mercy rule.

Dylan Meyers and Settoon both had three hits to lead the Wave at the plate.  Crowell had two hits, and Hills, Marino, Green, Byers and Randall Meyers had one hit apiece.

Ponchatoula is at home Tuesday for a 6:30 pm. District 7-5A clash with Slidell.

Randall Meyers blasted a 2nd-inning solo homer vs. Mandeville

Saturday, March 27
WAVE-COVINGTON GAME AIRING ON CH. 17
The Ponchatoula-Covington game won earlier this week by the Green Wave, 6-0, will air today (Sunday) at 2:30 pm. on Charter Cable FPTV CH. 17 and will repeat on CH. 17 at 11 pm. Wednesday night.

Wednesday, March 31
SLIDELL THUMPS WAVE, 9-5

Trey Marino had 2 hits and 3 RBI to lead the Wave attack

Slidell jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, and the Tigers never looked back to outdistance Ponchatoula, 9-5, Tuesday night in a 7-5A matchup at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave (11-11, 2-2) had runners in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth innings but couldn’t drive them home to overtake the Tigers (10-9, 1-3).

Randall Meyer held Ponchatoula’s bats in check, scattering six hits in a full seven-inning effort, while Slidell hammered out 11 hits in the victory.

The Tigers lit up the scoreboard in the top of the first off of Ponchy starter Dylan Hills.  Dixon Faciane singled to lead off the game, stole second, and scored on Adam LaGarde’s single.

Tre Wiebelt then smashed a three-run homer to left for a lightning-quick 4-0 lead.

“We really haven’t done that all year,” Wave coach Mark Gosnell said of falling into the early hole.  “We just didn’t get the job done on defense tonight.  That was the bottom line.  Dylan (Hills) didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but he battled and kept us in and gave us a chance.”

“We got too many runs down early, and in the end we were fighting and fighting to try to get back into it and we just kind of ran out of gas.”

The Tigers upped the lead to 5-0 in the second.  With two out Faciane doubled and LaGarde again singled him home.

Ponchatoula got on the board in the last of the second.  With two out Elisha Settoon singled to left and scored on a triple to right by Ryan Byers.

But Slidell rallied for three runs in the top of the third for a commanding 8-1 lead.  Cameron Charbonnet was hit by a pitch and moved to second when Dylan Aymond reached on the pitcher’s error.

Jason Decker then doubled down the right field line, plating Charbonnet, before Hills retrieved the ball from the outfield, throwing into the third base dugout to allow two more runs to score.

Ponchy added a run in the last of the third when Hills was hit by a pitch, reached second on an error and third on a wild pitch before Trey Marino singled him home.

The Wave staged a three-run rally of its own in the fourth to get back into the game.  With one out Settoon reached on an infield error before Byers and Kaleb Kraft loaded the bases with back-to-back walks.

Hills’ infield single plated Settoon before Marino’s two-run single scored both Byers and pinch-runner Taylor Denham.

Trailing 8-5, Settoon replaced Hills on the mound in the seventh.  With one out, a pair of singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases before an infield single by Larry Sigur made it 9-5 for the Tigers.

Meyer retired the Greenies in order in the last of the seventh.  The Slidell hurler finished with 10 strikeouts and three walks.

Hills pitched six innings, allowing eight runs, six of them earned, on eight hits.  He struck out five, walked three and hit one batter.

Marino led the Wave with two hits while Settoon, Hills, Green and Byers had one apiece.

Ponchatoula will be at home again Thursday night when they host St. Paul at 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park.

Wednesday, March 31
FONTAINEBLEAU LEADS DISTRICT AFTER 4 GAMES

District 7-5A

Thursday, April 1
PONCHATOULA TOPS ST. PAUL, 5-4

Trey Marino tossed a complete game, and Ponchatoula took advantage of a three-run error in the fifth inning to topple 16th-ranked St. Paul, 5-4, Thursday night in a big District 7-5A clash at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave (12-11, 3-2) and Wolves (11-7, 3-2) are now tied for second with Northshore (14-7, 3-2), an 8-4 loser to Covington Thursday night.  All three teams are one game back of first-place Fontainebleau (16-8, 4-1), which lost its first district game Thursday to Slidell, 5-3.

Ponchatoula got all of its runs in the second and fifth innings off of Wolves hurler Dylan Hamel, who pitched six innings and gave up only one earned run on three hits, but was victimized by poor defensive play which resulted in six errors.

“That doesn’t happen very often,” Wave coach Mark Gosnell said of the Wolves’  defensive collapse.  “But you know, it seems like it’s happened to us, so it’s about time it happened for us, every now and then.  We took advantage of some of that tonight.”

“We’ve got nine games left in the league, and every game’s going to be like this,” Gosnell predicted.

After Marino dodged a St. Paul scoring threat in the top of the second, one of four he would escape on the evening, the Green Wave broke a scoreless deadlock with two runs in the second.

Dylan Meyers reached first when the first baseman dropped a throw on his grounder to short, and Elisha Settoon laid a bunt single down the third base side.

Ryan Byers then doubled to deep left, scoring pinch-runner Randall Meyers, and Settoon later scored on a ground out by Brady Bass.

The score stood 2-0 through four innings, but the Wolves scratched out a run in the fifth when Alex Kunce laid down a bunt single and later scored on single by Shawn Lacrouts.

But Ponchatoula seemingly put the game out of reach in the fifth on a succession of St. Paul miscues.

Dylan Hills led off with a single, and Marino walked with no outs.  When Justin Crowell bunted back to the pitcher, Hamel through the ball wild to second base, allowing Hills to score.  But the ball got by the centerfielder on the play, allowing pinch-runner Zach Traylor and Crowell to circle the bases for a 5-1 lead.

St. Paul cut the lead to 5-2 in the sixth when Tanner Rainey singled, Aaron Allain was hit by a pitch, and John Gremillion singled to load the bases.  Shane Lacrouts then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Rainey.

In the top of the seventh, the Wolves quickly tightened the game when Dane Stubbs reached on an infield error and with two out scored on a two-run homer by Rainey.

Allain then singled to put the tying run on base.  But Marino got the final batter to fly out to right for the victory.

Marino pitched all seven innings to pick up the win, allowing eight hits while striking out one, walking two and hitting one batter.

“He didn’t get rattled, and that’s a mature senior for you– ‘hey, give me the ball; I’ll get the next guy,” Gosnell said.  “I felt comfortable leaving him in the ballgame.”

Hamel only allowed three hits, and only one run was earned.  He struck out three and walked three.

Settoon, Byers and Hills had the only hits for Ponchy.

The Green Wave will host Holy Cross at 1 pm. Saturday in a non-district fray at Athletic Park.

Friday, April 2
WAVE TO HOST HOLY CROSS ON SATURDAY

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will step away from District 7-5A action Saturday for a 1 pm. contest with Holy Cross at Athletic Park.

Ponchatoula (12-11, 3-2) will hook up with Holy Cross (10-11) of District 10-3A.  The Tigers have yet to play a district game but are ranked No. 3 in the state in 3A power rankings.

Friday, April 2
WAVE-SLIDELL GAME TO AIR THIS WEEKEND

The Ponchatoula-Slidell game from earlier this week, won by the Tigers, 9-5, will air at 2:30 pm. both Saturday and Sunday on Charter Cable Channel 17, FPTV.  The game will also air the following Wednesday night at 11 pm. on Channel 17.

All televised Green Wave baseball games are available for purchase at www.wavesportsvideo.com.

Saturday, April 3
HOLY CROSS TRIPS PONCHATOULA, 6-2

Shayne LeRouge’s fifth-inning single scored Blake Toscano with the go-ahead run, and Jordan White silenced Ponchatoula on four hits as the Tigers stopped the Green Wave, 6-2, Saturday in a non-district contest at Athletic Park.

Ponchatoula fell to 12-12 overall with the loss while Holy Cross of District 10-3A upped its record to 11-11 overall.

LeRouge’s RBI single capped a decisive, three-run rally in the fifth which broke a 2-2 deadlock.  With one out, Toscano doubled off Ponchy starter Elisha Settoon and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.

After an intentional walk to Joe Broussard, LeRouge sent a high-bouncing single over the third baseman’s head to put Holy Cross ahead, 3-2.  Ryan Deemes followed with a single to right, but the throw home was wild, allowing Broussard to score, and a subsequent wild throw to third plated LeRouge for a 5-2 lead.

The Tigers added a final run in the sixth when Kyle McSpadden singled and later scored on Toscano’s single for a 6-2 cushion.

Ponchatoula took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Dylan Hills was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third when Trey Marino’s grounder to third  was dropped by the first basemena.  Justin Crowell then grounded into a double play to bring Hills home with the game’s first run.

Holy Cross responded with two runs in the top of the second to take the lead.  A single by Brian Reany and a walk to McSpadden set it up for Darryl Watson, who with two out sent a ground ball to shortstop that was thrown away at first, allowing two runs to score for a 2-1 Tiger lead.

Ponchatoula tied it up in the second when Dylan Meyers singled, pinch-runner Randall Meyers moved to second on a wild pitch, and Ryan Byers singled him home.

However, those were the last runs Ponchy would score off of White, who picked up the victory in six innings of work, allowing only four hits and one earned run while striking out five, walking two, and hitting one batter.

Reliever Tristian Diaz came on with two out and two men on in the sixth and induced a ground out to end the inning.  He retired the side in order in the seventh, two by strikeout.

The only hits the Wave managed off of White were a pair of singles by Byers and singles by Settoon and Dylan Meyers.

Settoon pitched all seven innings in the loss, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, striking out one, walking three, and hitting one batter.

Ponchatoula will jump back into District 7-5A action Tuesday on the road at league-leading Fontainebleau. Ponchatoula and three other teams- Covington, Northshore, and St. Paul- are one game back in second place.

Wednesday, April 7
BULLDOGS’ LATE RALLY CLIPS PONCHY, 8-5

	Joe Green had 3 hits vs. the Bulldogs (LeSaicherre photo)

Logan Peterson cranked a two-out, two-strike walkoff grand slam as league-leading Fontainebleau came from two runs down in the final inning to edge Ponchatoula, 8-5, Tuesday night in a 7-5A thriller in Mandeville.

The Wave fell to 12-13 on the season and 3-3 in 7-5A, tied for third with Northshore, a 10-7 loser to Mandeville, and St. Paul, a 6-5 loser to Covington in 10 innings.  Fontainebleau stands alone atop the league standings with a 5-1 district mark (17-8 overall) while the Covington is alone in second place.

Peterson’s walkoff slam marked the only time the Bulldogs led the entire game as Fontainebleau eclipsed a 5-3 Ponchy lead heading into the final frame.

The Green Wave jumped to an early 5-0 lead with nine hits through the first three innings, chasing Peterson from the mound for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Wave starter Dylan Hills handcuffed the Dogs through the first six frames, allowing only two earned runs on four hits to that point.

But David Fiegel led off the last of the seventh for Fontainebleau with a bloop single down the right field line.  After Hills struck out Adam Hines, Anthony LaGuardia’s slow chopper to shortstop resulted in an infield single to place men on first and second.

Ryan Casassa then sacrificed the runners to second and third before Hills intentionally walked Addison Melancon, who’d ripped two hits earlier in the game, to load the bases.  Jake Palmisano then beat out another bouncer to short to cut Ponchy’s lead to 5-4.

Hills then went right after Peterson, forcing a foul off the right side and a swing and miss for an 0-2 count before the Bulldog connected for the game-winner over the right field fence.

“It’s a hard one to swallow,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “I thought we played hard.  It’s just unfortunate that we lost.”

“When you come in to the first-place team’s backyard and have a two-run lead with your ace on the mound in the last inning, you normally feel pretty good.  But we didn’t make some plays in the last inning that gave them new life.  So it went down to the last hitter and last strike, and the guy swung at a high pitch with an 0-2 count and somehow hit it out of the park.”

The Green Wave bats came ready to play as Ponchy jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.  Hills led off with a single and moved to second on a single by Elisha Settoon.  Justin Crowell then singled home Hills for a 1-0 lead before Joe Green’s two-out single plated Settoon.

Ponchy upped the lead to 3-0 in the top of the second.  Darrin Bach led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brady Bass, and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Hills then walked and stole second, but Bach was thrown out at the plate on the play.  With two outs, Settoon lined an RBI single to centerfield, scoring Hills from second.

A two-run rally in the top of the third gave the Green Wave what seemed like a commanding 5-0 lead.  Trey Marino led off with a single before Dylan Meyers blasted a towering RBI double to center, scoring Marino from first.  Green then singled home courtesy runner Randall Meyers for the second run of the inning.

Fontainebleau then began to chip away at Ponchatoula’s lead with two runs in the last of the third.  With one out LaGuardia walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Casassa’s single to right with Casassa advancing to second on the throw home.  Melancon then plated Casassa with an RBI single to make it 5-2.

In the top of the fourth Fontainebleau lifted Peterson, who’d not been beaten the entire season and sported a 1.50 ERA with a perfect game and a shared no-hitter to his credit.

Reliever Shane Mullen kept the Wave off balance for the next two innings, allowing two hits but no runs.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs added another run in the last of the fourth when Andrew Patin was hit by a pitch and pinch-runner Dalton LaFrance was sacrificed to second by Klay Galloway.  An attempted pickoff of LaFrance was then thrown wildly into centerfield by the catcher as the Bulldogs chopped the lead to 5-3.

Ponchatoula had a golden chance to add some insurance runs in the top of the sixth.  With two out, Crowell and Marino singled.  But Fontainebleau lifted Mullen for lefty Adam Hines, who walked Dylan Meyers to load the bases but struck out the final batter to escape the jam.

Hines struck out the Green Wave side in the top of the seventh to set up the Bulldog heroics in the bottom of the frame.

Hills pitched a complete game for the Wave, allowing eight runs on eight hits, striking out four while walking two and hitting one batter.

Meanwhile, the Wave pounded Fontainebleau pitchers for 13 hits.  Green led the attack with three hits while Hills, Settoon, Crowell and Marino had two hits apiece.  Bach and Dylan Meyers had the other two hits for Ponchy.

Ponchatoula returns home Friday to host 7-5A rival Hammond in a key district contest set to begin at 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park.

Thursday, April 8
WAVE RANKED #32, TIED FOR THIRD IN DISTRICT

 District 7-5A

 

The Ponchatoula Green Wave remained ranked #32 in the latest power rankings for 5A released at www.kenramsey.com.  Ponchatoula- with a game at home Friday vs. 7-5A rival Hammond- currently stands tied for third in league standings with Northshore, St. Paul and Slidell.  Fontainebleau leads the district and Covington currently stands second.

The Ponchatoula Green Wave wil face off with 7-5A rival Hammond Friday

Thursday, April 8
GREEN WAVE TO HOST RIVAL HAMMOND IN 7-5A SHOWDOWN

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will host Hammond Friday at 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park in a key District 7-5A matchup.  A Hammond-Ponchatoula junior varsity game will precede the varsity affair, beginning at 4 pm.

Ponchatoula (12-13) brings a 3-3 district mark into the fray while Hammond (7-15) is 0-6.  The Green Wave is locked into a four-way tie for third with Northshore, St. Paul and Slidell.

Thursday, April 8
“CANE’S CHALLENGE” TO SPICE PONCHY-HAMMOND SHOWDOWN

Fans will have a chance for a free box of Cane’s Friday

Raising Cane’s, a sponsor for both Ponchatoula and Hammond High baseball teams this spring, will host a special “Cane’s Challenge” for all fans attending Friday night’s game between Ponchatoula and Hammond set to begin at 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park.

Everyone who enters the gate will be given a special coupon by Raising Cane’s with a chance to win the “Cane’s Challenge”- which for this game is a combined run total by both teams of six runs.

In other words, if Ponchatoula and Hammond combine for six runs, everyone with a coupon will be able to take advantage of a “Buy One, Get One Free” combo box of Cane’s chicken at either Raising Cane’s location in Hammond on either Friday or Saturday.

Wendy LeSaicherre has available player action photos like this of 3B Trey Marino

Friday, April 9
ACTION PHOTOS NOW AVAILABLE AT WENDY LESAICHERRE PHOTOGRAPHY

Wendy LeSaicherre, team photographer for Ponchatoula baseball who provides the outstanding photos appearing on this website each week, is making this spring’s Green Wave game action photos available for purchase from an online gallery on her
website at www.wendylesaicherrephotography.com

Go to “online ordering”, then “sports”, enter your email address, enter the password which is “phs2010″, and make your selections.

Deadline for ordering is April 29th.  A few more games and team/individual photos will be added later.  For any questions, call 386-3077.

3B Elisha Settoon had two hits and 4 RBI vs. the Hammond Tors

Saturday, April 10
GREEN WAVE BLISTERS HAMMOND, 13-1

Trey Marino allowed just 3 hits with 8 K’s vs. Hammond

Trey Marino fashioned a three-hitter, and Ponchatoula belted 10 hits in four innings as the Green Wave crushed Hammond, 13-1, Friday in a District 7-5A game at Athletic Park.

The win evened Ponchy’s overall record at 13-13 and moved the Green Wave to 4-3 in 7-5A, good enough for a second-place tie with Northshore and St. Paul.  The Wave is only one game out of first place as Fontainebleau and Covington are tied for the top spot at 5-2.

“We did a great job of swinging the bats at Fontainebleau the other night, and it kind of continued tonight,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.

“Hammond walked us a few times and made a few mistakes on defense, and that kind of kept a couple of innings going.  We were fortunate to get a lead and kind of extend it and were able to relax a little bit.”

Marino gave up no earned runs while striking out eight and walking only one in five innings of work.

The Green Wave got on the board first with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first inning.  Justin Crowell singled and moved to second on a walk to Marino.  Dylan Meyers then walked to load the bases before Crowell came home on a wild pitch.

The Wave moved its lead to 4-0 in the second. Ryan Byers and Brady Bass both reached on infield errors and scored on a two-run double by Dylan Hills, who later scored on Crowell’s RBI single.

Ponchy blew it open with four more runs in the third.  Dylan Meyers led off with a double, and courtesy runner Zach Traylor advanced to third on a single by Byers.

Bass singled Traylor home, and Randall Meyers walked to load the bases.  Hills then grounded into an error by the shortstop, plating Byers for a 6-0 lead.

Elisha Settoon then followed with a two-run single to drive in both courtesy runner Mark Traylor and Meyers to round out the scoring for the inning.

The Wave capped its scoring with a five-run rally in the fourth.  Walks to Dylan Meyers, Joe Green and Mark Traylor loaded the bases, and with one out Randall Meyers drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 9-0.

Hills then drove in Green with a fielder’s choice grounder before Settoon ripped his second two-run single of the evening, plating Traylor and Meyers for an 11-0 lead.

Crowell then singled before Marino’s double scored both Settoon and Crowell for a 13-0 lead.

Hammond scored its only run off Marino in the top of the fifth when Troy Bass struck out but reached on a passed ball by the catcher.  After singling, Josh Byars was tagged out in a rundown, and Bass scored when the throw home was wild.

Crowell led Ponchy with three hits while Settoon had two hits and 4 RBI.  Marino, Byers, Bass and Dylan Meyers each had one hit while Hills had one hit and 4 RBI.

Ponchatoula will begin the second round of District 7-5A play Tuesday with a key home matchup with Northshore, currently tied with the Green Wave for second place in the district.  Game time is 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park.

DH Justin Crowell had three hits vs. Hammond

Saturday, April 10
GREEN WAVE NOW TIED FOR SECOND IN 7-5A

Ponchatoula moved into a three-way, second-place tie with Northshore and St. Paul in District 7-5A standings Friday with its 13-1 drubbing of Hammond.  All three teams stand at 4-3 while the league leaders, Fontainebleau (which lost to St. Paul, 2-1) and Covington, are one game ahead at 5-2.

DISTRICT 7-5A

Friday’s Results (4/9)

Covington 8 – Mandeville 6
St. Paul 2 – Fontainebleau 1
Ponchatoula 13 - Hammond 1
Northshore 10 – Slidell 7

Fontainebleau	17 - 9         5 – 2
Covington	16 – 11       5 – 2
Northshore	15 - 9         4 – 3
St. Paul	12 – 8         4 – 3
Ponchatoula	13 – 13       4 – 3
Mandeville	7  – 16        3 – 4
Slidell	12 - 10        3 – 4
Hammond	7 – 16         0 – 7

Tuesday, April 13
PONCHATOULA HOSTS NORTHSHORE TONIGHT

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will host the Northshore Panthers tonight at 6:30 pm. at Athletic Park in a District 7-5A matchup of teams tied for second place.

The Green Wave (13-13) and Panthers (15-9) are tied with St. Paul for second place with a 4-3 district mark.  Fontainebleau and Covington are tied for first at 5-2.

Ryan Byers had 3 hits and a clutch two-run double vs. Northshore

Thursday, April 15
GREEN WAVE TOPS NORTHSHORE IN NINE-INNING THRILLER

	Dylan Meyers had a 2-run homer to ignite the Wave in the 1st

Brady Bass drew a bases-loaded walk to cap a dramatic, five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth as Ponchatoula came from behind to nip Northshore, 11-10, Tuesday night in a crucial 7-5A clash at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave (14-13) moved to 5-3 in district, good enough for a second-place tie with St. Paul, a 9-2 winner over Mandeville, and Covington, a 4-1 loser to Slidell.  All three teams are one game behind league leader Fontainebleau at 6-2.

Northshore (15-10), which entered the game ranked No. 9 in the statge in power rankings, fell to 4-4, now tied for third with Slidell, a 49-2 winner over Mandeville.

In one of the most memorable games ever played at Athletic Park, Northshore broke a 6-6 deadlock through eight innings with four runs in the top of the ninth, building what seemed like an insurmountable lead.But the Green Wave responded with five in the bottom half, made possible in large part by six walks issued by Northshore pitchers.Dylan Hills led off the final frame against reliever Chris Eades with a double to right-center. Eades then issued consecutive walks to Elisha Settoon, Trey Marino and Dylan Meyers to force Hills home. Joe Green popped a sacrifice fly to deep left field, plating Settoon and cutting the deficit to 10-8.Justin Crowell then drew a walk before Ryan Byers delivered a clutch two-run double off the wall, scoring both Marino and Dylan Meyers to tie game at 10-all.Randall Meyers then drew an intentional walk before Bass walked on a 3-2 pitch to score Crowell and end the game.Both teams came out slugging in the first inning. Northshore jumped to a quick 3-0 lead off of Ponchy starter Dylan Hills when Trey Rickrode reached on an infield error, Chase Compton walked and Taylor Eads plastered a three-run homer over the left centerfield wall for a 3-0 lead.

The Wave more than responded against the Panthers’ Shane McKinley in the bottom half. Hills singled, and Settoon grounded into an error by the shortstop before Marino brought both men home with a two-run triple to right-center. Two pitches later, Dylan Meyers powered a shot over the right-field wall for a 4-0 lead.

But the Greenies weren’t done. Green was hit by a pitch before Crowell swatted a double down the first base line, driving Green to third. Byers then ripped a two-run single to left for a 6-3 Ponchatoula margin after only one inning.

But Ponchy couldn’t put up another tally until the dramatic ninth, leaving eight men on base in seven straight innings.

Meanwhile, Hills held Northshore without a score until the top of the fourth when Chris Miller singled, advanced to second when Rickrode was hit by a pitch, moved to third on Breck Kline’s sacrifice, and scored on a passed ball by the catcher on strike three to Chase Compton, who gained first on the play.

But Hills got out of the big jam with one out when shortstop Settoon lunged to stab a screeching one-hopper by Eads up the middle, touched second, and fired to first to complete the double play.

Northshore chipped away further in the sixth when Chris Miller led off with a home run to make the score 6-5.

The Panthers tied it in the top of the seventh when Ryan Eades was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice by McKinley, and scored on Kyle Deckwa’s RBI single.

In the top of the eighth Ponchy brought on Marino to relieve Hills, and the righty wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam by getting McKinley to fly out to Green in deep left.

The Wave had a golden opportunity to win it in the last of the eighth. Crowell was hit by a pitch, and Byers sacrificed him to second. Randall Meyers then slapped a single to right field, but pinch-runner Zach Traylor was gunned down at the plate by Miller to kill the rally.

Northshore seemingly busted the game open in the top of the ninth. Deckwa led off with a walk, and with one out Miller walked. Rickrode grounded in the hole to short, and Miller beat the throw to second to load the bases. Kline then singled up the middle, scoring both Deckwa and Miller for an 8-6 lead.

Ponchy then lifted Marino for Settoon, and Chase Compton greeted him with an RBI sacrifice fly to centerfield. After an intentional walk to Taylor Eads, Ryan Eades singled home Kline for what seemed like a commanding 10-6 lead.

But the Green Wave responded with its decisive five-run rally in the last of the ninth to come away with the victory.

Settoon, who pitched the final two-thirds of the ninth inning, picked up the win in relief.

Starter Hills threw seven innings, allowing nine hits and five earned runs while striking out eight while walking two and hitting three.

Byers and Hills had three hits apiece to lead Ponchy while Settoon, Marino, Dylan Meyers, Crowell and Randall Meyers all had one hit.

Ponchatoula travels to Covington Thursday to take on the Lions at 6:30 pm. in a big 7-5A matchup.

---

Trey Marino got the win vs. Covington, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits w/6 K’s

Friday, April 16
WAVE CRUSHES COVINGTON, MOVES INTO FIRST PLACE

Elisha Settoon led the Wave with 3 hits and 3 RBI, including a 2-run homer

Ponchatoula machine-gunned 17 hits, highlighted by home runs from Elisha Settoon and Joe Green, and Trey Marino scattered seven hits on the mound as the Green Wave crushed Covington, 14-7, in a huge District 7-5A matchup Thursday night at Covington.

The win moved the Green Wave (15-13) to 6-3 in 7-5A, vaulting them into a first-place tie with Fontainebleau, a 10-0 loser to Northshore, and St. Paul, a 3-1 winner over Hammond.

“I’m real excited about the way we’re swinging the bats,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “Gosh, Covington is a tough place to play, and to come in here and get 14 runs on 17 hits is outstanding. We hit a lot of balls extremely hard.”

“It’s carried over from our hitting in games over the past couple of weeks and in our batting practice where our kids are just crushing the ball every day,” Gosnell said.  “They’re fighting at the bat rack to see who can get to the plate first.”

Ponchy came out slugging from the very start, getting all of the runs they needed with a seven-hit, seven-run first inning.

Leadoff hitter Dylan Hills was hit by a pitch from Lions starter Riley Boudreaux, and Settoon smashed a two-run homer to left for a quick 2-0 lead.

Dylan Meyers followed with a double and moved to second on a single by Marino.  Justin Crowell’s double plated Meyers before Green walked to load the bases.

Boudreaux was lifted for Dexter Thompson, and Ryan Byers greeted him with a single to drive home courtesy runner Taylor Denham.  Brady Bass followed with an RBI single that plated Crowell.

The Wave then made it back to the top of the lineup in the first, and Hills once again was hit by a pitch, this time plating Green.

Settoon got his third RBI of the inning with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, driving home Byers with the final run of the inning and a 7-0 lead.

With Marino holding Covington scoreless in the first, Ponchy added another run in the second on Green’s solo blast to left-center for an 8-0 cushion.

Covington’s Daniel Thompson came on in relief and held Ponchy scoreless over the next two innings, and  Covington mounted a rally in the last of the second to momentarily get back in the game.

John Schaffer doubled, and with two out Jourdan Taylor doubled him home.

Trey Fortner then doubled home Taylor and scored on a wild throw off of Riley Boudreaux’s grounder to third. Bo Tedesco then singled in Boudreaux for the final run of the inning, chopping the deficit to 8-4.

The Lions cut the lead to 8-5 in the third on consecutive doubles by Payden Lynch and Schaffer.

Marino then settled down from the fourth inning on, shutting out Covington over the next three innings.

Meanwhile, the Green Wave added three more in the fifth and three in the seventh to regain the momentum and seal the victory.

Randall Meyers led off the top of the fifth with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by Bass.  Hills was hit by a pitch for a third time in the game, and Settoon singled to load the bases.

Dylan Meyers then walked to push across Randall Meyers, and with two out Crowell delivered a two-run double down the left-field line for an 11-5 lead.

Dylan Meyers led off Ponchy’s seventh-inning rally with a triple, and courtesy runner Zach Traylor scored on a double by Marino.  Crowell was hit by a pitch, and with two out Byers greeted reliever Schaffer by singling home courtesy runner Mark Traylor.  Randall Meyers then doubled home Crowell for a commanding 14-5 lead.

Settoon relieved Marino in the seventh and picked up the save, allowing two runs on three hits.  Thompson led off with a single and advanced to second on an outfield error.

Lynch’s grounder to short clipped Thompson’s leg for one out before Schaffer singled and both men advanced on a wild pitch.  Pinch-hitter David Lee’s fielder’s choice grounder to short brought home Lynch, and Schaffer scored on Taylor’s double to cap the scoring for the night.

Marino picked up the win with six innings of work, allowing three earned runs on seven hits.  He struck out six, walked one and hit one batter.

“Trey did a good job of damage control,” Gosnell said.  “Despite their four-run inning, he didn’t panic.  He limited them, and that enabled us to relax and pick it back up again at the plate.  And Elisha did a nice job in relief.”

Settoon and Byers both had three hits to lead Ponchy’s assault at the plate.  Dylan Meyers, Marino, Crowell, Randall Meyers and Bass had two hits apiece.  Green had the other hit for the Green Wave.

Schaffer had three hits to lead Covington while Taylor had two hits and Tedesco, Dexter Thompson, Lynch, Fortner and Boudreaux had one apiece.

Ponchatoula returns home Saturday for a big District 7-5A matchup with Mandeville.  Game time is 12 noon at Athletic Park.

“Our kids are real excited, but we told them that tonight’s game is over, and we need to come back to practice tomorrow focused on getting ready for Saturday’s game,” Gosnell said.

Friday, April 16

The Green Wave’s 14-7 thrashing of Covington earned Ponchatoula a three-way tie for first in District 7-5A with Fontainebleau and St. Paul with five district games left on the schedule.

District 7-5A

Friday, April 16
PONCHATOULA MOVES INTO 3-WAY TIE FOR FIRST PLACE

The Green Wave’s 14-7 thrashing of Covington earned Ponchatoula a three-way tie for first in District 7-5A with Fontainebleau and St. Paul with five district games left on the schedule.

District 7-5A

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will host Mandeville at Athletic Park today

Friday, April 16
GREEN WAVE TO HOST MANDEVILLE AT 12 NOON TODAY

The Ponchatoula Green Wave, fresh off a 14-7 whipping of Covington, will host the Mandeville Skippers Saturday at 12 noon at Athletic Park in a key District 7-5A clash.

The Wave (15-13), currently ranked #29 in state power rankings according to www.kenramsey.com, is tied for first in 7-5A with a 6-3 mark along with Fontainebleau and St. Paul.  Mandeville, which beat Slidell 13-3 Thursday, is 8-17 overall and 4-5 in district.

The Wave and Skipper JV teams will play at 10 am. preceding the varsity game.

The Green Wave’s 13-1 win over Hammond will air at 2:30pm on Ch. 17 Sat. & Sun.

Saturday, April 17
PONCHY’S 13-1 WIN OVER HAMMOND TELEVISED THIS WEEKEND

Ponchatoula’s recent 13-1 victory over Hammond in District 7-5A action will be televised on Charter Cable Channel 17 FPTV at 2:30 pm. both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.  The game will also air at 11 pm. this coming Wednesday night.

The WaveSportsVideo productions can be purchased online at www.wavesportsvideo.com. Games available so far this season are Hammond, St. Paul, Slidell, Covington, Acadiana and Walker.

Wave TV Sponsors this season include Smoothie King, Raising Cane’s, Subway, S&S Sportscenter, Double Helix Media, Hancock Bank, Jani-King Commercial Cleaning Services, Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court Julien Dufreche, and the Car Wash Depot.

Randall Meyers led Ponchatoula with 2 hits Saturday vs. Mandeville

Saturday, April 17
MANDEVILLE HALTS GREEN WAVE, 5-1

Joe Green had one of Ponchy’s 5 hits vs. the Skippers (LeSaicherre photo)

Ross Borrello limited Ponchatoula to four hits, and Mandeville had two-out, RBI singles four different times as the Skippers stopped the Green Wave, 5-1, Saturday in District 7-5A action at Athletic Park.

The loss dropped Ponchatoula (15-14) into second place at 6-4 in District 7-5A while Mandeville (9-17) moved into third place at 5-5.

Ponchatoula had beaten Mandeville twice earlier this year, 7-6 in the Parkview Baptist Tournament and 11-1 in the first round of 7-5A league action at Mandeville.

But on Saturday the Green Wave bats, which accounted for 30 hits and 25 runs in just two games earlier in the week in big wins against Northshore (11-10) and Covington 14-7), were basically non-existant Saturday thanks to the Skippers’ small lefty, Borrello.

“Obviously, we didn’t swing the bats very well today with only five hits and one run,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “You have to give their pitcher credit- he kept us off balance the whole game.”

“But we certainly had our chances.  We had the bases loaded once and men on second-and-third twice, and we could only get one run out of it- so we just didn’t get it done,” Gosnell said. ”They got the big two-out hits, and we didn’t.”

After a scoreless first inning, Mandeville got on the board first against Ponchy starter Dylan Hills in the top of the second.  Josh Goodwin walked and moved to second on Borrello’s sacrifice bunt.  Zach Dugas then delivered a run-scoring single for 1-0 lead.

Borrello got out of a bases-loaded jam unscathed in the bottom half.  After Joe Green’s single and walks to Ryan Byers and Randall Meyers, Borrello got a strikeout and a popup to end the threat.

The Skippers made it 2-0 in the third when Drew Francis walked, moved to second on a fielder’s choice, and scored on Lee Batchelder’s two-out single.

The Wave threatened again in the bottom half.  Elisha Settoon and Dylan Meyers drew back-to-back walks with nobody out, but Borrello this time induced a fly out to right and struck out the final two batters to squelch the rally.

Mandy built its lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth.  Borrello and Dugas rapped back-to-back singles, and with two out Francis laced an RBI single.

Ponchy finally got on the board in the last of the fourth when Byers singled, advanced to third on a double by Randall Meyers, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Hills.  But Borrello forced another popup to get out of the jam.

Mandeville added some insurance runs in the sixth off of Ponchy reliever Elisha Settoon.  Borrello led off with a triple, and Dugas singled him home.  Joel Murphy sacrificed Dugas to second, and with two out Zack Liberto delivered a run-scoring single for a 5-1 lead.

Jonathan Baham came on in relief of Borrello in the seventh and gave up a one-out double to Dylan Meyers.  Trey Marino walked and one out later was picked off of first to end the game.

Borrello allowed just one run on four hits in six innings of work, striking out six and walking seven.

In picking up the save, Baham worked one inning, allowing no runs on one hit with one walk.

Randall Meyers had two of the five total hits for Ponchatoula.  Byers, Green and Dylan Meyes had one apiece.

Hills pitched five innings for Ponchy, allowing three runs on five hits, striking out two and walking three.

Settoon pitched two innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits while walking none.

Borrello and Dugas led the Skippers with two hits apiece while Francis, Liberto and Batchelder had one each.

“It’s really disappointing after playing so well in the last couple of games,” Gosnell said.  “But we just have to let it go, get back to work on Monday, and get ready for our big game against Slidell on Tuesday.  In this district every game is important, and this thing is a long way from over.”

The Green Wave travels to Slidell Tuesday to face the Tigers, which entered today’s action with a 4-5, fourth-place district record.  Game time is 6:

Coach Mark Gosnell instructs Dylan Meyers (13) and Joe Green (32) vs. St. Paul

Sunday, April 18
GREEN WAVE NOW TIED FOR SECOND

With its 5-1 loss to Mandeville Saturday, Ponchatoula now stands in a second-place tie with Northshore in the latest District 7-5A standings.  Both teams trail Fontainebleau and St. Paul by one game.  The Green Wave is ranked #30 in the latest 5A power rankings, according to www.kenramsey.com.

 

District 7-5A

Tuesday, April 20
WAVE TRAVELS TO SLIDELL FOR CRUCIAL LEAGUE TILT

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will travel to Slidell today (Tuesday) for a critical District 7-5A matchup with the Tigers.  Game time is 6:30 pm. at Slidell High School.

The Wave (15-14) enters the game at 6-4 in district, tied for second with Northshore and one game out of first.  Slidell (13-12) is 4-6 in district.

Thursday, April 22
GREEN WAVE LEAD SLIPS AWAY AT SLIDELL, 10-7

Ponchatoula raced to an early 5-0 lead, but Slidell staged a fourth-inning, six-run uprising to rally past the Green Wave, 10-7, Tuesday in a big District 7-5A matchup at Slidell.

The Green Wave (15-15) is now 6-5 in 7-5A, tied for second with Northshore and Covington, while Slidell (14-12) is 5-6 and tied with Mandeville at 5-5 in league play. Fontainebleau and St. Paul share the league lead with 8-3.

Ponchatoula once again was hot at the plate, outhitting the Tigers 14-9, but managed five errors to none for Slidell.

“It was a very disappointing loss for us,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We had a 6-2 lead and then gave up a six-run inning.  They hit some balls hard, but we didn’t make some plays in there.”

“We’d make an error with a bad throw or missing the cutoff man , and then they’d get a big hit to make us pay for it.  We made 5 errors and Slidell made none, and that was the difference in the game.”

Joe Green staked Ponchy to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the top of the second.

The Wave pushed the lead to 5-0 with four runs in the third.  Randall Meyers led off with a single and moved to third on a single by Dylan Hills.  Elisha Settoon’s RBI single to right then plated Meyers for a 2-0 lead.

Dylan Meyers followed with a run-scoring double deep to centerfield, scoring Hills, before Trey Marino drove home Settoon with a fielder’s choice ground out.  Justin Crowell’s RBI single then scored pinch-runner Zach Traylor for a 5-0 lead.

Slidell countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning off of Ponchy starter Marino.  Cameron Charbonnet reached on an infield throwing error before Dixon Faciane doubled him to third.  Adam Lagarde’s sacrifice fly scored Charbonnet, and Trey Wiebelt singled home Faciane to cut the lead to 5-2.

The Wave added another run in the fourth when Brady Bass drew a walk, Hills was hit by a pitch, and Settoon’s single drove home pinch-runner Taylor Denham for a 6-2 lead.

But the Tigers scored all of the runs they would need with a huge six-run rally in the bottom of the fourth.

Gary Daubert led off the inning with a single before Ricky Seacrest smashed a two-run homer.  Dylan Aymond singled and moved to second on an infield throwing error before Charbonnet walked and Faciane belted a two-run double to tie the game at 6-6.

Faciane then moved to third on a passed ball before Lagarde was hit by a pitch and Randall Meyer’s fielder’s choice ground ball plated Faciane for a 7-6 Slidell lead.  Jason Decker then doubled home Meyer to make the score 8-6.

Ponchatoula cut the lead in half in the top of the sixth when Hills singled and moved to second on a wild pitch.  With two out Marino singled Hills home to make the score 8-7.

But Slidell responded with two runs in the last of the sixth to put the game away.  With two out Wiebelt doubled and scored on Decker’s single.  Daubert singled Decker to second, and on an attempted double steal the catcher threw wild to third, scoring Decker for the final 10-7 cushion.

Ponchy mounted one final threat in the top of the seventh but came up empty with the bases loaded for the second time in the game.   The Green Wave left 11 runners on base in the defeat.

“We had some runners on base throughout,” Gosnell said.  “We had chances to put it away early and come back at the end, but we just didn’t get the job done.”

Marino went 6 and 2/3 innings on the mound for Ponchatoula.  He gave up seven earned runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking three.

Settoon pitched to one batter in relief in the seventh and struck him out.

Green led the Green Wave barrage at the plate with three base hits.  Hills, Settoon, Dylan Meyers and  Crowell had two hits apiece while Marino, Ryan Byers and Randall Meyers each had one.

The Green Wave travels to Covington Friday for a 6:30 pm. tilt with St. Paul in a must-win game for Ponchy’s state playoff hopes.

“We just have to find a way to put this one behind us and get back to work at practice for our next game,” Gosnell said.

Friday, April 23
PONCHATOULA TRAVELS TO ST. PAUL TONIGHT

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will travel to Covington tonight (Friday) to take on the St. Paul Wolves in a District 7-5A matchup that is critical for the Green Wave’s playoff hopes.  Game time is 6:30 pm.

Ponchy is 6-5 in district, tied for second with Northshore and Covington and two games behind first-place St. Paul and Fontainebleau at 8-3.  Remaining district games for the Wave are St. Paul, Fontainebleau, and Hammond.

A junior varsity game will precede the varsity contest at 4 pm.

Friday, April 23
PARKVIEW GAME SWITCHED TO 4 PM. SATURDAY

The Ponchatoula Green Wave’s game with Parkview Baptist scheduled for Saturday has a new starting time of 4 pm.  There will be no junior varsity game preceding it.

Parkview Baptist, the defending state AAA champ, is currently ranked first in state AAA power rankings.

Friday, April 23
PONCHY-ST. PAUL RAINED OUT, RESCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY

Constant rain forced the postponement of the key District 7-5A matchup between Ponchatoula and St. Paul Friday evening.  The game has been rescheduled for 1 pm. Sunday at the St. Paul field in Covington.

The preceding junior varsity game was cancelled.

Friday, April 23
WAVE HOSTS PARKVIEW AT 4 PM. SATURDAY
Weather permitting, the Ponchatoula Green Wave will host 3-A power Parkview Baptist Saturday at Athletic Park in a big non-district fray.  Game time is 4 pm.  There will be no junior varsity game beforehand.

Friday, April 23
PONCHY-HAMMOND GAME MOVED TO WEDNESDAY
The regular season finale between Ponchatoula and Hammond has been moved to Wednesday at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Alumni Field.  Game time is 6:30 pm.

Friday, April 23
BASEBALL BANQUET SET FOR MAY 27TH
The annual season-ending banquet honoring the 2010 Green Wave baseball team has been set for May 27th at 7:00 p.m. at the Twelve Oaks Cafeteria on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University.

Players will receive two free tickets apiece.  Additional tickets can be purchased for $20 each from the parent class representative.  All tickets must be purchased by April 30th.  Parent representatives are: Seniors – Cheryl Settoon; Juniors – Sonya Traylor; Sophomores – Allison Dupont; Freshman – Renee Castello.  If there are any questions, contact Booster Club president Tessa Hills at 507-1598.

Friday, April 23
PONCHY WIN OVER NORTHSHORE TO AIR ON TV THIS WEEKEND

Ponchatoula’s exciting 11-10 comeback win over Northshore will air this weekend on Charter Cable Channel 17 FPTV at 2:30 pm. both Saturday and Sunday and again at 11 pm. next Wednesday night.  Game videos can be purchased at www.wavesportsvideo.com.

Friday, April 23
PONCHATOULA IN 3-WAY TIE FOR SECOND

District 7-5A

Saturday, April 24
PARKVIEW SMACKS PONCHY, 8-0

Parkview Baptist hammered out 13 hits, and three Eagle pitchers combined to limit Ponchatoula to four safeties as Parkview shelled the Green Wave, 8-0, Saturday in a non-district game at Athletic Park.

The loss moved the Green Wave to 15-16 overall while Parkview, the defending state 3A champs and currently the top-ranked 3A team in the state, upped its record to 26-6 on the year.

Ponchatoula now plays its biggest game of the season Sunday against league-leading St. Paul in a must-win situation for Green Wave playoff hopes.  Ponchatoula is 6-5 in District 7-5A while St. Paul is 8-3.

In Saturday’s contest, Parkview got on the board first with an unearned run off of Ponchy starter Elisha Settoon.  An infield error and a single by James Coates set up Brenden Bozeman’s RBI single for a 1-0 lead.

With Eagle starter Colin Rodgers escaping a bases-loaded Ponchy jam in the second, Parkview stretched its lead to 2-0 in the third on Tanner Schafer’s solo homer.

Ryan Byers relieved Settoon at the start of the fourth, and the Eagles put together a three-run rally on three hits, two hit batsmen, and a fielder’s choice.  Big hits in the inning were an RBI single by Brooks Godberry and a two-run single by Bozeman for a 5-0 lead.

Parkview rallied for three more in the fifth.  Andrew Reeves led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on Jack Clautra’s single.  Clautra then stole second, and Garrett Deschamps walked, but Reeves dashed home on ball four as the pitch got by the catcher.

Clautra beat the throw home on a stealing attempt as Deschamps stole second with one out.  Brady Wilson then had an RBI single to plate Deschamps as Parkview stretched its lead to 8-0.

Relievers William Bacon and Reeves held Ponchy scoreless after the fifth inning to record the group shutout.

The Green Wave brought Darrin Bach to pitch the last inning, and he retired the side without a run. Meanwhile Ponchy failed to get a run in the final half-inning for the final 8-0 score.

All total the Green Wave left seven runners stranded in the defeat.

Hills, Marino, Crowell and Brady Bass were the only Greenies to collect hits for the Green Wave on the evening.

William Bacon pitched a scoreless fifth-inning before Reeves closed out the shutout with no runs on one hit.

Rodgers, the winning pitcher, shut out Ponchy in four innings of work, allowing only two hits while striking out six and walking two.

Settoon gave up one earned run in three innings of work, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out one.

Byers pitched two innings, allowing six runs on five hits while hitting two batters and walking one.

Lessard gave up no runs in two innings of work, allowing three hits.

Bach retired the side in order in his only inning on the mound.

Saturday, April 24
WAVE GAME WITH FONTAINEBLEAU SWITCHED TO MONDAY AT 6:30 PM.

In an effort to wrap up District 7-5A play, including possible inter-league playoffs for seeding purposes, the Fontainebleau game has been moved to 6:30 pm. Monday at Athletic Park.  A special ceremony honoring the Green Wave seniors will be held at 6 pm. preceding the game.  The Ponchy and Fontainebleau JV will square off at 4 pm.

In addition, now Ponchatoula will play Hammond on Wednesday at Alumni Field at Southeastern Louisiana University.  Game time is 6:30 pm. The Ponchy and Hammond JV teams will play at 4 pm. Wednesday at Athletic Park.

Sunday, April 25
WAVE PLAYOFF HOPES ON LINE TODAY VS. ST. PAUL

The Ponchatoula Green Wave travels to Covington today for a 1 pm. matchup with St. Paul with the Wave’s 2010 playoff hopes on the line.  Ponchy (6-5)must win today’s game vs. first-place St. Paul (8-3) to stay alive in the District 7-5A race.

If the Green Wave wins, Ponchy will also face a must-win situation against Fontainebleau, tied for the league lead with St. Paul, at 6:30 pm. Monday night at Athletic Park.

Dylan Hills allowed only 3 earned runs in a complete game win vs. St. Paul

Sunday, April 25
GREEN WAVE HOLDS ON TO TOP ST. PAUL, 9-7

	Justin Crowell had 3 hits and 3 RBI vs. St. Paul

Ponchatoula rallied for six runs in the fourth inning, and Dylan Hills pitched a complete game victory as the Green Wave edged the Wolves, 9-7, in a huge District 7-5A game Sunday at Covington.

The victory moved the Green Wave to 16-16 overall and 7-5 in 7-5A standings, one game behind St. Paul and two behind league-leading Fontainebleau.  Ponchatoula hosts Fontainebleau at 6:30 pm. Monday at Athletic Park in another must-win game for Green Wave playoff hopes.

“It’s been quite a rollercoaster ride this year,” said  Green Wave head coach Gosnell.  “We’ve been very up and down all year.”

“What a difference a day makes,” he continued.  “The kids came out and played really hard today unlike yesterday (against Parkview).  We came in here and beat a darned good baseball team at their place to tie for second place in the district.”

Sunday’s victory over St. Paul, the Wave’s second of the season, wasn’t an easy one for the Green Wave as it again came down to the final out.  The Wolves had runners on first and second with two out and the winning run at the plate when Hills got leadoff batter Dane Stubbs to ground out to third to end the game.

The Wave, which pounded out 11 hits, jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off of Wolves starter John Gremillion.

Hills reached on a muffed popup before Elisha Settoon was hit by a pitch.  With two out Justin Crowell doubled to deep right-center to drive home both runners.  Joe Green then singled home Crowell for the early 3-0 lead.

Hills shut out St. Paul through the first two innings, but the Wolves tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third.

Alex ***z singled and moved to second when Stubbs was hit by a pitch.  Reed Wilson sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Christian Spansel was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  With two out Aaron Allain lofted a high fly ball down the left field line that was muffed, allowing all three runners to score to tie the game at 3-all.

But the Green Wave responded with a six run-rally in the top of the fourth for what proved to be the decisive inning. Ryan Byers led off with a single, and Randall Meyers sacrificed him to second.  Brady Bass walked before Hills singled to left to plate Byers for a 4-3 lead.

Settoon singled pinch-runner Mark Traylor to third before Dylan Meyers drove home Traylor with a sacrifice fly to deep left.  On the play the shortstop made a relay throw to try to pick Settoon off of first, but threw wild into the Greenie dugout, allowing Hills to score and moving Settoon to third.

Marino’s hot grounder then got through the shortstop to score Settoon before Crowell scorched a double to plate Marino.  Joe Green rounded out the scoring with an RBI single to score Crowell for a 9-3 lead.

“We kept swinging the bats, getting some guys on base each inning and getting some big hits to keep the pressure on,” Gosnell said.

The Wolves chopped the lead to 9-6 in the last of the fourth.  Shawn Lacrouts reached on an infield error, and with two out Stubbs was once again hit with a pitch.  Wilson then drove home both runners with a triple down the right field line and later scored himself on a double by Spansel.

St. Paul added another run in the last of the fifth when consecutive singles by Lacrouts and Logan Trent placed men on first and second with two out.  ***z then reached on a fielder’s choice before Stubbs two-out single drove home Lacrouts to make the score 9-7.

Shane Lecrouts took over for Gremillion on the mound and held Ponchy scoreless through the last three innings.

Meanwhile, St. Paul got the tying run to the plate in the last of the sixth, but Hills induced a 6-4-3 double play, Ponchy’s second of the game, to kill the threat.

The Wave had two men on in the seventh via Green’s double and Byers’ single, but Byers was thrown out attempting to steal to end the inning.

Shawn Lecrouts doubled with one out in the seventh, but Hills got Trent to fly out to left.  After ***z walked, Hills toughened up to get Stubbs on a ground ball to third to end the game.

Hills worked the entire seven innings, allowing only three earned runs on 11 hits.  He struck out seven, walked two, and hit three batters.

“Dylan Hills was just outstanding,” Gosnell said.  “Most of the runs he gave up were due to misplayed outfield popups or infield grounders that gave them extra outs and kept them alive in several innings.  But I can tell you this- he wasn’t coming out of the game.”

Crowell had three hits and three RBI while Green had three hits and two RBI to lead the Green Wave at the plate.  Byers had two hits while Hills, Settoon and Marino had one each.

The Green Wave will host league-leading Fontainebleau at 6:30 Monday at Athletic Park in a must-win game for Ponchy playoff hopes.

A special ceremony honoring the 2010 seniors will be held just prior to the game Monday at 6 pm.  The Ponchatoula seniors are Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon, Justin Crowell, Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft, Trey Marino and Joe Green.

A junior varsity game between Ponchy and Fontainebleau will be played at 4 pm.

Joe Green had 3 hits and 2 RBI for the Wave vs. the Wolves

Monday, April 26
DISTRICT 7-5A STANDINGS HEADING INTO FINAL WEEK

District 7-5A

Monday, April 26
GREEN WAVE IN MUST-WIN GAME WITH FONTAINEBLEAU TONIGHT

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will host the Fontainebleau Bulldogs tonight in a must-win game for the Green Wave’s playoff hopes.  With Sunday’s big 9-7 win over St. Paul, the Wave (16-16) is currently 7-5 in District 7-5A, two games behind Fontainebleau which leads the league with a 9-3 record and only one game behind St. Paul (8-4).

Game time at Athletic Park is 6:30 pm.  A special Senior Day ceremony will be held at 6 pm. prior to the game while the day kicks off with a junior varsity contest at 4 pm.

Seniors (top L-R) Crowell, Settoon, Hills, Kraft, Marino, (bottom) Green, Meyers

Monday, April 26
“SENIOR DAY” TO HONOR 7 GREEN WAVE SENIORS TONIGHT

Ponchatoula baseball will honor its 2010 Green Wave seniors tonight with “Senior Day” set to begin at 6 pm. at Athletic Park just prior to the Wave’s big district game with Fontainebleau.

Those Ponchatoula seniors playing in their final regular season home game at Athletic Park include Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon, Justin Crowell, Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft, Trey Marino and Joe Green.

Trey Marino allowed only 3 hits,1 unearned run & had an RBI single vs. FHS

Monday, April 26
FONTAINEBLEAU NIPS PONCHATOULA, 2-1

Klay Galloway tossed a complete-game two-hitter, and Fontainebleau rallied for the only runs it needed in the first two innings to edge Ponchatoula, 2-1, Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The win dropped the Green Wave to 16-17 on the season and 7-6 in District 7-5A, putting a damper on any Ponchy hopes for the state 5A playoffs.

Meanwhile, Fontainebleau secured at least a tie for the district title, moving its record to 22-10 overall and 10-3 in league play.

Ponchatoula celebrated “Senior Day” just prior to the game where seven Green Wave seniors were honored.

Galloway hooked up in a pitcher’s duel with Ponchy’s Trey Marino, who also pitched a complete game and gave up only three hits and one earned run.

But Ponchy could manage only five baserunners the entire game as the tall lefty threw changeup after changeup which the Green Wave hitters turned into deep fly outs.

Fontainebleau got on the board first in the top of the first when Ryan Cassassa singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Jake Palmisano’s single.

With Galloway throwing a perfect game through the first three innings, the Bulldogs added their second and final run in the second inning.

Andrew Patin walked, and David Fiegel hit into a fielder’s choice grounder where the runner was safe at second.  Galloway sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Matt Ernst’s slow infield hopper was booted, allowing Patin to score for a 2-0 lead.  It would be all of the run support Galloway would need for the remainder of the game.

Ponchy finally got on the board in the last of the fourth when Elisha Settoon was hit by a pitch and moved to second on Dylan Meyers’ slow grounder to first.

With two out Marino brought home Settoon with a single to center to cut the lead to 2-1.  Marino then advanced to second on a wild pitch, but Galloway induced a hard ground ball out to end the inning.

After the second inning, Marino shut out the Bulldogs, allowing only five more baserunners.

Ponchatoula mounted two more threats before the end of the game, but Galloway wiggled out of them both.

In the last of the fifth Justin Crowell singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Byers.  With two out Brady Bass walked, but Galloway induced a fly out to center to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh Crowell walked with one out to put the tying run aboard.  But two straight deep fly balls to the wall were caught by Fontainebleau to end the game.

Galloway struck out three, walked two, and hit one batter in his seven innings of work.

Marino threw a sterling six innings in a losing effort, striking out four, walking three, and hitting one batter.

Marino and Crowell had the only hits for Ponchatoula while Palmisano had two singles for the Bulldogs and Cassassa had one.

Ponchatoula will wind up its regular season schedule Wednesday against Hammond at 6:30 pm. at Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

Tuesday, April 27
PONCHY TO FACE HAMMOND IN SEASON FINALE AT SLU

The Ponchatoula Green Wave will play arch-rival Hammond in the season finale Wednesday night at 6:30 pm. at Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

The Hammond-Ponchy junior varsity game will begin at 4:30 pm. Wednesday and will be played at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave varsity was eliminated from playoff contention Monday in a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to league-leading Fontainebleau.  The Wave currently has a 16-17 overall record with a 7-6 mark in District 7-5A.

Wednesday will mark the final game as Greenies for seniors Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon, Justin Crowell, Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft, Trey Marino and Joe Green.

Elisha Settoon pitched a 3-hitter w/9 K’s & had two 2B’s for 4 RBI vs. the Tors

Thursday, April 29
GREEN WAVE CRUSHES TORNADOES, 13-1, IN SEASON FINALE

	Dylan Hills smacked 3 hits for 2 RBI vs. Hammond

Elisha Settoon shut down Hammond with a complete-game three-hitter and drove in four runs himself with a pair of doubles as Ponchatoula crushed the Tornadoes, 13-1, in the season finale at Southeastern’s Alumni Field Wednesday night.

The Green Wave, which narrowly missed the state 5A playoffs, finished 17-17 overall and 8-6 in District 7-5A, good enough for third place in the league.  They trailed only champion Fontainebleau (11-3) and Northshore and St. Paul, which both finished 9-5 and tied for second.  It was the second time that Ponchy has finished with a winning 8-6 record in the tough 7-5A district.

Against the Tornadoes, it was a way to go out in style in the final game for seven Green Wave seniors, most of whom have been a part of 65 wins over the last four years. Those seniors are Settoon, Dylan Hills, Justin Crowell, Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft, Trey Marino and Joe Green.

Settoon allowed no earned runs and only five baserunners over the entire seven innings he pitched, striking out nine and walking only one.  He gave up only a bunt single to Lucas Quebedeaux and singles to Trey Perkins and Jon-Michael Williams.

Meanwhile, Ponchatoula jumped on the board in the top of the first with a leadoff single by Hills, who collected three hits on the evening, a walk to Settoon, and a muffed grounder off the bat of Marino to score Hills for an early 1-0 lead.

Marino then stole second, and Settoon scored on the catcher’s throw down for a 2-0 lead.

Hammond cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third.  With one out Williams singled and Quebedeaux laid down a bunt single.  Josh Byars bunted, and a wild throw to third loaded the bases.  Austin Davis then walked to plate Williams with what would turn out to be Hammond’s only run of the game as Settoon retired 14 straight batters to end the game.

Ponchatoula responded with four runs in the fourth. Green singled, and Marino reached on a dropped fly by the left fielder.  Ryan Byers singled home Green, and Kraft reached on a fielder’s choice.  Hills then ripped a double to score Byers before Settoon crashed a two-run double off the left-field wall for a 6-1 cushion.

Ponchy added two more in the top of the sixth.  With one out Randall Meyers scorched a double down the left-field line, and Kraft singled him to third.  Hills singled home Meyers, and Settoon’s ground ball got through the third baseman, scoring pinch-runner Jake Lipps for an 8-1 lead.

Ponchy ended the season with a bang in the seventh, scoring five runs.  Green led off with a walk, and Marino and Byers both reached on infield errors to load the bases.

Randall Meyers then singled home both Green and Marino.  Next Hills was hit by a pitch before Settoon clouted another two-run double to deep left-center.  Dylan Meyers then pushed across Hills with a ground out for the final 13-1 count.

Hills led the Ponchy plate assault with three hits and two RBI while Settoon had two hits and four RBI and Randall Meyers had two hits and two RBI.  Green, Byers, and Kraft had one hit each for the Green Wave.

Ponchatoula will hold its 2010 banquet on May 27th at the Twelve Oaks Cafeteria on Southeastern Louisiana University’s campus.

Senior Randall Meyers had 2 hits and 2 RBI in the win over Hammond

Saturday, May 1
FINAL DISTRICT 7-5A STANDINGS FOR 2010

The 2010 Ponchatoula Green Wave finished with an 8-6 record in District 7-5A, just the second time that Ponchatoula has finished with a winning record in District 7-5A.  The Wave finished just behind first-place Fontainebleau and two teams tied for second, Northshore and St. Paul.  All three teams qualified for the state playoffs.  The Wave split with Northshore and beat St. Paul twice during the season.

 

District 7-5A

Photos such as Trey Marino pitching are made available by Wendy LeSaicherre

Saturday, May 1
TONIGHT IS DEADLINE TO ORDER PHOTOS

Shots like Joe Green digging are made available by Wendy LeSaicherre

Midnight tonight is the deadline to order photos from Wendy LeSaicherre.

Great game action, individual and team photos from Ponchatoula’s exciting 2010 season are currently available at LeSaicherre’s onsite photo gallery, www.wendylesaicherrephotography.com.

Go to “online ordering”, then “sports”, enter your email address, enter the password which is “phs2010″, and make your selections.

For any questions, call 386-3077.

Saturday, May 1
BOOSTER CLUB MEETING SET FOR MAY 24TH
A meeting of the Ponchatoula baseball Grand Slam Booster Club will be held at 7 pm. Monday, May 24th at the Ponchatoula High School Library.  All members are expected to attend.

Sunday, May 16
MARINO COMMITS TO LSU-EUNICE

Ponchy senior Trey Marino will pitch for LSU-Eunice

Ponchatoula Green Wave senior pitcher-infielder Trey Marino has committed to play baseball for Louisiana State University at Eunice.  Marino, who made second-team All-District 7-5A for the Green Wave this season, will pitch for the Bengals which won the  junior college national championship in 2006 and 2008.

Marino pitched and played third base for the Green Wave this season, his first with Ponchatoula after transferring from St. Stanislaus in Mississippi.  Marino spent his sophomore and freshman seasons at St. Thomas Acquinas in Hammond where he was an All-District 9-2A performer.

Elisha Settoon w/parents & PHS coach Mark Gosnell, principal Danny Strickland

Sunday, May 16
SETTOON SIGNS WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS

Ponchatoula High senior pitcher-infielder Elisha Settoon has signed on to attend the University of Texas at Dallas where he will play baseball for the Comets of the American Southwest Conference.  Settoon was a three-year starter and three-year all-district performer for the Green Wave, playing all four infield positions and pitching.

This year Settoon was selected by league coaches to the First Team All-District 7-5A team and by the LHSAA to the First Team  Academic All-State Composite team.  A National Merit Scholar with a 4.0 grade point average, Settoon will major in Business Management at the University of Texas at Dallas.  He will pitch and play infield for the Comets, who’ve posted nine straight winning seasons and eight trips to the ASC playoffs.

Settoon made 1st Team All-District 7-5A & 1st Team Academic All-State Composite

Sunday, May 16
WAVE PLACES FOUR ON 5A ACADEMIC ALL-STATE TEAM

	Randall Meyers made Honorable Mention 5A Academic All-State as an outfielder

The Ponchatoula High Green Wave baseball team has placed four players on the 2010 5A Academic All-State Baseball Team recently selected by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA).

Seniors Elisha Settoon, Randall Meyers, Dylan Hills and Kaleb Kraft were named to the 5A team honoring student athletes in the sport of baseball who’ve earned high scholastic grades during their first seven semesters in high school in the 5A classification.

In addition to being named to the First Team 5A Academic All-State team as a third baseman, Settoon was selected to the First Team Academic All-State Composite team, comprised of the top players accumulating the highest grade point averages from across the state’s seven classifications.

Settoon, who earned a perfect 4.0000 grade point average, will receive his First Team Composite Academic All-State plaque at the Louisiana High School Coaches Association (LHSCA) All-Star Baseball Game to be played in Alexandria on Saturday, May 29th.

Meyers, who had a 3.5319 GPA, was named 5A Honorable Mention as an outfielder while Hills, with a 3.2826 GPA, made the 5A Honorable Mention team as a shortstop.  Kraft, who sported a 3.0416 GPA, made the 5A Honorable Mention team as a first baseman.

Kaleb Kraft made Honorable Mention 5A Academic All-State at 1B

Friday, May 21
HILLS VISITS PRO CAMPS

Dylan Hills has worked out with two MLB clubs

Ponchatoula senior pitcher-infielder Dylan Hills is busy with a pair of pre-draft workouts this week with major league teams the Florida Marlins and Baltimore Orioles.

The workouts are held by major league teams before the Major League Draft June 7-9.

Hills worked out with 17 other pro prospects at the Florida Marlins workout  in Alabama Tuesday.  He is slated to work out with the Baltimore Orioles in Texas Saturday at their greater Houston area workout.

According to Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell, who accompanied Hills to the Marlins’ workout, other teams that have reportedly expressed interest in the Ponchatoula product are the New York Yankees, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Hills, a three-time all-district selection for the Green Wave, is being looked at as a corner outfielder and could be drafted as early as Day 2 of the draft- which covers rounds 2 through 30.

If drafted, Hills, a Southeastern signee as a pitcher, would be the first player in Ponchatoula history drafted.

Dylan Hills made the 1st Team All-7-5A infield for the 2nd straight year

Friday, May 21
WAVE LANDS SEVEN ON ALL-DISTRICT 7-5A TEAM

Elisha Settoon, a 1st Team pick, made All-7-5A for the 3rd straight year

The 2010 Ponchatoula Green Wave baseball team placed seven players on the All-District 7-5A team selected by league coaches, it was announced Wednesday.

The Green Wave tied St. Paul with the second-most players making the All-7-5A team, trailing only Northshore which had eight.  Ponchatoula had four players selected to the first team and three players making the second team.

Wave players named to the first team were seniors Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon and Joe Green along with sophomore Dylan Meyers.

Seniors Trey Marino and Justin Crowell made the second team along with sophomore
Ryan Byers.

It marked the third year in a row that both Hills and Settoon were selected to the All-District 7-5A team while Meyers and Crowell were named for the second straight year.

Hills was selected to the first-team infield for the second straight season, hitting .390 in district with one home run and 15 RBI.

Settoon led the Green Wave in district batting average, hitting .406 with one home run and 14 RBI while striking out only once in league play.  He was honored as the 7-5A first-team utility player as he played all four infield positions and pitched with a 2-1 district record on the mound.

Meyers was named first-team catcher, sporting a .370 district average with two homers and 14 RBI.

Green, in only his first year of prep baseball, made the first-team outfield with a .375 average, two homers, and 10 RBI.

Marino, a transfer senior, was named to the second team as a pitcher with a 4-2 record, 3.59 earned run average and 32 strikeouts.

Byers made the second-team infield with a league average of .342 along with two homers and 14 RBI.

Crowell was named the second-team designated hitter with a .370 average and 11 RBI.

The District 7-5A Most Valuable Player was Fontainebleau’s Logan Peterson, who went 6-0 on the mound with a 2.44 ERA and 34 strikeouts.  Peterson also hit for a .289 average with one home run and nine RBI.

Brian Babin, who led Fontainebleau to its first District 7-5A title ever, was named the league’s Coach of the Year.

Soph. catcher Dylan Meyers made All-7-5A for the 2nd straight year

Saturday, May 22
2010 ALL-DISTRICT 7-5A BASEBALL TEAM

                               FIRST TEAM 

Randy LeBlanc          Sr.      P       2-3, 2.20 ERA, 64K       Covington

Logan Peterson         Sr.      P       6-0, 2.44 ERA, 34K       Fontainebleau

Jacob Corbin             Jr.      P       4-0, 1.91 ERA, 20K       Northshore

Randal Meyer            Sr.     P       3-4, 2.80 ERA, 58K       Slidell 

Christian Trent          Jr.      P       5-1, 0.94 ERA, 48K       St. Paul

Dylan Meyers            So.    C       .370, 2 HR, 14 RBI        Ponchatoula

Tre Wiebelt               Jr.     C       .318, 4 HR, 14 RBI        Slidell

Ryan Eades               Sr.    IF      .366, 2 HR, 13 RBI        Northshore

Breck Kline                Jr.    IF      .431, , 3 HR, 8 RBI        Northshore

Dylan Hills                Sr.    IF      .390, 1 HR, 15 RBI        Ponchatoula

Tanner Rainey           Jr.    IF      .469, 1 HR, 9 RBI          St. Paul

Christian Spansel       Sr.   IF      .458, 4 HR, 12 RBI         St. Paul

Addison Melancon      Sr.   IF      .341, 2 HR, 9 RBI           Fontainebleau

Elisha Settoon           Sr.   UTL    .406, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 2-1  Ponchatoula

Taylor Eads               Sr.   OF     .550, 12 HR, 31 RBI       Northshore

Joe Green                 Sr.   OF     .375, 2 HR, 10 RBI         Ponchatoula

John Gremillion          Jr.   OF     .408, 8 RBI                    St. Paul

Drew Francis             Jr.   OF     .381, 2 HR, 10 RBI          Mandeville

Jake Palmisano          Sr.  OF     .400, 2 HR, 8 RBI            Fontainebleau

Chase Compton         Sr.  DH     .462, 5 HR, 19 RBI          Northshore

 

                                         SECOND TEAM

Lucas Quebedeaux    Sr.   P       3.54 ERA, 16K                 Hammond

Trey Marino              Sr.   P      4-2, 3.59 ERA, 32K           Ponchatoula

Klay Galloway           Jr.    P      2-1, 2.07 ERA, 6 K           Fontainebleau

Lee Batchelder          Sr.   P      1-5, 4.20 ERA, 23K           Mandeville

Ryan LeBlanc            Jr.    P      4-0, 2.10 ERA, 8K            Northshore

Zach Dugas              Jr.    C      .293                               Mandeville

Jourdan Taylor          Sr.   C      .306, 2 HR, 10 RBI           Covington

Dexter Thompson      Sr.   IF     .337, 14 RBI                    Covington

Blake Butera             Jr.   IF      .317, 2 HR, 12 RBI           Mandeville

Zack Liberto             Sr.   IF      .319, 1 HR, 10 RBI           Mandeville

Trey Rickrode           Sr.   IF      .395, 1 HR, 6 RBI             Northshore

Ryan Byers              So.   IF      .341, 2 HR, 14 RBI           Ponchatoula

Shawn Lacrouts        Jr.    IF      .297, 7 RBI                     St. Paul

Anthony LaGuardia   Sr.   UTL    .281, 1 HR, 5 RBI             Fontainebleau

Aaron Allain             Jr.    OF     .342, 14 RBI                    St. Paul

Austin Davis            Sr.    OF     .320                               Hammond

Chris Miller              Jr.     OF    .325, 3 HR, 11 RBI           Northshore

Dane Stubbs           So.    OF    .326, 4 RBI                      St. Paul

David Fiegel            Sr.    OF    .314, 5 RBI                      Fontainebleau

Justin Crowell          Sr.    DH    .370, 11 RBI                    Ponchatoula

 

MVP- Logan Peterson  Sr.  6-0,2.44 ERA,34 K,.289,9 RBI   Fontainebleau

Coach of the Year-     Brian Babin                                    Fontainebleau

Senior OF Joe Green made 1st Team All-7-5A in his 1st year

Wednesday, June 2
BANQUET PHOTOS AVAILABLE ONLINE

Wendy LeSaicherre has posted a gallery of photos from the season-ending PHS baseball banquet at www.wendylesaicherrephotography.com.

Go to the menu, then “online ordering”, then “sports”, then type in your email address and the password “phs2010″.

Wendy will keep the banquet gallery up until June 10.

Images taken of players with a family or dates will be a 5×7 which will be given to players in about a week courtesy of the Grand Slam Boosters Club.  Any prints
from these shots must be ordered in the next 10 days.  You can also call 386-3077.

Wednesday, June 2
2010 GREEN WAVE HONORED AT BANQUET

The 2010 Ponchatoula Green Wave baseball team was honored at the season-ending banquet held recently at Southeastern’s Twelve Oaks Cafeteria.

Head Coach Mark Gosnell recognized seven seniors for their four-year contribution of 67 wins, one of the best marks of a Wave senior class during the past decade.  The seniors posted a pair of winning 8-6 district records in 7-5A over the past three years and helped Ponchy to its first-ever trip to the 5A state quarterfinals in 2008.

Seniors recognized were Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon, Justin Crowell, Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft, Trey Marino and Joe Green.

Four seniors were honored with 5A Academic All-State plaques.  Settoon was named to the First Team 5A All-State and Composite teams (all classifications) with a 4.00 grade point average while Hills, Meyers and Kraft were named 5A All-State Honorable Mention with GPA’s between 3.00 and 3.50.

A total of 22 Ponchy players had a 3.0 or better GPA.

All-District 7-5A players from Ponchatoula were also honored with plaques.  Making First Team All-District were Hills (infield), Settoon (utility), Green (outfield) and sophomore Dylan Meyers (catcher).  Settoon and Hills were named to the All-District 7-5A team for the third year in a row.

Named to the Second Team were Marino (pitcher),  Crowell (designated hitter) and sophomore Ryan Byers (infield).  Randall  Meyers (outfield) was named Honorable Mention All-District.

Winning team awards were Hills (Most Valuable Player), Crowell and Green (Hitting Award), and Marino (Defensive Award).

Also recognized were juniors Brett Vampran, Hayden Hutches, Mark Traylor and Darrin Bach along with sophomores Brady Bass, Zach Traylor, Tyler Corbin, Taylor Denham, Zack Rock, Chris Foster, Jake Lipps, Jacob Mercante, Blake Falconello and Branden Lessard.

Freshmen recognized were Brennan Castello, Brice Hubert, Shane Narro, Quentin Landry, Landyn Ragan, Brady Raiford, Tyler Robinson and Will Thompson.

The 2010 Green Wave, which finished 17-17 overall, was coached by Gosnell, Jeremy Harper, Brian Gardiner, Allen Waddell, Dakota Simoneaux and Steve Pugh.

Wednesday, January 13
GREEN WAVE TO FACE BARBE

The Ponchatoula Green Wave varsity baseball team added a 36th game to its schedule Wednesday- a road trip to play perennial 5A powerhouse Barbe in Lake Charles.

As soon as the District 7-5A regular season schedule is completed April 29th against Hammond, the Greenies will travel to Lake Charles the next day for a 4 pm. matchup with Barbe, five-time state 5A champions during the past decade who were nipped in the state 5A semifinals last year by eventual state champion Northshore.

Two years ago Barbe won the state 5A championship, eliminating Ponchatoula in the quarterfinals.  The additional game will almost certainly help the 2010 Green Wave in the newly-installed Power Rankings system of determining state playoff teams and seedings as Barbe is normally ranked in the state’s Top 10 on a regular basis.

The addition of Barbe to the slate means the Green Wave this spring will play three of the top four 5A teams from a year ago- state semifinalist Barbe, state runnerup Dutchtown, and state champion Northshore (two games in District 7-5A).

Saturday, January 16
GREEN WAVE ADDS 11 NEWCOMERS TO 2010 ROSTER

The Ponchatoula Green Wave has completed January tryouts and selected 11 newcomers for its 2010 spring roster, including two seniors and nine freshmen.

Seniors added include pitcher-infielder Trey Marino, a transfer from St. Stanislaus (Ms.) and former All-District 9-2A player with St. Thomas Acquinas of Hammond, and outfielder Joe Green, standout running back for Ponchatoula who made the All-District 7-5A first team in football.

Freshmen selected to the roster include Brennan Castello, Grant Gainous, Brice Hubert, Quenton Landry, Shayne Narro, Brady Raiford, Landyn Ragan, Tyler Robinson and Will Thompson.

The Green Wave began practicing with its full roster last week and will resume at 2 pm. Monday at Athletic Park.

The Greenies open the 2010 slate with a pair of scrimmages against Brother Martin Feb. 13 (home) and Franklinton Feb. 17 (away).

PONCHATOULA FINISHES WITH WINNING SEASON

The Green Wave finished 2007 with an overall 16-15 record in one of the toughest baseball districts in the state (7-5A) and against one of the toughest non-district schedules around.  This included wins over Comeaux, Walker and state power Archbishop Rummel.

Ponchatoula also advanced to the finals of the Parkview Baptist tournament before bowing out to eventual 4-A state champion Zachary.

The 2008 schedule is even more ambitious with games against Acadiana, 5-A state champion Jesuit and Walker.  In addition, the Green Wave will play Comeaux and Rummel at Southeastern’s Alumni Field.

 

DISTRICT 7-AAAAA

Covington, Hammond, Northshore, Slidell, Fontainbleau, Mandeville, PONCHATOULA, St. Paul’s

 

2007 ALL-DISTRICT HONORS:

Tyler Nelson, Torin Lucas, Nykellan Isaac, Logan Davis

Honorable Mention:  Laramie Pittman, Dylan Hills, Regis Stephens, Phillip Kraft

Wednesday, May 28
LEGION TEAM SQUASHES OAK FOREST, 17-4

	Dylan Posey had a two-run double and 3 RBI vs. Oak Forest

Dylan Hills struck out seven batters in three innings on the mound while his Ponchatoula-based Pevey Realtors teammates laced 12 hits to rip Oak Forest, 17-4, in the American Legion opener for both clubs Saturday in the Hammond tournament.

Hills allowed only three hits in his first mound start in nearly a year.  He also walked three and hit one batter.

Jake Ruiz picked up the save, allowing only one earned run in two innings of work while striking out two, allowing two hits and walking two batters.

Pevey took a 1-0 lead in the first when Elisha Settoon singled, moved to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on Laramie Pittman’s single, and scored on an RBI ground out by Dylan Posey.

Pevey made it 2-0 in the second when Reeve Kirkland walked, stole second, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a passed ball.

Oak Forest tied the game at 2-2 with a two-run double in the second, but Jeremy Trouillet put Pevey up for good in the third when he tripled and scored on a wild throw home from center on Hills’ fly ball.

Pevey made it 4-2 in the third when Pittman walked and scored on a grounder by Justin Crowell.  Run-scoring singles by Kirkland and Dylan Meyers made it 6-2 after four.

Pevey put up another run in the fifth when Hills tripled and scored on a first base error.

The Realtors then erupted for 10 runs in the fifth inning.  Cody Gueldner walked and moved to second on a single by Randall Meyers.  Kirkland sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Dylan Meyers walked to load the bases. Kaleb Kraft singled Gueldner home, and Randall Meyers scored on an error by the left fielder.

Ethan Murray then lifted an RBI sacrifice fly before a pair of errors, back-to-back singles by Settoon and Pittman, a two-run double by Posey, and a two-run homer by Gueldner accounted for the rest of the scoring.

Settoon and Pittman led Pevey at the plate with two hits apiece.  Hills, Posey, Gueldner, Kirkland, Kraft, Trouillet, Randall Meyers and Dylan Meyers all had one hit.

Wednesday, May 28
PEVEY FALLS TO SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI

A walkoff single in the bottom of the sixth handed Pevey Realtors its first loss of the American Legion season, 9-8, at the hands of the McComb-based Southwest Mississippi Stars Saturday in the Hammond tournament.

Pevey held a 3-0 lead for three innings behind starter Elisha Settoon, who allowed only one hit through the first three frames.

The Ponchatoula-based Realtors scored their first run in the top of the second when Ethan Murray walked, moved to second on a walk to Cody Gueldner, and advanced to third on a single by Dylan Meyers.  Murray then scored on an RBI ground out by Kaleb Kraft for the game’s first run.

Pevey added two more in the third.  With one out Dylan Hills singled, and Settoon was hit by a pitch.  A walk to Justin Crowell, a wild pitch and Dylan Posey’s RBI ground out made it 3-0.

But Southwest Mississippi touched Settoon for four runs in the fourth, two of them earned.  A one-out double, an RBI single, a walk, an error and a single made it 3-2 before a two-out, two-run single gave Southwest the lead for the first time at 4-3.

Ethan Murray relieved Settoon on the mound in the fifth and allowed four runs on three singles, two walks, a hit batsman and an error.

But Pevey staged a five-run rally in the sixth to tie the game at 8-all.  Randall Meyers led off the inning with a double off the left-centerfield fence before Murray walked and Reeve Kirkland delivered a two-run double.

Dylan Meyers then drove home another run with a sacrifice fly before Kraft’s RBI grounder made the score 8-6.  Back-to-back singles by Jake Ruiz and Joey Lamarca cut the lead to 8-7 before Hills grounded into a shortstop error to tie the score and send the game to the last of the sixth.

Ruiz relieved Murray on the hill in the sixth.  A walk and three singles provided the winning score for Southwest Mississippi as the time limit expired.

Hills, Settoon, Randall Meyers, Kirkland, Dylan Meyers, Ruiz and Lamarca all had one hit for Ponchatoula.

In four innings of work on the mound, Settoon gave up two earned runs and five hits while striking out two and walking two.

Wednesday, May 28
LIVINGSTON POWERS SLIDELL PAST PEVEY

Chad Livingston blasted a pair of towering two-run homers, and his Slidell-based American Legion club withstood a late rally by Ponchatoula-based Pevey Realtors to win, 10-6, Monday in the Hammond tournament finale.

Livingston paced a 10-hit Slidell attack that coasted to an 8-0 lead before Pevey mounted a comeback in the final two innings.

Pevey couldn’t manage a hit or a baserunner through the first three innings, but the Realtors cut into the Slidell lead with three runs in the fourth.

Dylan Hills led off with a double, and back-to-back walks to Elisha Settoon and Randall Meyers loaded the bases.  Dylan Posey then drove in the first Pevey run with a ground out to shortstop, and with two out, Dylan Meyers smashed a two-run double in the right-centerfield gap to cut the deficit to 8-3.

Slidell added two more runs on Livingston’s second homer in the fifth before a Pevey rally came up just short in the last at-bat.

Reeve Kirkland led off with a single, and walks to Ethan Murray and Justin Crowell loaded the bases.  Hills drove Kirkland home on a double play ball to the shortstop, but the second baseman threw wild to first on the turn, allowing Murray to score.

A single by Settoon and an RBI single by Randall Meyers plated Hills to make the score 10-6 before Posey’s deep fly ball was caught to end the game as the time limit expired.

Starter Posey hurled three and and one-third innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking two.

Kirkland pitched one and one-third of an inning in relief, allowing two runs on one hit and a walk while striking out two batters.

Hills, Settoon, Randall Meyers, Dylan Meyers and Kirkland had the only hits for Pevey.

Saturday, May 31
PEVEY HOLDS OFF LORANGER, 4-3

	Randall Meyers led Pevey with 2 hits and 2 RBI vs. Loranger

Dylan Hills fired a three-hit shutout for five innings, and reliever Elisha Settoon struck out the final batter with the tying run on third as the Ponchatoula-based Pevey Realtors legion team defeated the Loranger-based Piggly Wiggly club, 4-3, in the district 7-5A opener for both teams.

Hills struck out three and walked three in his five innings of work as Pevey jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead and coasted from there until a seventh-inning Loranger rally.

Pevey broke the ice in the last of the fourth when Settoon walked, Laramie Pittman singled, and Dylan Posey smacked a two-run double for a 2-0 lead.

Dylan Meyers then reached on an error by the first baseman before Randall Meyers drilled a two-run single for a 4-0 cushion.

Hills then put a stranglehold on Loranger, stranding six runners, through the fifth.

Settoon relieved in the sixth and continue the shutout for one more inning, but Loranger rallied in the top of the seventh.

A pair of singles and four Pevey errors cut the lead to 4-3.  But with runners on second and third and two out, Settoon struck out the final batter on a 3-2 pitch to preserve the win.

Settoon allowed no earned runs and three hits while striking out one and walking none to pick up the save.

Pittman and Randall Meyers led Pevey at the plate with two hits each.  Hills, Posey, Justin Crowell and Reeve Kirkland all had one hit apiece.

Pevey hosts St. Paul in another district clash at 6 pm. Tuesday at Athletic Park.

Thursday, June 5
ST. PAUL’S BLITZES PEVEY IN LEGION ACTION

	Catcher Kaleb Kraft swatted a 3-run homer vs. Peake BMW

Peake BMW (St. Paul’s) staged a six-run, sixth-inning rally to break open a close game and whip Pevey Realtors, 11-5, in American Legion District 6 action Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The loss evened Pevey’s district record at 1-1 heading into Wednesday’s game at Hammond.

Patrick Huval’s three-run homer keyed the sixth-inning rally for Peake BMW, blowing open a tight 5-3 game.  Peake lined out 13 hits in the game to eight for Pevey Realtors.

With Peake hurler Jared Robicheaux and Pevey starter Elisha Settoon locked in a scoreless duel through the first two innings, Peake BMW drew first blood with single runs in both the third and fourth innings.

But catcher Kaleb Kraft put Pevey ahead 3-2 in the last of the fourth when he followed a single by Justin Crowell and a walk to Joey Lamarca with a three-run homer over the left-field fence.

But the visitors regained the lead at 5-3 in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Christian Spansel, an infield error, a triple and a throwing error.

Peake then blew the game open in the sixth.  A walk, two errors and four hits, including Huval’s blast, made it a commanding 11-3.

Pevey added two more runs in the final frame.  Ryan Daniels doubled before Randall Meyers doubled him home.  Meyers then scored when Laramie Pittman grounded into a shortstop error.

Dakota Simoneaux came on to relieve Settoon in the seventh and held Peake scoreless.

Crowell led Pevey at the plate with a pair of singles.  Meyers, Settoon, Pittman, Posey, Kraft and Daniels all had one hit.

Thursday, June 5
PEVEY SLIPS BY HAMMOND, 11-10

Randall Meyers singled home the go-ahead run in the top of seventh and struck out the Hammond side in the bottom of the frame to give Pevey a come-from-behind, 11-10 victory over the Tornadoes Wednesday in American Legion action at Hammond.

The win pushed Pevey to 2-1 in Sixth District East, West Division play and a 3-3 mark overall.

Meyers’ two-run single in the seventh provided the difference, and his four-inning, nine strikeout pitching performance in relief totally stymied Hammond.

The Tors bolted to a 5-0 in the bottom of the second on three Pevey errors and Trevor Ragan’s two-run single.

But Pevey answered with six runs in the top of the third to take the lead.  Jake Ruiz reached on an infield error before Joey Lamarca doubled him to third.  Meyers then ripped a two-run triple to centerfield that  scored both Ruiz and Lamarca.

Elisha Settoon’s grounder to shortstop brought Meyers home before a single by Laramie Pittman and Justin Crowell’s muffed grounder plated Settoon.  Pittman scored when Dylan Meyers’ grounder was booted by the first baseman, and pinch-runner Ryan Daniels scored on a sacrifice fly by Reeve Kirkland to boost Pevey into a 6-5 lead.

But the see-saw battle continued in the last of the third.  A walk, a bunt, three Pevey errors and back-to-back doubles made it 9-6, Hammond.

Pevey chopped the Tornado lead to one in the top of the fourth.  Lamarca singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Settoon’s liner that got through the shortstop.  Settoon then moved to second on a passed ball and scored on Crowell’s single to make the score, 9-8.

The Tornadoes notched another run in the last of the fourth, but Meyers relieved starter Jake Ruiz on the hill and struck out three straight batters with the bases loaded to get out of a huge jam.  With Meyers giving up only one hit and walking two, Hammond would not score for the rest of the night.

Meanwhile, Pevey chipped away at the lead.  Pittman tripled in the top of the sixth and scored on Crowell’s single to chop the deficit to 10-9. And in the top of the seventh, Pevey went ahead for good.

Reeve Kirkland was hit by a pitch before Daniels laid down a bunt single.  Lamarca then sacrificed the runners to second and third before Meyers slapped a two-run single past a drawn-in infield for the game-winner.

Meyers struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the victory.

Meyers also led Pevey at the plate with three hits.  Pittman, Crowell and Lamarca had two apiece while Settoon, Kirkland, Daniels and Kaleb Kraft all had one.

Saturday, June 7
PEVEY TRIMS LAFAYETTE, 6-5

Justin Crowell’s walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh propelled Ponchatoula-based Pevey Realtors to a 6-5 victory over Lafayette High in opening game action of the Denham Springs Wood Bat tournament at North Park Friday.

The win gave Ponchatoula’s American Legion squad a 4-3 overall record on the season.

Crowell’s winning hit came on the heels of a three-run rally by Lafayette in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 5-all.

Pevey starting pitcher Dylan Posey held Lafayette at bay through the first six innings, allowing only two runs on three hits while striking out five, walking three and hitting three batters.

But Posey ran into trouble in the last of the seventh when Lafayette staged a three-run rally.  A walk, fielder’s choice, single and a wild pitch plated the first run before another walk and an outfield error scored two more to tie the game at 5-apiece.

One walk later, Posey turned the pitching duties over to reliever Elisha Settoon.  Inheriting a 2-0 count with two men out, Settoon walked the first batter on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases before getting the final batter on an infield popup to send the game to the last of the seventh tied at 5-5.

Randall Meyers led off the last of the seventh with a walk before Settoon’s hard liner off the pitcher’s leg moved Meyers to second.  Laramie Pittman singled Meyers to third before Crowell drove him home with the game-winner, a drive to left-center over the drawn-in outfield.

Lafayette took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second before Pevey scored its first run in the bottom half.  Reeve Kirkland reached on an infield error and scored when Joey Lamarca’s ground ball was thrown wild to first.

Pevey knotted the score in the second when Pittman tripled and scored on a wild throw by the catcher.

Pevey took a 5-2 lead in the fifth when Kaleb Kraft doubled to left, Ethan Murray reached on a misplayed bunt, back-to-back RBI singles by Meyers and Pittman, and Crowell’s RBI ground out.

Pittman led Pevey at the plate with three hits while Crowell had two and Meyers, Kirkland and Kraft all had one.

Saturday, June 7
PEVEY AND LA. ALL-STARS BATTLE TO 7-7 TIE

Pevey Realtors overcame a 7-0 deficit to tie the Baton Rouge-based Louisiana All-Star Indians, 7-7, before the time limit expired in Pevey’s final appearance at the Denham Springs Wood Bat tourney Saturday at North Park.

The win gave Pevey a 1-1-1 mark for the tournament and a 4-4-1 record overall.

The All-Stars touched Pevey starter Randall Meyers for five runs in the first two innings on seven hits, one error and one walk.

The All-Star club, made up of players from a number of high schools such as Barbe, Denham Springs, Central, University High and Riverside, added two more runs in the third off of reliever Jake Ruiz.  A single, two infield errors, a walk and a hit batsman made the score 7-0.

But Pevey staged a huge five-run rally in the fourth to get back in the game.  Elisha Settoon led off with a single before Justin Crowell walked and Dylan Posey singled to load the bases.

Five straight walks by All-Star pitchers cut the deficit to 7-5 before Pevey tied the game at 7-all in the sixth.

Walks to Dylan Meyers and Reeve Kirkland placed runners on first and second before Cody Gueldner was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  With two out, Dakota Simoneaux’s dribbler back to the mound was thrown wildly to first, scoring two runs to knot the game.

Neither team could score in the seventh, and the game was halted due to the tourney’s time limit.

Ruiz kept the All-Stars off balance after the second inning.  He allowed no earned runs and four hits in five innings of work while striking out one, walking one and hitting a batter.

Pevey scored its seven runs despite managing only three hits for the game.  Posey led Pevey with two hits while Settoon had the other hit.

Saturday, June 7
PEVEY FALLS TO DENHAM SPRINGS IN WOOD BAT TOURNEY

The Denham Springs-based Sport-n-Center American Legion club jumped on Pevey Realtors with five runs in the first inning and coasted to a 9-2 win Saturday morning in the Denham Springs Wood Bat tourney.

The loss dropped Pevey to 1-1 in the tourney before their final appearance against the Louisiana All-Star Indians at mid-day Saturday.

Three walks, a three-run double and a hit batsman chased Pevey starter Dakota Simoneaux in the top of the first. Sport-n-Center then greeted reliever Reeve Kirkland with a pair of RBI singles.

Kirkland would allow only two more runs over the next two innings on four hits, but Pevey couldn’t get on the scoreboard until the last of the third.

Ryan Daniels reached on a fielder’s choice before singles by Ethan Murray and Randall Meyers loaded the bases.  Elisha Settoon then drove Daniels home with an RBI single before Murray scored on a passed ball.

Sport-n-Center scored two more runs in the last of the fourth to end the game on the seven-run, four-inning mercy rule.

Settoon, Meyers and Murray had the only hits for Pevey Realtors.

Reeve Kirkland had 2 RBI and pitched 4 innings vs. Fontainebleau

Tuesday, June 10
FONTAINEBLEAU TOPS PEVEY REALTORS, 11-8

Fontainebleau-based Hood Chevrolet rapped out eight hits and took advantage of nine errors to beat Pevey Realtors, 11-8, Monday in a non-district American Legion clash at Mandeville.

The loss dropped Pevey to 4-5 overall on the season.  The Realtors face Covington today in a 6 pm. district clash at Athletic Park.

Scott Malaschak had three hits and Logan Peterson drove in three runs to lead the Hood attack.

Hood took an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first on three Pevey errors.

Pevey tied it in the second when Reeve Kirkland reached on an infield error, Joey Lamarca singled, Jeremy Trouillet poked an infield grounder that was thrown wild to the plate, Ethan Murray smacked an RBI ground out, and Dylan Hills ripped an RBI double.

After Hood added a run in the last of the third, Pevey tied it at 4-4 lead in the fourth when Dylan Meyers doubled and Kirkland’s bunt was thrown into right field, scoring pinch-runner Ryan Daniels.

But Hood Chevrolet countered with six runs in the decisive fifth, aided by Malaschak’s RBI double, a two-run double by Peterson, and three Pevey errors.

Pevey closed the gap to 10-8 in the top of the fifth.  Hills walked and moved to second on a single by Elisha Settoon.  Randall Meyers walked, and Justin Crowell was hit by a pitch to bring home Hills.  Dylan Meyers then walked to plate Settoon before Kirkland lined a two-run single.

Hood Chevrolet added another run in the sixth on a double by Addison Melancon, a stolen base, and a passed ball.

Starter Reeve Kirkland pitched three-and-a-half innings for Pevey, allowing only three earned runs on four hits while fanning one, walking three and hitting a batter.  He was victimized by four Pevey errors.

Murray and Dakota Simoneaux also saw action on the mound for Pevey.

Hills had three hits to lead Pevey at the plate while Dylan Meyers had two hits.  Settoon, Kirkland, Lamarca and Randall Meyers all had one hit.

Tuesday, June 10
PEVEY WHIPS COVINGTON, 8-4

Justin Crowell hammered three hits, including a go-ahead solo homer in the fifth, and Elisha Settoon scattered eight hits in going the distance on the mound as Pevey Realtors stopped Covington Post 16, 8-4, in American Legion District 6 East action Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The win gave Pevey a 3-1 record in district action and a 5-5 mark overall.

Crowell slammed a double, triple and solo homer for 3 RBI’s in three at-bats to key Pevey’s 11-hit attack.

Meanwhile, Settoon went all seven innings on the hill to handcuff Covington, allowing only two earned runs while striking out six, hitting a batter and giving up only an intentional walk.

Covington jumped on top 1-0 in the top of the first when Brady King doubled, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jeffrey Joiner.

Pevey tied the game in the bottom of the first when Randall Meyers reached second on an infield throwing error and scored on Crowell’s triple to centerfield.

The Realtors went up 2-1 in the second. Reeve Kirkland singled and advanced to second when the leftfielder let the ball get by him.  Ethan Murray’s fielder’s choice moved Kirkland to third, and a throwing error on the play tallied Pevey’s second run.

Post 16 went up 3-2 in the top of the third. King, Dexter Thompson and Joiner rapped consecutive singles for one run, and a throwing error on an attempted double play scored another.

Pevey responded with two runs in the last of the third.  Hills singled and moved to second when the catcher let a third strike get by him.  Meyers then plated Hills with a ground out before Crowell drove home pinch-runner Ryan Daniels with a double to right-center.

Post 16 tied the score again on a single and two errors in the fourth, but Pevey went ahead for good on Crowell’s solo shot to right in the bottom half of the inning.

Settoon shut out Covington the rest of the way, striking out the final two batters in the fifth with two runners in scoring position.

Pevey added three insurance runs in the last of the sixth.  Jeremy Trouillet singled, and Meyers and Crowell walked before Trouillet scored on a wild pitch.  Kaleb Kraft then slammed a two-run double to left to put the game away.

Kraft had a pair of doubles, and Kirkland and Trouillet had two singles apiece to go along with Crowell’s three safeties to lead Pevey at the plate.  Settoon and Hills also had hits for the winners.

Thursday, June 12
MANDEVILLE EDGES PEVEY, 3-2

Dylan Hills allowed just 5 hits and struck out 9 in six innings

Blake Butera’s two-out double in the bottom of the sixth plated the go-ahead run as Mandeville-based LLOG Exploration nipped Ponchatoula’s Pevey Realtors, 3-2, in American Legion District 6 East action Thursday at Mandeville.

Pevey dropped to 3-2 in district action and 5-6-1 overall.  Pevey is currently tied with LLOG for second place in district, one game behind Loranger.

The loss overshadowed a strong pitching performance by Dylan Hills, who went six innings on the mound, allowing only five hits and walking one while whiffing nine batters.

But Pevey failed to give Hills the necessary run support, leaving 10 runners on base and stranding seven in scoring position.

LLOG got on the board first with two runs in the bottom of the first.  Kody Keowen and Butera rapped back-to-back singles before Andrew Thompson slapped a two-run double.

Pevey cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the third.  With one out, Elisha Settoon blasted a double and scored when Justin Crowell slammed a double off of the right centerfield wall.

Pevey tied the game in the top of the fifth when Hills beat out an infield single, moved to second on a ground out by Crowell, and scored on Randall Meyers’ deep double to left center.

In the last of the fifth, Butera slapped his RBI double to provide the winning margin for LLOG.

Pevey rallied with two out in the seventh, but Keowen’s diving stab of Reeve Kirkland’s blooper to centerfield ended the game with runners on first and second.

Chris Brady went the distance for LLOG, allowing seven hits, fanning four and walking four.

Settoon and Crowell led Pevey at the plate with two hits apiece while Hills, Randall Meyers and Dylan Meyers had one hit apiece.

Pevey plays a doubleheader Saturday, facing Rummel at 11 am. and Fontainebleau at 5:30 pm. at Athletic Park.

Sunday, June 15
PEVEY BASHES FONTAINEBLEAU, 11-1

Pevey Realtors blasted 13 hits, including a three-run homer by Laramie Pittman, and Jake Ruiz pitched a one-hitter as Pevey shelled Fontainebleau-based Hood Chevrolet, 11-1, in American Legion action Saturday at Athletic Park.

Pevey (6-6-1) rallied for four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to win the game by the 10-run mercy rule.

Ruiz allowed one run in the top of the first and shut out Hood Chevrolet the rest of the way.  He gave up one hit, an infield single by Rolston Bergeron, while walking two and striking out one in five innings of work.

Hood scored its only run in the top of the first when leadoff batter David Fiegel was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a fielder’s choice and then third on a wild pickoff attempt before scoring on a wild pitch.

Pevey took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the first.  Dylan Hills doubled off the wall before scoring on a double by Pittman.  Justin Crowell then doubled Pittman home, and Pevey had the lead for good.

The Realtors added a run in the third when Pittman, Crowell and Dylan Meyers laced back-to-back-to-back singles.

More fireworks followed in the fourth.  Darrin Bach led off with a single before Ethan Murray walked.  Ruiz bunted the runners to second and third, and Elisha Settoon drove Bach home on a ground ball to third base.  Pittman then powered a three-run blast over the left field fence for a commanding 7-1 lead.

Pevey put the icing on the cake in the fifth.  Reeve Kirkland singled, and Bach reached on an infield error.  Ruiz followed with a two-run single, and Hills singled home the third run of the inning.  Settoon then launched a walkoff, sacrifice fly to centerfield that plated pinch-runner Mark Traylor to end the game by the ten-run rule.

Pittman and Crowell both lined three hits to lead the Pevey plate assault.  Hills and Ruiz had two hits apiece while Meyers, Kirkland and Bach had one hit apiece.

Sunday, June 15
RUMMEL ROUTS PEVEY, 14-4

Carvin Johnson threw five shutout innings, and his Rummel-based Nationwide Restoration club smacked 12 hits to whip Pevey Realtors, 14-4, in American Legion action Saturday at Athletic Park.

The loss dropped Pevey to 6-7-1 on the season.  The Realtors face Loranger-based Piggly Wiggly in a key district clash at 6 pm. Tuesday at Athletic Park.

Through the first five innings Johnson allowed only three hits, singles by Elisha Settoon, Dylan Hills and Jeremy Trouillet, while his Nationwide teammates pounded out an 8-0 lead.

A leadoff homer by Matt Fury and an RBI single by Tyler Johns staked Nationwide to a 2-0 first inning lead.

A single, hit batsman, infield error and a sacrifice fly by Nate Fury made it 4-0 through the top of the second.

Back-to-back singles, a pair of errors, and an infield ground out plated two more in the third while Craig Murphy’s two-run double made it 8-0 after five.

Pevey made a game of it in the sixth, rallying to cut the lead to 8-4.  Elisha Settoon singled, moved to third on a double by Laramie Pittman, and scored on Justin Crowell’s RBI ground out.

Randall Meyers popped a run-scoring single before Dylan Meyers lined a two-run homer over the right field fence.

But Nationwide scored six more runs in the last of the sixth to put the game away by the ten-run mercy rule.  Four hits, three walks and one error led to Pevey’s undoing.

Settoon led Pevey at the plate with two hits while Hills, Pittman, Randall Meyers, Dylan Meyers and Jeremy Trouillet all had one hit.

Randall Meyers started and pitched four innings for Pevey while Dakota Simoneaux threw two innings and Darrin Bach one in relief.

Wednesday, June 18
PIGGLY-WIGGLY RALLIES TO TOP PEVEY

Taylor Abdalla ripped two home runs, the second a two-run blast in the seventh that provided the winning margin, as Loranger-based Piggly-Wiggly overcame Pevey Realtors, 6-4, in Sixth District East Western Division American Legion action Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The loss dropped Pevey to 3-3 in district, two games  behind leader Piggly-Wiggly (5-1).  Pevey handed Piggly-Wiggly its only loss, 4-3, earlier in the legion season.

Abdalla’s seventh-inning shot keyed a seven-hit, five-run burst by Piggly in the top of the seventh, wiping out a 4-1 deficit.

Pevey jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the last of the first when Elisha Settoon singled and Laramie Pittman doubled him home.

The lead expanded to 2-0 in the second.  Dylan Meyers walked, Reeve Kirkland sacrificed him to second, and Kaleb Kraft singled him to third with Meyers scoring on a muffed throw to the plate.

With Pevey starter Dylan Hills holding Piggly scoreless on only one hit through the first five innings, Pevey jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fifth.  Settoon doubled to right before Pittman crunched a two-run homer.

But Piggly Wiggly finally got to Hills in the seventh.  Kyle Bracey singled and was forced at second by Shea Edwards.  With two men out, Bryce Himel singled Edwards to third, and a botched relay cut Pevey’s lead to 4-2.

Himel went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Jacob Trapani.  Abdalla then mashed a two-run homer to right field to give Piggly-Wiggly the lead, 5-4.  After Tyler Kenderick singled, Hills was lifted for Settoon, who gave up an RBI double to Kyle Wheeler.

In the bottom of the seventh Abdalla replaced starter Steven Mercier on the mound and shut down Pevey without a run.

Mercier got the win with six innings of work, allowing three earned runs and seven hits while walking only one and striking out seven.

Hills pitched into the seventh inning, giving up five earned runs and seven hits while walking one and striking out two.

Pittman led Pevey at the plate with three hits while Settoon had two.  Kraft and Dylan Meyers had one apiece.

Thursday, June 19
PEVEY RIPS LEAGUE-LEADING PEAKE BMW

	Elisha Settoon 5-hit Peake and had 2 doubles w/3 RBI

Elisha Settoon fired a complete game four-hitter and keyed a five-run rally in the seventh inning with a go-ahead, RBI double as Pevey Realtors whipped league- leading Peake BMW (St. Paul’s), 9-4, Thursday in American Legion Sixth District East action at Covington.

Pevey’s record moved to 4-3 in district play and to 7-7-1 overall with the win.  The St. Paul’s-based Peake BMW, which beat Pevey 11-4 earlier this year, fell to 5-2 in league play with the loss.

Settoon pitched a one-hitter through five innings as Pevey entered the bottom of the sixth leading 4-1.  But Peake BMW rallied for three in the sixth to tie it at 4-4  before Pevey tallied five runs on five hits in the seventh to take command of the game.

After going scoreless the first two innings, Peake BMW took a brief 1-0 lead in the last of the third.  John Barnes singled, moved to second on a sacrifice fly and to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Drew Francis.

Pevey responded with three runs in the top of the fifth.  Reeve Kirkland was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch.  With one out, Joey Lamarca singled to right field, moving Kirkland to third.

Ethan Murray delivered an RBI single to put Pevey on the board before Dylan Meyers walked and Settoon  smashed a two-run double to left to give Pevey the lead, 3-1.

Pevey added a single run in the sixth when Kirkland walked, stole second, advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a wild throw to third.

But Peake rallied for three runs in the last of the sixth.  With one out Patrick Huval crashed a solo homer before Eric Guidry’s double, an infield error, and Harry Clay’s two-run double tied it at 4-4.

But Pevey pounded out five hits to score five runs in the top of the seventh.  Murray led off with a walk, and Dylan Meyers sacrificed him to second.  With one out Settoon blasted a run-scoring double deep down the left field line to put  Pevey up for good, 5 -4.

Laramie Pittman, Dylan Posey and Randall Meyers then hammered consecutive singles for an 8-4 lead before Kaleb Kraft singled home Meyers to round out the scoring.

One Peake batter reached on an infield error in the seventh, but Settoon retired the other three batters to seal the victory.  In his second straight complete game district win, Settoon allowed only two earned runs and five hits while striking out two, walking one and hitting two batters.  He was supported by excellent Pevey defense, especially the outfield play, throughout the contest.

Settoon, who had three RBI’s, and Posey had two hits each to lead the 9-hit Pevey attack.  Pittman, Randall Meyers, Kraft, Lamarca and Murray all had one hit.

Ethan Murray had an RBI single and scored 2 runs for Pevey vs. Peake BMW

Wednesday, June 25
PEVEY SLAPS TEAM HAMMOND, 9-0

Elisha Settoon shut out Hammond on two hits, and Laramie Pittman drove in four runs with four hits as Pevey Realtors whitewashed Hammond, 9-0, Tuesday in American Legion District 6 East Western Division action at Athletic Park.

Pevey (9-9-1 overall) moved its district record to 5-3 with the win.  Prior to game time, Pevey was two games out of first place in league play.

Settoon (4-1) gave up only singles to Derrick Rose and Chris Moran and a total of four baserunners in his six complete innings on the hill.  He struck out three and walked one.

Pevey got on the board in the bottom of the first when Dylan Meyers led off with a double down the left field line and scored when Settoon’s infield grounder was thrown wild to first.  Pittman singled Settoon to third before Dylan Posey brought home the game’s second run with a ground out to shortstop.  Kaleb Kraft then drove home Pittman with a sacrifice fly to centerfield for a 3-0 lead.

Pevey added four more in the second.  Ethan Murray led off with a single before Dylan Meyers walked and Settoon reached on an infield single.  Murray then scored on a passed ball before Pittman walloped a two-run triple to deep center.  Posey drove home Pittman with an RBI ground out to round out the scoring.

Pittman accounted for a single run in the fourth when he singled, moved to second on a passed ball, reached third when Randall Meyers’ fly ball to right was dropped, and scored on a passed ball.

Pevey scored its final run in the fifth when Dylan Meyers doubled and Pittman singled him home for the final 9-0 tally.

Pittman picked up the save by coming on to close out the game on the mound in the seventh.

Pittman led the Pevey hitting attack with a perfect 4-4 performance, including four RBI’s.  Dylan Meyers had a pair of doubles while Murray, Settoon and Justin Crowell all had one hit.

Catcher Dylan Meyers had a pair of doubles against Hammond

Justin Crowell had a 3-run homer and 4 RBI vs. Post 16

Thursday, July 3
PEVEY TRIPPED UP BY COVINGTON, 10-9

Covington Post 16 took advantage of five walks issued by Pevey Realtor pitchers in the last of the sixth to rally for a 10-9 victory in American Legion Sixth District East western division action Tuesday at Covington.

The loss dropped Pevey to 5-4 in league play with Tuesday’s regular season finale at Athletic Park against Mandeville’s LLOG Exploration looming large in the district’s playoff picture.  LLOG nipped Pevey, 3-2, earlier this year.

Against Post 16, Pevey entered the bottom of the sixth with a 9-7 lead.  Laramie Pittman, who relieved Elisha Settoon on the mound in the fourth, walked the first Covington batter before giving way to closer Dylan Hills.

Hills walked two straight batters to load the bases before a fielder’s choice ground out scored a run to make it 9-8.  Hills then intentionally walked Jeffrey Joiner, who torched Pevey earlier with a three-run triple, to load the bases before walking in the tying run.  A sacrifice fly by Cory Ricks then gave Post 16 the lead with what proved to be the winning run.

Pevey went down in order in the seventh to end the game.

It wasn’t the first time that Pevey blew a lead in the game as the Realtors squandered a five-run cushion earlier.

Settoon held Post 16 scoreless through the first two innings, dodging Covington scoring threats both times.

With the score 0-0, Brady King led off the bottom of the first with a double.  After Settoon struck out the next batter, he fielded Ricks’ comebacker to the mound and caught King trying to advance to third.  Settoon then picked Ricks off first to end the inning.

Pevey struck in the top of the second when Randall Meyers walked and scored on a triple by Hills, who later scored on Kaleb Kraft’s RBI ground out for a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second Covington threatened.  After a pair of singles and a passed ball, Ricks’ grounder to shortstop caught Joiner off third.  After a walk loaded the bases, Settoon fielded a grounder back to the box and forced the lead runner at the plate before Kraft, the catcher, fired to first for the double play to end the inning.

Pevey made it 5-0 in the third.  Dylan Meyers singled, and Settoon walked before Justin Crowell crushed a three-run homer over the right field wall.

Post 16 finally got on the board with a single run in the third. King was hit by a pitch, and Dexter Thompson and Ricks rapped back-to-back singles with King scoring on a dropped relay throw.

Pevey responded with a run in the fourth.  Reeve Kirkland walked, and Dylan Meyers was hit by a pitch.  Crowell then picked up his fourth RBI, singling Kirkland home for a 6-1 lead.

But Post 16 finally got to Settoon for a big rally in the fourth.  A pair of infield errors, two walks, a hit batsman, and two singles made it 6-4 with the bases loaded and two outs.  Pittman replaced Settoon on the mound and was greeted by Joiner’s bases-loaded triple to put the home team up 7-6.

Pevey regained the lead in the top of the fifth with a three-run rally.  Hills was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a double down the left field line by Kraft.  Kirkland’s fly ball to centerfield was dropped, scoring two runs, before Settoon singled to center, scoring Kirkland for a 9-7 Pevey lead.

Post 16 then staged its sixth-inning comeback for the victory.

Crowell and Hills both had two hits to lead Pevey at the plate.  Settoon, Kraft, Randall Meyers and Dylan Meyers all had one hit apiece.

Pevey will host Holy Cross in a non-district game Monday at 5 pm. at Athletic Park before hosting LLOG in the big district game at 6 pm. Tuesday.

Elisha Settoon had three hits and picked up the mound win vs. LLOG

Thursday, August 7
PEVEY EDGES MANDEVILLE, FORCES PLAYOFF

	Dylan Hills threw two shutout innings in relief for the save

Dylan Meyers singled home Elisha Settoon with what proved to be the winning run in the last of the fourth as Pevey Realtors nipped Mandeville-based LLOG Exploration, 7-6, Tuesday in American Legion District 6 East action at Athletic Park.

The win forces a playoff Thursday between Pevey and LLOG at Mandeville for the third spot in District 6 East’s Western Division.  Loranger-based Piggly Wiggly and St. Paul’s-based Peake BMW hold down the first two spots.

Settoon (5-1) started and went five innings on the mound to pick up the win for Pevey while Dylan Hills came on in the final two innings to close the door on LLOG.

Both Pevey and LLOG blasted 13 hits in the slugfest.

Leadoff batter Blake Butera staked LLOG to a 1-0 lead with a leadoff homer in the top of the first.  Joey Pajares then reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch before Lee Batchelder made it 2-0 with an RBI single.

Pevey tied it up in the last of the first when Hills led off with a single.  Consecutive singles by Settoon and Laramie Pittman loaded the bases for Justin Crowell who responded with a two-run single.

LLOG went up 5-2 in the top of the second.  Michael Symms singled, Blake Butera was hit by a pitch and Thomas Anderson singled to load the bases.  Pajares then lofted an RBI sacrifice fly before Ryan Lassus slapped a run-scoring single and Batchelder drove home Anderson with a fly ball that was muffed in the outfield.

Pevey again responded to tie the game in the bottom of the second.  Randall Meyers reached on an infield error and moved to third on a double by Reeve Kirkland.  Hills drove home Meyers with an RBI ground out.  Settoon then singled home Kirkland and scored on a double by Pittman to tie the game 5-5.

Settoon got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third without yielding a run, and Pevey took the lead in the last of the third.  Dylan Meyers singled, moved to second when Dylan Posey was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a single by Randall Meyers.  Kaleb Kraft then drove home pinch-runner Jeremy Trouillet with the go-ahead run to make the score 6-5.

Settoon again escaped a bases-loaded jam untouched in the fourth while Pevey upped its lead to 7-5 in the last of the fourth.  Settoon led off with a single and moved to second on Pittman’s single.  With one out, Dylan Meyers singled Settoon home with what proved to be the winning run.

LLOG added a run in the fifth when Pajares doubled with two out and scored on a single by Lassus.

Hills relieved Settoon in the top of the sixth with Pevey leading 7-6 and proceeded to slam the door on LLOG, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk while fanning two in the final two innings.

Settoon picked up the win in going five innings, allowing five earned runs on 12 hits, three walks and one hit batsman while striking out two.

Settoon and Pittman both had three hits to lead Pevey hitters.  Hills and Dylan Meyers had two hits apiece while Crowell, Kirkland and Randall Meyers had one hit apiece.

Thursday, August 7
LLOG SINKS PEVEY IN PLAYOFF

	Dylan Meyers was one of four Pevey hitters with two hits vs. LLOG

Joey Pajares stranded 10 Pevey Realtors baserunners, including seven in scoring position, and his Mandeville-based LLOG Exploration teammates belted out 12 hits to eliminate Pevey from the American Legion 6th District East western division race Thursday at Mandeville.

LLOG Exploration will now advance to the 6th District East playoffs while Pevey’s legion season is over.

Pevey took a 1-0 first-inning lead when Dylan Hills, Elisha Settoon and Laramie Pittman ripped back-to-back singles.

LLOG responded with two runs in the last of the first on run-scoring singles by Thomas Anderson and Lee Batchelder.

Pevey tied it in the third when Dylan Meyers doubled, moved to third on Randall Meyers single, and scored on a double steal.

But LLOG tallied two runs on three hits in the fourth, two runs on two hits in the fifth, and one run on three hits in the sixth to win going away.

Hills started on the mound for Pevey, threw 5 and 1/3 innings, and gave up six runs on eight hits.  He walked three, hit one batter, and struck out one.

Dylan Posey threw 1 and 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits and one hit batsman while striking out two.

Overall, Pajares scattered nine hits over seven innings while striking out three and walking only one.

Settoon, Pittman, Dylan Meyers and Randall Meyers had two hits apiece for Pevey while Hills had one safety.

Torin Lucas was a perfect 6-0 in 7-5A enroute to league MVP honors

Thursday, May 22
TORIN LUCAS NAMED MVP OF DISTRICT 7-5A

Torin Lucas, Ponchatoula’s stellar pitcher and catcher, capped off a brilliant prep career recently when he was named by league coaches as the Most Valuable Player in District 7-5A, widely regarded as the top district in Louisiana prep baseball.

Lucas, who led the Wave to the state 5A quarterfinals for the first time in school history, posted a perfect 6-0 record on the mound in district play and a 12-1 mark overall.  The senior Southeastern signee posted 49 strikeouts in district with a 1.69 earned run average.

As a catcher Lucas allowed only one stolen base all season while belting out a .352 league average at the plate, including four home runs and 14 RBI.

Lucas earlier was selected by coaches around the state to play in the prestigious Louisiana High School All-Star game May 24th in Alexandria.

The only other Green Wave teammate to make the 2008 All- 7-5A first team was senior designated hitter B.J. Welch, who hit .359.

Three Ponchatoula seniors were named to the second team, including centerfielder Laramie Pittman, catcher Seth Bratton and utility player Regis Stephens.

Named Honorable Mention on the All-District 7-5A team were second baseman Tyler Nelson, third baseman Elisha Settoon, outfielder Dylan Hills, first baseman Jacob Griffin and designated hitter Derek Gaudin.

Saturday, May 31
2008 GREEN WAVE HONORED AT ANNUAL BANQUET

The 2008 Ponchatoula Green Wave, the first team in school history to reach the state 5A quarterfinals, was honored recently at its annual banquet at the Fleur-de-lis in Ponchatoula.

The banquet featured comments from emcee and former Green Wave hurler Phillip Bankston and head coach Mark Gosnell.  Along with the awards presentation, a season highlight video and a special video tribute to 12 Green Wave seniors highlighted the evening.

Top individual award winners included senior pitcher-catcher Torin Lucas, named Outstanding Offensive Player and Outstanding Pitcher, and shortstop-pitcher Regis Stephens, who received the Coaches’ Award.

Catcher Seth Bratton and centerfielder Laramie Pittman received co-Outstanding Defensive Player awards.

Lucas was recognized for first team 5A All-State recognition as a pitcher and for being named the Most Valuable Player for District 7-5A.

Other Greenies receiving plaques for All District 7-5A recognition included first teamer B.J. Welch at designated hitter, second teamers Bratton (catcher), Pittman (centerfield), and Stephens (utility), and honorable mention winners Dylan Hills (outfield), Elisha Settoon (third base), Tyler Nelson (second base), Jacob Griffin (first base) and Derek Gaudin (designated hitter).

Nelson, Lucas, Griffin, Welch and Pittman were recognized for making Academic All State while Wesley Fletcher joined the senior group honored for top academic achievement during the season.

Saturday, May 31
LUCAS NAMED 5A ALL-STATE

Torin Lucas has been named to the first team 5A All-State team as a pitcher.  The 17-member team was selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

Lucas, the MVP of District 7-5A, was the district’s lone representative to the squad.  He joined 5A state MVP Ryan Doiron of Barbe, Catholic’s D.J. Ponder and East Ascension’s Dane Amedee as the first-team pitchers.

Lucas went 12-1 on the mound for the Wave, including a perfect 6-0 mark in district.  He posted a 1.61 earned run average, striking out 107 batters in 95 innings pitched.  He also hit .365 with four home runs and 35 RBI.

Lucas, who has signed to play catcher with Southeastern, was also selected by the Louisiana High School Baseball Coaches Association to play in the state’s annual all-star game in late May.

The 2008 Wave was the first Ponchy team ever to reach the 5A quarterfinals

Tuesday, March 11
GREEN WAVE STUNS 5A STATE CHAMPION JESUIT!

Ponchatoula pitchers silenced defending 5A state champion Jesuit on four hits, and an airtight Green Wave defense snuffed out Blue Jay rallies with men in scoring position on five different occasions as Ponchy blanked Jesuit, 3-0, in a key non-district showdown Tuesday night at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave moved to 9-3 on the season with its shutout of the Blue Jays, the preseason top-ranked 5A team in the state with 12 returning seniors from their state title club and currently ranked 9th by the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association.

Ponchatoula starter Rudy Townsend hurled four scoreless innings before giving way to strong relief work from Torin Lucas and Regis Stephens who completed the shutout.

From the outset, Townsend was locked in a fierce mound duel with Jesuit ace Jordan Rittiner, who went 15-0 for the state champs last year and was named the state’s top 5A pitcher.

Heading into the bottom of the second, Ponchy touched Rittiner to break a scoreless deadlock when B.J. Welch singled and moved to second on a walk to Stephens.  After a passed ball advanced Welch to third, Elisha Settoon drove Welch home with the game’s first run on a grounder to the shortstop.  It turned out to be the only run Ponchatoula would need on an evening that spotlighted great pitching and defense for both teams.

In the top of the third Jesuit leadoff hitter Cory Guidry walked and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Townsend struck out Manny Estrada for the third out of the inning.

With the Green Wave leaving a man stranded in its half of the third, Jesuit mounted its most serious threat of the game in the fourth inning.  Singles by Mason Katz and Joe Palmer and a walk to Steven Lukinovich loaded the bases with only one out.

But Townsend bore down to strike out both pinch-hitter Nick James and Chad Guidry on 3-2 counts to wipe out the threat and end the inning.

After Ponchy went down in order in the fourth, Jesuit threatened again in the fifth.  Lucas, who relieved Townsend on the hill, walked Evan Schiavi, who stole second with nobody out.  But Lucas got successive Blue Jay hitters to fly out to right field and pop up twice to escape the inning unscathed.

Ponchatoula threatened to score off of Rittiner in the fifth.  Jacob Griffin reached on an error by the shortstop, and pinch-runner Dylan Hills advanced to second on a wild pickoff throw by the catcher.  Pinch-hitter Matt Stock bunted Hills to third, but Tyler Nelson’s infield nubber to first base failed to score Hills, who was nailed at the plate on the catcher’s scooped throw and tag.

Lucas retired Jesuit in order in the top of the sixth, and in the bottom half of the inning Ponchatoula finally got to Rittiner for some insurance runs.

Lucas led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Randall Meyers, who moved to second on a passed ball.  An infield single by B.J. Welch sent Meyers to third before Stephens lifted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Meyers for a 2-0 lead.  Settoon then singled pinch-runner Reeve Kirkland to second, and Griffin drove in Kirkland with the third and final run of the night on a single to right field.

Stephens went to the mound for Ponchatoula in the seventh and had to overcome one last Jesuit scoring threat.  Dustin Stricker led off with an infield single and moved to second on an infield error, the first and only Green Wave error of the night.

But with runners on first and second, Stephens struck out Schiavi, forced Guidry to ground out to second base, and fanned pinch-hitter Joe Morse on a 2-2 count to end the game.

Townsend got the win in four innings of work, giving up no runs on three hits while striking out five and walking only two.   Lucas allowed no runs and no hits in two innings of relief, striking out two and walking one.  Stephens picked up the save in his one inning on the hill, preserving the shutout and allowing one hit while striking out two.

Welch had two hits to lead the Green Wave at the plate.  Settoon, Griffin and Nelson had one hit each for Ponchatoula.

The Green Wave defense committed only one error the entire evening while the Blue Jays had three errors.

“Tonight was a good win for us,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “Our pitching did another outstanding job making the right pitches when it counted.  All three of our guys (Townsend, Lucas, Stephens) pitched well against a very good team.”

“Overall our bats were a little slow tonight, and that is a credit to their pitcher,” Gosnell said. “But we got the hits we needed to win.  It was a great team win for us tonight.”

Ponchatoula is at home Friday at 4:30 pm. against 6-4A Live Oak (10-5), ranked this week as one of the top 18 4A schools in the state by the LBCA.  Ponchy opens tough 7-5A district play Saturday in Slidell against Northshore, one of the league’s preseason playoff favorites.

Tuesday night’s Ponchatoula-Jesuit battle will be televised at 2:30 pm. both Saturday and Sunday on Florida Parishes Television Channel 17.  Green Wave baseball games will be broadcast at the same times and days for the next nine weeks.

Friday, March 14
PONCHY JV DROWNS NORTHLAKE CHRISTIAN

Dylan Hills broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run homer in the third inning to key a four-run rally and lead the Ponchatoula Green Wave JV to its third win of the season, a 10-5 pasting of Northlake Christian Thursday night at Athletic Park.

Hills had three hits in the game, half of his team’s total, while four Green Wave pitchers held Northlake to six hits.  NLC committed five errors to aid Ponchatoula’s scoring.

After the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Ponchy rallied for two in the bottom half of the inning.

Hills led off the inning with an infield single and later scored on a single by Ethan Murray for the first run.  Murray eventually scored on a wild pitch for a 2-1 lead.

After Northlake tied it with a run in the second, Ponchatoula regained the lead when Joey Lamarca walked, moved to second on a sacrifice by Reeve Kirkland and scored on a pair of wild pitches.

NLC knotted the score at three in the third before the Greenies took the lead for good.  Jeremy Trouillet reached base on an error by the shortstop before Hills blasted his home run over the left centerfield wall.

The Wave scored two more runs in the third when Murray walked and both Dylan Posey and Jake Ruiz reached on infield errors.  A walk to Randall Meyers advanced the runners before Lamarca’s fly ball to left field was dropped and Kirkland’s grounder to third was booted to make it 7-3.

The PHS JV added insurance in the fifth on a single by Posey and a walk to Ruiz.  Both runners wound up scoring on wild pitches.

Hayden Hutches started on the mound for Ponchy and went one-and-a third innings before giving way to Dakota Simoneaux, who allowed one run in the third.  Meyers pitched the fourth and fifth innings, allowing one run and striking out a batter, while Kirkland pitched the final inning, giving up one run and striking out two.

Hills’ went three-for-three for the Wave while Posey had two hits and Murray one.

The Ponchy JV (3-1) returns to action at 4 pm. Tuesday against Covington at Athletic Park.

Friday, March 14
GREEN WAVE SLAMS WAY PAST LIVE OAK

Ponchatoula exploded for six runs in the fourth inning on two home runs, one a grand slam by Seth Bratton, while Wesley Fletcher hummed a complete game, six-hitter to send the Green Wave to an 8-3 win over the Live Oak Eagles Friday at Athletic Park.

The win gave the Green Wave a 10-3 record in pre-district action, including four wins over teams either ranked or receiving votes in the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association weekly Top Ten Poll.  Live Oak (10-6) entered the game having received votes in this week’s LABC Top Ten for the 4A classification.

Ponchatoula plays its first 7-5A district game on road Saturday morning in Slidell against Northshore, one of the preseason favorites to make the state playoffs.

Live Oak jumped to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Seth Kuhlmann reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to third on a single by Jacob Davis, and scored on a wild pitch.

Ponchatoula tied it in the bottom of the first when Laramie Pittman singled, advanced to second when Derrick Gaudin was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Torin Lucas, and scored when Taylor Ort issued a walk to B.J. Welch.

The Eagles regained the lead in the top of the second when Josh Craft walked, moved to second on a single by Cody Roddy, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Adam LeBlanc, and scored on a dropped throw to home plate.

Live Oak took the 2-1 lead into the bottom of the fourth when Ponchatoula rallied to break the game open.  Elisha Settoon led off the inning with a walk before walks to Regis Stephens and Jacob Griffin loaded the bases for Bratton, who greeted reliever Koley Little by smashing his second pitch off of the left field scoreboard for a grand slam.

One out later, Pittman powered a solo shot over the left centerfield wall for a 6-2 lead.  The Greenies scored their final run of the inning on a single by Gaudin, who moved up on a walk and a fielder’s choice before scoring on an RBI single by Stephens.

Ponchy added its final run in the fifth when Bratton was hit by a pitch, stole second, claimed third on a passed ball and scored on a balk.

Meanwhile, Fletcher (3-1) went all seven innings on the mound, allowing six hits and only one earned run.  He struck out seven, walked two and hit a batter.

Pittman and Stephens had two hits apiece to lead the Wave at the plate while Bratton, Lucas and Gaudin had the other hits.

“After a rocky start we battled offensively and defensively,” said Ponchy head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We were also able to get some guys on base and get the hits to drive them in.  Wesley did a great job of going the distance on the mound.”

Saturday, March 15
PONCHY OUTSLUGS NORTHSHORE IN 7-5A OPENER

Ponchatoula belted six home runs, including two each by Torin Lucas and Laramie Pittman, and the Green Wave staved off a seventh-inning Northshore rally to tame the Panthers, 16-15, Saturday in the District 7-5A opener for both teams in Slidell.

The Greenies overcame an early 5-0 deficit by exploding for 12 runs in the third-inning to move to 11-3 on the season.  Pittman smashed a grand slam and Lucas had a three-run blast as Ponchy hammered out 11 hits in the slugfest, which featured 24 hits and eight home runs.

Northshore took an early 5-0 lead with a second-inning rally.  Two singles and a sacrifice bunt placed runners on second and third with two out.  A booted grounder allowed the first run to score before a hit batsman, a two-run single, a balk, single and outfield error rounded out the scoring in the inning.

But Ponchatoula responded with 12 runs in the top of the third.  Starter Steven Comeaux, who’d handcuffed the Greenies without a baserunner through the first two frames, hit Elisha Settoon with a pitch to lead off the third inning.  A walk to Jacob Griffin and a single by Seth Bratton loaded the bases before a walk to Tyler Nelson accounted for the first PHS run.

One out later, Derrick Gaudin ripped a two-run single before Lucas crushed a 3-2 pitch over the right centerfield fence for a 6-5 Ponchy lead.

But the Green Wave wasn’t finished in the third.  Comeaux walked Regis Stephens and gave up a double to B.J. Welch before being lifted for Cody Deckwa, who promptly hit Settoon with a pitch for the second time in the inning.  Deckwa walked Griffin, hit Bratton and walked Nelson before Pittman rocked a grand slam to left center to boost Ponchy’s lead to 12-5.  When the big inning was over, Northshore pitchers had walked four batters, hit three more and given up five hits, including two homers, in the frame.

Lucas, who started on the hill for the Wave, retired Northshore in order in the third, and upped the lead to 13-5 with his second homer of the game, a solo shot to centerfield, in the top of the fourth.

The Panthers got back in the game with four runs in the last half of the inning.  A leadoff homer by Andrew Cosse, a single by Taylor Campbell, a run-scoring double by Andrew Bates, and an outfield error made the score 13-9.

Ponchy scored two more in the fifth on a solo homer by Bratton and another solo shot by Pittman, his third homer in two days, to make the lead 15-9. Lucas retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth.

The Green Wave scored its final run in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Griffin, which turned out to be the difference in the game.

Northshore cut the lead to 16-11 in their half on a two-run blast by Chad Fortenberry.  Stephens then relieved Lucas on the mound to get out of the inning by striking out Deckwa.

Reliever Bates held the Wave scoreless before the Panthers rallied to almost pull it out in the seventh.

With nobody out an infield error, back-to-back singles, and a pair of walks made it 16-13 before a throwing error allowed two more runs to score.  But on the wild throw leftfielder Gaudin gunned out a runner attempting to reach third for the first out.  Stephens then retired the three-hole and cleanup hitters in the lineup on ground balls with the tying run on second to end the wild affair.

“The most important thing is we got a win,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We finally found a way to get them out in the seventh. We swung the bats very well today. Anytime you hit six home runs you had a good day at the plate.”

“We are very excited to be 1-0 in district play,” Gosnell continued.  “It won’t get any easier.  Hopefully, we can keep it rolling.”

Lucas (4-1) picked up the win, going five and one-third innings on the mound and allowing six earned runs and 11 hits.  He struck out four, walked one, and hit a batter.   Stephens got the save in giving up one earned run, two hits and two walks while fanning one.

Lucas, Pittman and Bratton led Ponchatoula at the plate with two hits each.  Nelson, Gaudin, Stephens, Welch and Griffin all had one hit.  The six home runs now gives Ponchy 13 on the season.

Ponchatoula (1-0 in 7-5A) will host Covington, currently ranked in the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association top twenty, in a big district clash at 6:30 pm. Tuesday night at Athletic Park.  A 4 pm. JV clash will preceed the varsity game.

Monday, March 17
WAVE JV SINKS SKIPPERS

Dylan Posey hit a walkoff solo homer in the last of the sixth to push the Ponchatoula Green Wave junior varsity over Mandeville, 7-6, at Athletic Park Monday night.

The win gave the Greenie JV a 3-1 overall record and a 2-1 district mark.  The JV plays another district contest at home against Covington Tuesday.

Posey’s homer redeemed the Wave, which blew a 6-3 lead in the top of the sixth with four walks, a hit batter and a single.

Dylan Hills gave Ponchy a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a leadoff home run to left center.

Mandeville scored a pair of runs in the second to regain the lead, 2-1, on a walk and a pair of infield errors.

But Hills again gave Ponchatoula the lead in the top of the third with a two-run double, driving home Ryan Daniels and Jeremy Trouillet.  When the outfield throw sailed into the dugout, Hills scored to give the Greenies a 4-2 lead.  Ethan Murray followed with a single and scored on three consecutive walks to Green Wave batters to make the score 5-2.

Mandeville countered with a run in the top of the fourth on a walk, a pair of fielder’s choices, and a wild pitch.

Ponchatoula made the score 6-3 in the last of the fourth when Mark Traylor reached on an infield error,  advanced to third on a pair of walks, and scored on a wild pitch.

Mandeville rallied to tie the score with three runs in the top of the sixth before Posey ended the game with a shot over the left field fence on the first pitch to him.

Simoneaux was the winning pitcher in relief while Posey started the game on the hill.

Hills led the Ponchy JV at the plate with two hits, including the leadoff homer, while Murray’s single and Posey’s HR were the only two other hits.

Tuesday, March 18
GREEN WAVE RIPS COVINGTON, 8-2

Ponchatoula pounded out 11 hits, including three hits and three key RBI’s from B.J. Welch, while Green Wave pitchers shut down Covington on six hits as the  Wave whipped the Lions, 8-2, in a district 7-5A encounter Tuesday night at Athletic Park.

The win moved Ponchy to 12-3 overall and 2-0 in district to sit atop the early 7-5A standings. The Green Wave travels to Mandeville Friday for another big league clash.

“We are very excited to be 2-0 in district,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We have to look forward to Friday now and prepare for another big game.”

In addition to the big outburst at the plate, Ponchatoula received solid pitching from starter Rudy Townsend and reliever Regis Stephens.  Townsend (2-0) gave up only three hits and one run to notch the win while Stephens again closed the door in three innings of relief with identical numbers- allowing three hits and only one run- to pick up the save.  The Ponchy hurlers combined to leave 11 Covington baserunners stranded on he evening.

The Lions (10-5 overall, 0-2 in district) jumped to an early 1-0 lead off of Townsend when leadoff hitter D.J. Thompson walked, moved to second when Colt Bruhl was hit by a pitch, and scored on a single by Hunter Anthony.  It would be Covington’s only lead of the game and its only run scored until the final frame.

The Green Wave knotted the score at one in the bottom of the second when Stephens singled, Welch reached on an infield error, and Jacob Griffin smacked a run-scoring single.

With Townsend settling down on the mound and allowing only two baserunners through the next three innings, Ponchatoula staged rallies in both the third and fourth frames to take the lead and tuck the game away.  Welch keyed both rallies with singles that knocked in three runs.

Laramie Pittman led off the third with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Welch for a 2-1 lead.

The Greenie bats continued popping in the fourth, salting the game away with a four-run rally.  Leadoff hitter Elisha Settoon was hit by a pitch, and pinchrunner Randall Meyers moved to second on a bunt single by Seth Bratton.  Pittman loaded the bases with his second single before Derrick Gaudin singled Meyers home for a 3-1 lead.

With two outs, Stephens worked starter Stevie Sharp for a bases-loaded walk before Welch singled in two more runs for a 6-1 lead.

With reliever Stephens retiring  Covington with two men on base in the fifth, Ponchatoula scored its final two runs in the last half of the inning.

Settoon led off, smashing a double down the left field line and moving to third on a passed ball before scoring on Pittman’s booted grounder to the shortstop. Pittman later scored on Gaudin’s second RBI single to round out the scoring.

Covington picked up a meaningless run in the seventh on an infield single by Brady King and an RBI double by Jeffrey Joiner.

Welch led the Green Wave assault at the plate with two singles and a double for three RBI’s.  Pittman and Gaudin both had two hits while Gaudin had two RBI’s.  Settoon, Stephens, Griffin and Bratton each had one hit.

“Rudy struggled a bit, but kept a good team to one run over four,” Gosnell said.  “He had 11 hits behind him tonight, and we seem to be seeing the ball well.”

Townsend struck out four, walked three and hit one batter in 4.1 innings of work.  Stephens walked two and struck out two in three innings of relief.

Sharp was the losing pitcher in 3.2 innings of work while Chuck Humphries and Chase Sharp saw innings of relief.

Tuesday, March 18
PONCHY JV USES BIG THIRD INNING TO DOWN COVINGTON

Ponchatoula slammed six of its total eight hits in a six-run, third-inning rally to stop Covington, 7-4, in a junior varsity clash Tuesday at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave JV is now 4-1 on the season.

Facing a 4-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the third, the Green Wave responded with six runs in the inning to take the lead for good.

Dakota Simoneaux reached on a fielder’s choice before Mark Traylor singled.  Dylan Hills then drove home both runners with a single for a 2-1 lead.

After a walk to Randall Meyers, Justin Crowell stroked a two-run single to tie the game, and Dylan Posey followed with an RBI single for a 5-4 lead.  Jeremy Trouillet’s single then drove Posey home for a 6-4 cushion.

Ponchatoula added another run in the fifth when Meyers singled and scored on a double by Posey.

Meyers started on the mound for the Green Wave and
picked up the win, going five innings and allowing four runs on four hits while striking out seven, walking two and hitting three batters.

Simoneaux pitched a scoreless inning in relief, allowing two hits with one strikeout and a walk.

Posey led Ponchy at the plate with two hits while Hills, Meyers, Crowell, Trouillet and Traylor all had one hit.

The Wave JV travels to Mandeville Friday to take on the Skipper JV’s at 4 pm.

Friday, March 21
WAVE EDGES MANDEVILLE TO STAND ATOP DISTRICT

Regis Stephens broke a 2-2 tie with a sixth-inning leadoff home run, and as a seventh-inning reliever he closed the door on Mandeville with the tying run at the plate as Ponchatoula edged the Skippers, 4-2, Friday night.

The big win gives Ponchatoula (13-3 overall) sole possession of first place in district 7-5A with an unbeaten 3-0 record.  Mandeville (7-5), the defending 7-5A champion and preseason favorite to repeat this year, dropped to 1-2 in league play.

Stephens , trying to protect a two-run lead, came on in relief in the seventh for starter Torin Lucas.  With two out and a runner aboard, Stephens struck out Tulane signee Jamie Bruno to end the game.

The Green Wave drew first blood in the top of the first against Mandeville starter J.P. Catalanotto.  Laramie Pittman singled and moved to second on a walk to Derrick Gaudin.  A single by Lucas loaded the bases before Stephens was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run.  Then, with two out, Jacob Griffin was hit by a pitch to plate Gaudin and make the score 2-0.

The Skippers got on the board in the bottom of the first on a solo homer by Garrett Cannizarro.  But Lucas then struck out Bruno and Ross Hardy, a pair of Tulane signees, in succession to end the inning.

Mandeville tied the game in the fourth when Bruno led off with a single and moved to third on a double by James Winget.  John Wenzel drove home Bruno on a fielder’s choice grounder to tie up the game at 2-2.

Lucas then got out of the inning with two men out and the go-ahead run on third when centerfielder Pittman robbed Joey Pajares of a certain home run with a leaping grab over the centerfield wall.

The score stood 2-2 until the last of the fifth when Ponchy faced Mandeville’s most serious threat of the game.  Lucas escaped a huge jam unharmed when he struck out Hardy with two out and the bases loaded.

That set the stage for Stephens’ heroics in the sixth.  The senior shortstop sent the first pitch high over the left field fence for what proved to be the winning run.

The Greenies added an insurance run when B.J. Welch singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Griffin, advanced to third when Elisha Settoon’s grounder to third was thrown wild to first, and scored when Seth Bratton’s fly ball was dropped by the rightfielder.

Lucas pitched a masterful six innings in picking up the win on the mound, giving up two runs to the normally heavy-hitting Skippers on only four hits while striking out seven and walking only three.  He got out of jams three times with runners in scoring position, twice by striking out the final batter of the inning.

Stephens, Pittman, Lucas, Welch, Bratton and Tyler Nelson all had one hit for Ponchatoula.

“We played really well tonight,” said Ponchatoula head coach Mark Gosnell.  “Anytime you hold Mandeville to two runs, you’ve done your job on the mound.  Torin was outstanding tonight, and Regis came in and closed the door on them.”

The Green Wave travels to play 5A Comeaux of Lafayette in a non-district game Saturday and returns home Tuesday for another 7-5A showdown with Slidell.

At game time Friday Ponchatoula was ranked by the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association in its top 18 5A teams and ranked number three in state 5A power rankings by Ken Ramsey.

Saturday, March 22
JV FALLS TO MANDEVILLE

Mandeville used a big five-run fifth inning to break open a tight game and defeat the Ponchatoula Junior Varsity, 10-3, Friday at Mandeville.

The two teams were locked in a 1-1 tie after four innings, but with two out in the fifth the Skipper JV’s staged their big rally.

The Wave JV scored its first run in the fourth when Randall Meyers reached on an error by the shortstop and scored when Reeve Kirkland grounded into a shortstop error.

The Wave added two more in the seventh when Meyers singled, Cody Gueldner and Kaleb Kraft walked, and Ryan Daniels hit a two-run single.

Dakota Simoneaux started on the mound for the Green Wave JV while Mark Traylor relieved.

Saturday, March 22
WAVE FALLS FLAT AGAINST COMEAUX

Less than 20 hours after its biggest win of the season, Ponchatoula’s out-of-district trek to Lafayette fell flat as the Green Wave lost to Comeaux, 11-1, Saturday afternoon.

The Wave appeared to be emotionally drained after gaining sole possession of first place in district 7-5A  Friday night with a heart-thumping 4-2 win over the Skippers.

Facing a 5A Comeaux club it had already beaten 3-1 in the season opener, Ponchy batters could muster only three singles and no runs over the first four innings behind starter Wesley Fletcher, who left the mound after three innings with the score 0-0.

After Fletcher, Ponchy elected to go with young pitchers the rest of the way in the non-district fray, and that’s when Comeaux blew the lid off at the plate.

Comeaux greeted fourth-inning reliever Elisha Settoon with five hits, the big one a three-run homer by Blair Boutee, and capitalized on an infield error which allowed two runs to score in quickly building a 5-0 lead.

Ponchy’s Tyler Nelson made it 5-1 with a solo homer in the fifth, but Comeaux rallied for three runs off of reliever Dylan Posey and three more off of Reeve Kirkland to end the game by the ten-run rule.  Four hits, two walks, a hit batsman and an infield error accounted for all of the runs.

Along with Nelson, Ponchatoula also had hits from Derrick Gaudin, Torin Lucas, Jacob Griffin and Seth Bratton.

The Green Wave returns to district 7-5A action at 6:30 pm. Tuesday at Athletic Park against 2007 state semifinalist Slidell.

Tuesday, March 25
SLIDELL BATS SLAM WAVE

Slidell machine-gunned 18 hits, including three home runs, and exploded for nine runs in the second inning to slam Ponchatoula, 19-0, in a district 7-5A clash at Athletic Park Tuesday.

The loss dropped the Green Wave (13-5 overall) into a first-place tie with Slidell (8-5-1 overall) in district 7-5A with both teams now sporting a 3-1 league mark.

Chad Livingston went four-for-four for the Tigers, including a fourth-inning homer, to lead Slidell’s assault at the plate.  He sparked a first-inning rally with a single and later scored on a two-run double by Sean Nelson for an early 2-0 lead.

The Tigers, which made it all the way to the state 5A semifinals last season, unleashed a six-hit barrage against starter Rudy Townsend and reliever Wesley Fletcher in the second inning, capitalizing on four walks and three errors to plate nine runners and virtually put the game out of reach, 11-0.  Big blows were a solo homer by Blake Forbes and two-run singles by Livingston, Nathan Reis and Shad De St. Germain.

The Tigers added further damage in the third on RBI doubles by Lance Swearms and Randall Meyer and a run-scoring single by Forbes for a 14-0 lead.

It wasn’t until the bottom of the third that Ponchatoula got its first hit off of Slidell starter Nelson when Elisha Settoon doubled down the left field line, but the Greenies were unable to score.

Meanwhile, Livingston’s solo shot in the fourth made it 15-0 while a three-run homer by James Davis in the fifth and an RBI single by Reis tallied the final scores for Slidell.

Ponchy threatened to score in the fourth when Derrick Gaudin reached on an error and Torin Lucas singled to left, but an inning-ending double play kept the Wave scoreless.

The Greenies also failed to drive home Dylan Hills, who led off the fifth with a double down the left field line.

Settoon, Lucas and Hills had the only hits for Ponchatoula.

On Friday Ponchatoula hosts St. Paul in another key league matchup.  The Wolves faced Northshore Tuesday with both teams entering the game with one league loss.

Wednesday, March 26
WAVE HOPES TO RECLAIM MAGIC FRIDAY

The Ponchatoula Green Wave, currently tied for first place in District 7-5A, hopes to return to its winning ways at 6:30 pm. Friday against the St. Paul Wolves at Athletic Park.

A junior varsity game will preceed the varsity contest at 4 pm.

The Greenies are currently 13-5 overall and 3-1 in district play, tied for the top spot in 7-5A with Slidell and Northshore.

St. Paul enters the game 11-7 overall and 2-2 in district after losing 10-9 to Northshore Tuesday.

Friday, March 28
WAVE STOPS ST. PAUL, 4-1, IN KEY DISTRICT CLASH
Torin Lucas shut down St. Paul on four hits, and the Ponchatoula Green Wave staged a four-run, first-inning rally for all of the runs they would need to
cage the Wolves, 4-1, in a key 7-5A clash Friday night at Athletic Park.

The win kept the 10th-ranked Green Wave (14-5) atop the district 7-5A standings with a 4-1 league mark.  St. Paul dropped to 2-3 in district and 11-8 overall.

Lucas (7-0) surrendered his only run in the top of the first when Brandon Boudreaux reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a double by Craig Gautreaux.

But Ponchy answered in the bottom of the first with all of the runs they would need against starter Trey Campeaux.  Leadoff batter Tyler Nelson doubled to left center and scored on a single by Laramie Pittman to tie the game at 1-1 before Derrick Gaudin and Lucas walked to load the bases.

Regis Stephens then brought Pittman home with a fielders choice grounder to the shortstop for a 2-1 lead.  B.J. Welch singled Gaudin home before Elisha Settoon’s ground ball to the shortstop was booted, scoring Stephens.

Trailing 4-1, St. Paul brought John Greenleaf to the mound, and the Wolves righthander hooked up with Lucas in a pitcher’s duel the rest of the way as
Ponchatoula could manage only one hit, a fourth-inning single by Seth Bratton, and no runs after the first inning.

Meanwhile, Lucas blanked St. Paul through five straight innings, spacing two hits, striking out six and walking only three batters during that time.  He
snuffed out a second inning rally with a double play, striking out Nick Hummel before Bratton gunned Beau Trist out at second attempting to steal.

Lucas again nipped a potential rally by the Wolves in the third by picking Nick Bowers off at first.

He then faced his most serious threat in the fifth, but the big righthander got out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam by forcing an infield ground out.

Lucas gave way in the seventh to Stephens, who closed the deal by retiring three of the four batters he faced for the save.

“It was a great game tonight between two good teams,” said Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell.  “We competed tonight and came out on top.”

Both clubs could manage only four hits in the defensive struggle.

“Torin battled tonight, kept the ball down and made great pitches, and Regis was able to come in and close it out,”  Gosnell said.  “It’s great to be 4-1 in
district, and we’re in good shape.  I’m proud of the kids for bouncing back after the Slidell game.”

Ponchatoula travels to face 9th-ranked Fontainebleau Tuesday in another key 7-5A clash.

Saturday, March 29
PONCHY JV FALLS TO ST. PAUL, 6-4

The St. Paul junior varsity rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to eak out a 6-4 victory over Ponchatoula Friday at Athletic Park.

After St. Paul scored a run in the top of the first, the Green Wave JV tied the score on a leadoff single by Dylan Hills and a pair of shortstop errors on balls hit by Justin Crowell and Dylan Posey.

The Wolves upped the lead to 3-1 in the third, but Ponchy added a run on a single by Jeremy Trouillet and another single by Hills.

The Wave JV took a 4-3 lead in the fifth on back-to-back singles by Cody Gueldner and Kaleb Kraft, a fielder’s choice off the bat of Mark Traylor, a dropped fly hit by Darrin Bach, and a ground ball hit by Hills that was booted by the second baseman.

But St. Paul staged its comeback in the final inning for the win.

Hills led Ponchy at the plate with two hits while Gueldner, Kraft, Trouillet and Randall Meyers had one hit apiece.

The junior varsity travels for a 4 pm. game Tuesday at Fontainebleau.

Wednesday, April 2
GREEN WAVE RANKED 8TH IN LATEST STATE 5A POLL

The Ponchatoula Green Wave continues to climb in state rankings as the latest poll conducted by the Louisiana High School Baseball Coaches Association released Wednesday has the Greenies ranked 8th in the 5A classification.

Ponchatoula (14-5, 4-1) is the lone representative of district 7-5A in the Top Ten.  Of the other eight teams receiving votes, 7-5A members Slidell and Fontainebleau are included along with another Ponchy foe, Central of Baton Rouge.  Wave opponent Franklinton is ranked 5th in the state 4A poll.

Thursday, April 3
PONCHY BLANKS HAMMOND, 8-0, BEHIND LUCAS

Torin Lucas shut out Hammond on five hits while the eighth-ranked Ponchatoula Green Wave hammered out 11 hits of their own to whitewash the rival Tornadoes, 8-0, Thursday night in a district 7-5A meeting at Athletic Park.

The win gave Ponchy (15-5 overall) sole possession of first place in 7-5A standings with a 5-1 mark.  Slidell, which entered the game tied with Ponchatoula atop league standings, lost to Northshore, 5-3, Thursday night to fall into a second-place tie with the Panthers at 4-2.

The Greenies, ranked as the eighth-best 5A team in the state in the latest Louisiana High School Baseball Coaches Association poll, will trek to Fontainebleau at 4:30 pm. Friday to resume a rained out game from earlier this week.  Ponchy sported a 1-0 first inning lead when the game was called.

Lucas (8-0) struck out seven and hit one batter in a seven-inning, complete-game performance to dominate the Tors from the mound.

Meanwhile, the Green Wave scored all of the runs they needed in the bottom of the second to break a scoreless deadlock.  B.J. Welch reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a single by Elisha Settoon.  Jacob Griffin blooped a single to the right side of the infield, and Welch scored all the way from second when the second baseman booted the baseball.  Seth Bratton then drove Settoon home with a double down the left field line for a 2-0 lead.

With Lucas holding Hammond at bay, the Green Wave put the game out of reach with four runs in the fourth.  Griffin was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a single by Bratton.  Tyler Nelson then doubled to deep left, plating both pinch-runner Randall Meyers and Bratton for a 4-0 lead.

Laramie Pittman followed with a run-scoring single to score Nelson before Lucas drove home Pittman with a single for a 6-0 lead.

Ponchatoula added two more runs in the fifth on a single by Griffin, a run-scoring double by Pittman, and an RBI sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Dylan Hills.

Pittman, Bratton and Griffin led Ponchy at the plate with two hits each.  Nelson, Gaudin, Lucas, Stephens and Settoon all had one hit apiece.

Thursday, April 3
PONCHY JV EDGES HAMMOND, 10-9

Jake Ruiz’s walkoff single scored Hayden Hutches with the winning run in the last of the fifth as the Ponchatoula junior varsity stopped Hammond, 10-9, Thursday at Athletic Park.

Trailing 9-8, Ponchy rallied in the final inning on a one-out walk to Darrin Bach, a single by Hutches, a walk to Justin Crowell, and a walk to Dylan Posey before Ruiz’s winning hit.

Shelby Payne’s two-run homer gave Hammond an early 5-0 lead, but the Green Wave rallied in the bottom of the second to take a 6-5 lead.

Randall Meyers led off with a solo homer to make it 5-1 before the Greenies did the rest of their damage with two men out.  Kaleb Kraft singled, Ryan Daniels reached on an infield error and Jeremy Trouillet reached on a centerfield error before consecutive singles by Dylan Hills, Ethan Murray and Joey Lamarca gave Ponchatoula a one-run lead.

A second home run by Payne, this one a three-run blast, gave Hammond an 8-6 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

But Ponchatoula answered on a single by Kraft and Meyers’ second home run, a two-run blast, to tie the game at eight.

Hammond then regained the lead in the top of the fifth before Ponchy scored two more to win it in the fifth as the time limit expired.

Meyers led the 11-hit attack for Ponchy with a pair of home runs.  Hills, Lamarca and Kraft also had two hits apiece while Murray, Hutches and Ruiz had one hit each.

Ruiz relieved Meyers on the mound in the third inning to pick up the win.  He allowed four runs on five hits while striking out five and hitting a batter in three innings of work.

Saturday, April 5
NORTHSHORE DRUBS GREEN WAVE, 9-3

Northshore pitcher Cody Deckwa no-hit Ponchatoula through five and two-thirds innings, and the Panthers erupted for six runs in the first inning to slam the eighth-ranked Green Wave, 9-3, in a battle of 7-5A leaders Saturday at Athletic Park.

The win moves Northshore (15-11) into sole possession of first place in 7-5A with a 6-2 league mark.  The Panthers defeated league playoff contenders Slidell, Mandeville and Ponchatoula on consecutive days to take a half-game lead over Ponchatoula and Slidell.

Ponchy (15-6, 5-2) will try to get back on track at 4 pm. Monday at Fontainebleau, resuming a game rained out twice earlier in the week with action most recently stopped with a 1-1 tie in the third inning.

Things started badly for the Wave in the top of the first as two walks, three hit batters, a single by Steven Comeaux and a sacrifice fly by Chad Gough-Fortenberry chased starter Regis Stephens and brought reliever Wesley Fletcher to the mound with the score 3-0 and the bases loaded.

A two-run single by Deckwa and a run-scoring single by Andrew Cosse then staked Northshore to a 6-0 lead.

With Ponchatoula held hitless, the Panthers scored two more runs in the third on a single by Taylor Campbell, a stolen base, an infield error and an RBI single by Chase Compton.

Northshore took a 9-0 lead in the fifth off reliever Rudy Townsend when Deckwa singled and scored on a double by Cosse.

Ponchatoula scored its first run with two out in the sixth when Dylan Hills reached on an error and scored on a double by Torin Lucas, Ponchy’s first hit of the game.

The Wave added its second run of the inning when Stephens was hit by a pitch and B.J. Welch walked to load the bases with two out.  Elisha Settoon then bounced a slow chopper in the hole, scoring pinch-runner Matt Stock in the process.

Ponchatoula scored its final run in the last of the seventh. Seth Bratton was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a single by Laramie Pittman, and scored on an RBI single by Hills.

The Green Wave loaded the bases when Lucas was hit by a pitch, but reliever Compton came on to put an end to the uprising by striking out the final two Ponchy batters.

In relief Fletcher threw three and two-thirds innings, allowing no earned runs and six hits while striking out two, walking one and hitting a batter.

In three innings of work Townsend allowed only one earned run on four hits, walking two.

Monday, April 7
GREEN WAVE FALLS TO FONTAINEBLEAU IN EIGHT INNINGS

David Fiegel’s infield single scored Matt Pittari with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as Fontainebleau outlasted Ponchatoula, 3-2, in a 7-5A fray that was rained-delayed twice last week.

The loss dropped the Green Wave (15-7 overall) into three-way tie with Slidell and Covington for second place in district 7-5A with a 5-3 record, one game behind leader Northshore at 6-2.  Fontainebleau moved to 13-7 and 2-5 in league play.

Addison Melancon allowed only four Ponchatoula hits in the Bulldog victory, striking out six and walking four.  For eight innings he was locked in a pitcher’s duel with Ponchy’s Regis Stephens, who allowed only two earned runs on ten hits while striking out nine batters, walking none and hitting a batter.

Ponchatoula broke the ice in the first inning when Tyler Nelson reached on an error by the catcher, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Laramie Pittman, and scored on an RBI ground out by Derrick Gaudin.

The Bulldogs tied the score in the bottom of the first when Daniel Brockhoeft doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an outfield error.

The Green Wave regained the lead 2-1 in the third when Gaudin walked, moved to second on a walk to Torin Lucas and took third on a fielder’s choice grounder by B.J. Welch.  With Dylan Hills running for Gaudin, Welch intentionally got caught in a rundown attempting to steal, and the return throw home was dropped by the catcher, allowing Hills to score.

The Bulldogs answered in the bottom of the third when Colton Atkins singled and Broeckhoeft tripled to right-center to tie the game at 2-all.

There the game stood all the way until the bottom of the eighth when Fontainebleau pushed across the winning run.  With two out an infield single by Jacob Palmisano and a double by Scott Malaschak placed runners on second and third before Fiegel’s infield single scored pinch-runner Pittari to end the game.

Brockhoeft, Palmisano and Adam Becnel had two hits each for Fontainebleau.  Adkins, Fiegel, Malaschak and Melancon all had one.

Stephens, Lucas, Elisha Settoon and Seth Bratton had the only hits for Ponchatoula.

The Green Wave will be back in action at 6:30 pm. Tuesday when they travel to face Covington (15-8, 5-3) in a big 7-5A matchup.  Covington defeated league co-leader Slidell, 10-5, on Monday.  Earlier this year the Wave bested the Lions, 8-2, at Athletic Park.

Monday, April 7
BULLDOGS BITE WAVE JV, 9-3

The Fontainebleau junior varsity rallied for five runs in the first inning and built a 9-0 lead to whip Ponchatoula, 9-3.

The Bulldog JV’s slapped 12 hits in the victory.  The decisive five-run first resulted from two walks and four hits, including a home run.

Ponchy failed to score until the sixth inning when a single by Ryan Daniels, a double by Dylan Hills, a single by Randall Meyers, a sacrifice fly by Justin Crowell, and a single by Dylan Posey produced three runs.

Meyers led the Green Wave JV at the plate with a pair of singles.  Hills, Daniels, Dakota Simoneaux and Brett Vampran had the other hits for Ponchy.

Reeve Kirkland started and pitched two innings for the Wave while Hayden Hutches threw the final three innings.

Tuesday, April 8
WAVE LOSES SECOND STRAIGHT HEARTBREAKER

Covington’s Stevie Sharp singled home Cory Thomas with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as the Lions edged Ponchatoula, 2-1, Tuesday night in Covington.

It was the second straight eight-inning loss for Ponchatoula, having fallen to Fontainebleau, 3-2, on Monday.  The defeat dropped the Green Wave (15-8 overall) to 5-4 in district 7-5A play while the Lions improved to 6-3.  Ponchatoula defeated Covington, 8-2, earlier this season at Athletic Park.

The loss tainted a dominating pitching performance by Ponchatoula starter Torin Lucas, who gave up only one unearned run and six hits in seven innings of work while striking out 12 and walking just one.

Lucas hooked up in a pitcher’s duel with Covington’s Matt Myer, who threw all eight innings and gave up six hits, striking out nine, walking one and hitting a batter.

Ponchatoula jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Tyler Nelson singled and scored from first when Laramie Pittman’s single got by the centerfielder.

But the Wave couldn’t muster any more scoring for the next seven innings, despite leaving runners in scoring position four times.

Meanwhile, Covington tied the score in the last of the sixth when D.J. Thompson led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brady King, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an errant throw.

Lucas dug deep to stop Covington with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but in the last of the eighth Regis Stephens relieved Lucas on the hill.

Cory Thomas greeted the Green Wave reliever with a double, and with one out he moved to third on a fielder’s choice grounder by Jeffrey Joiner.  This set the stage for Sharp, who blooped a walkoff single just out of the infield for the game-winner.

Nelson paced the Green Wave attack with a pair of singles while Pittman, Derek Gaudin, B.J. Welch and Dylan Hills all had one hit.

Ponchatoula returns home at 6:30 pm. Friday to face 7-5A defending champion Mandeville.

Wednesday, April 9
PONCHY FROSH/SOPHS TOP LORANGER

Ponchatoula rapped out nine hits, and Mark Traylor went the distance on the mound as the Green Wave freshman/sophomore team dropped Loranger, 10-3, Wednesday at Athletic Park.

The Green Wave took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Justin Crowell singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, took third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on an RBI ground out by Darrin Bach.

Loranger tied the score in the top of the third when Logan Whiting singled, moved to second on a balk, and scored on a single by Boo Boudreaux.

Ponchy regained the lead in the third when Kaleb Kraft led off with a walk before pinch-runner Randall Meyers stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on Traylor’s RBI ground out.

Loranger tied it at 2-2 in the top of the fourth when Alan Mizell doubled, moved to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a wild throw.

But the Green Wave scored four runs in the last of the fourth to take the lead for good.  Meyers led off with a double before a single by Crowell, a walk to Ryan Daniels and a two-run double by Bach made it 4-2.  After a walk to Jake Ruiz, both Kraft and Brett Vampran drove in runs with RBI grounders.

The Greenies added one run in the fifth on a solo homer by Jeremy Trouillet, and rallied for three more in the sixth.  Kraft led off with a single, and back-to-back doubles by Vampran and Hayden Hutches produced two runs.  Trouillet singled in the final run for the Wave.

Loranger scored its third run in the sixth when Taylor Abrams singled and Brad Childress scored on an outfield error.

Trouillet and Crowell had two hits each to lead Ponchy at the plate.  Meyers, Bach, Kraft, Vampran and Hutches all had one hit.

Traylor pitched the entire seven innings to pick up the win.

Saturday, April 12
MANDEVILLE EDGES PONCHATOULA, 7-6

Garrett Cannizaro doubled home the tying run in the sixth and then scored the winning run on a wild pitch as Mandeville slipped by Ponchatoula, 7-6, in 7-5A action Friday at Athletic Park.

The loss dropped the Green Wave to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in district play.  With four 7-5A games remaining, the Wave is tied with Mandeville (11-8 overall) and St. Paul for fourth place with 5-5 league marks.  Northshore leads at 8-2 with Slidell second at 7-3 and Covington third at 6-4.

The Green Wave, which entered the game ranked 10th in the state 5A poll and had beaten Mandeville 4-2 earlier this year on the road, suffered its third straight one-run loss in the same week.  The Wave lost consecutive eight-inning games to Fontainebleau and Covington on Monday and Tuesday.

Cannizaro had three hits and 2 RBI’s to lead Mandeville, which blew an early 5-0 lead and trailed 6-5 heading into the sixth inning.

Mandeville got on the board first when leadoff hitter Kody Keowen walked, stole second and scored on a double by James Winget.

The Skippers increased their lead to 5-0 in the second when Remy Angelle was hit by a pitch and scored on Cannizaro’s single.  With two out Jamie Bruno crushed a two-run homer off the flag pole in centerfield for a 4-0 lead.  Ross Hardy then singled before Winget doubled him home for the early five-run cushion.

Ponchy starter Rudy Townsend then settled down to shut out Mandeville through the next three innings, and he was on the mound when the Wave actually took the lead in the fourth and fifth innings.

In the last of the fourth Dylan Hills started the Greenie uprising with a single before Torin Lucas clobbered a two-run homer over the left field wall.

Regis Stephens then walked and moved to second on a fielder’s choice.  With two out Elisha Settoon’s ground ball to the shortstop was booted, allowing Stephens to score.  Settoon moved to second when Jacob Griffin’s grounder was mishandled, and Tyler Nelson singled up the middle, scoring Settoon to cut the lead to 5-4.

Ponchatoula then took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.  Hills again led off with a single before Lucas singled him to second.  Stephens sacrificed the runners to second and third before B.J. Welch delivered the game-tying single to right field.  Seth Bratton followed with a single to plate pinch-runner Ethan Murray to put the Greenies ahead.

In the top of the sixth Stephens relieved Townsend on the mound and hit the first batter, Kody Keowen, who promptly stole second base.  Cannizaro then doubled to deep center, scoring Keowen to tie the game.  Cannizaro moved to third on a fielder’s choice before scoring on a wild pitch.

The Greenies placed the tying run on second in the sixth inning but failed to drive him home.

Ponchy pitchers allowed ten hits while walking four and hitting two Mandeville batters.

Tyler Nelson led Ponchatoula at the plate with three hits while Hills and Lucas both had two safeties.   Welch, Bratton and Griffin all had one hit.

The Green Wave returns to action Saturday afternoon in a non-district fray against Acadiana, ranked third in the state in latest 7-5A polls.  Ponchy travels to Slidell Tuesday to resume district play.

Saturday, April 12
PONCHY FALLS TO FIFTH-RANKED ACADIANA

Acadiana erupted for six hits in a five-run fifth-inning to break open a close game and topple Ponchatoula, 10-3, Saturday in a non-district game at Athletic Park.

Acadiana, the fifth-ranked 5A team in the latest Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association, moved its overall record to 23-5-1.  The Green Wave, ranked 10th in the 5A state rankings by the same poll, fell to 15-10 overall.

Acadiana broke a scoreless deadlock in the second inning on a hit batsman, three errors and Colton Daigle’s single.

The Green Wave answered in the bottom of the second.  Torin Lucas doubled, pinch-runner Ethan Murray went to third on a passed ball and later scored on Derrick Gaudin’s sacrifice fly.  Regis Stephens’ double, Seth Bratton’s single and an error by the pitcher cut the lead to 3-2.

The Greenies tied the score in the third when Tyler Nelson singled and Laramie Pittman followed on a hit-and-run play with a double down the left field line.

But Acadiana scored two more runs in the fourth to take the lead for good.  Three hits, a walk and an outfield error provided a 5-3 lead.

Ponchatoula failed to score the rest of the way while Acadiana salted the game away with five runs on six hits in the fifth.  The big blow was a two-run single by  Tucker Cockrell.

Lucas had two hits to lead the Green Wave at the plate.  Nelson, Pittman,  Stephens, Bratton and Dylan Hills had the other hits.

Wesley Fletcher, the Ponchy starter on the mound, threw five innings and gave up ten runs on ten hits, but only two of the runs were earned due to five errors.  Fletcher also walked three, striking out one and hitting a batter. Reliever Elisha Settoon pitched two innings, allowing no runs and no hits while striking out one and walking two batters.

The Green Wave returns to action Tuesday on the road against current 7-5A runnerup Slidell.

Saturday, April 12
SKIPPERS CLOBBER WAVE JV’S

The Mandeville Skipper junior varsity piled up eight runs in the third inning to smash the Ponchatoula JV, 16-3, Friday at Athletic Park.

The Skippers parlayed six walks, a double and a home run for the outburst.  Mandeville also scored six runs on four hits in the fifth inning.

Mandeville totaled seven hits in the victory but also took advantage of 12 walks issued by Ponchatoula pitchers.

Ponchatoula scored two runs in the first inning on a double by Dylan Hills, a walk to Ethan Murray and a double by Dylan Posey.

The Greenies added another in the fourth when Posey singled, Justin Crowell walked, and Joey Lamarca doubled home Posey.

Posey led Ponchy at the plate with three hits while Hills had two and Lamarca one.

Tuesday, April 15
GREEN WAVE FALLS TO SLIDELL

Blake Forbis drove in three runs, including two with a fourth-inning homer to right field, to lead Slidell over Ponchatoula, 7-5, Tuesday in a key district 7-5A matchup at Slidell.

The Green Wave fell to 15-11 overall and 5-6 in district, now locked in a four-way tie for fourth in 7-5A with Mandeville, St. Paul and Fontainebleau.  Slidell strengthened its hold on second place in the district, moving to 8-3 in league play behind leader Northshore at 9-2.

Despite recording only four hits, Ponchatoula chased Tiger starter Shane Riedie, an LSU signee, with three runs in the fifth inning to knot the game at 5-all.

But the Greenies failed to get anything going against reliever Sean Nelson, and they left five runners in scoring position over the last three innings for their
fourth straight district loss by two runs or less.

Ponchy got on the board first in the top of the second when Dylan Hills reached on a shortstop error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Regis Stephens,
went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch on ball four to Elisha Settoon.

Slidell answered in the last of the second with three runs.  Nelson reached on a fielder’s choice before Randall Meyer walked and Forbis delivered a run-scoring single, which also scored Meyer when the ball was booted in the outfield. Forbis later scored on a single by Shad de St. Germaine to make the score 3-1.

The Green Wave cut the lead to 3-2 when Torin Lucas was hit by a pitch and pinch-runner Matt Stock scored on a two-out double by Seth Bratton.

The Tigers went up 5-2 in the fourth on a walk to Meyer and Forbis’s two-run blast to right field.

But Ponchatoula rallied for three runs in the top of the fifth to tie the score at 5-5.  Jacob Griffin and Tyler Nelson walked before Laramie Pittman moved the
runners up on a sacrifice fly.  Derrick Gaudin and Lucas then rapped back-to-back singles to cut the lead to 5-4 before Gaudin scored on a wild pitch
to tie the game.

With runners on second and third, the Greenies failed to produce against reliever Nelson, and Slidell regained the lead in the last of the fifth when Riedie reached second on an infield error and later scored on Meyer’s RBI single.

The Tigers went up 7-5 in the sixth on a pair of walks, a sacrifice fly, a wild pitch and a balk.

The Greenies left men stranded on first and third in the sixth, and they left the bases loaded in the seventh in going down to defeat.

Gaudin had a pair of hits to lead Ponchy at the plate.  Nelson, Bratton and Lucas had one hit apiece.

Stephens, who started on the mound for Ponchy, went five innings, allowing four earned runs on only five hits while fanning five, walking three and hitting two batters.  Reliever Rudy Townsend threw one inning, allowing one run on no hits while walking two and striking out one.

Ponchatoula, which is now in a do-or-die situation in the 7-5A playoff hunt, goes on the road Thursday to play St. Paul at 6:30 pm. in Covington.

Tuesday, April 15
GREEN WAVE JV SPLITS IN HAMMOND TOURNEY

The Ponchatoula junior varsity ripped Salmen, 12-2, and lost to Hammond, 4-1, in a junior varsity tournament held at Hammond Saturday.

In the first game, the Wave used two-hit pitching from Jake Ruiz to roll over Salmen by the ten-run rule.  Ruiz threw five innings and struck out four batters.

Salmen scored two runs in the first inning, but the Wave answered with one in the first, three in the second and eight in the fifth.

Cody Gueldner led Ponchy with three hits in three times to the plate, including two doubles and three RBI’s.  Dylan Posey had a single and two RBI’s while Ruiz and Darren Bach both had run-scoring singles.  Ryan Daniels had a single for the Greenies.

In the second game, Ponchy scored its only run in the second inning while Hammond answered with four runs on one hit and three walks in their half to put the game away.

The Wave scored its lone run when Joey Lamarca singled, moved to second on Reeve Kirkland’s infield single and scored on an RBI single by Kaleb Kraft.

Posey started on the mound for Ponchy and gave way to Kirkland, who threw five innings of relief, allowing no runs and only two hits with five strikeouts.

Kirkland also had two hits to lead Wave batters.  Kraft, Posey, Lamarca, Justin Crowell and Hayden Hutches also had hits.

Thursday, April 17
GREEN WAVE ROUTS ST. PAUL’S, 11-2

Laramie Pittman blasted four hits, including a two-run double that keyed a seven-run, fifth-inning rally, and Torin Lucas shut down St. Paul’s on three hits as the Green Wave routed the Wolves, 11-2, in a big district 7-5A matchup in Covington Thursday.

Lucas also added a two-run homer in the fifth-inning explosion as Ponchatoula (16-11 overall) hammered out 12 hits to boost its district record to 6-6 overall, good enough for a third place tie with Mandeville and Covington.  Northshore leads the district with a 10-2 mark while Slidell stands second at 9-3.

The Wolves broke the ice in the last of the first when Nick Bowers singled, Craig Gautreaux was hit by a pitch, and both runners scored when Patrick Huval’s ground ball was thrown wildly to first, scoring both runners for a 2-0 lead.

The Green Wave, which had lost four straight league games by two runs or less, chipped away at the lead in fourth with a single run that made the score 2-1.  Tyler Nelson walked, went to second on a single by Pittman and moved to third on a walk to Lucas.  Dylan Hills then followed with a run-scoring single to make the score 2-1.

With Lucas holding St. Paul’s scoreless after the first inning, Ponchatoula’s bats blew the game open in the top of the fifth.  Jacob Griffin walked, and Nelson was hit by a pitch before Pittman’s two-run double off of the left centerield field wall scored both Nelson and pinch-runner Randall Meyers to put Ponchy on top for the first time in the game, 3-2.

Pinch-hitter B.J. Welch then dropped an RBI-single to right field, scoring Pittman and setting the stage for Lucas, who clouted a two-run shot over the left centerfield wall.  Hills then singled, stole second base and scored on Seth Bratton’s RBI double.  Griffin, batting for the second time in the inning, then singled Bratton home for a commanding 8-2 lead.

Ponchatoula added three more runs in the seventh.  Regis Stephens was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Elisha Settoon.  Stephens took third on a wild pitch and scored on Griffin’s sacrifice fly to center field.  With two out, Nelson singled and scored on a double by Pittman.  Welch’s single then drove home Pittman to round out the scoring.

Pittman led Ponchatoula’s 12-hit attack with four hits while Hills and Welch had two hits each.  Nelson, Lucas, Bratton and Griffin had one hit each.

Lucas, now 9-0 on the mound this year, allowed no earned runs and only three hits, striking out five and hitting one batter.  After the first inning, the big righty allowed only two baserunners the rest of the way.

Ponchatoula now returns home for a big 7-5A showdown with Fontainebleau at 1:30 pm. Saturday at Athletic Park.  The Bulldogs bested the Wave, 3-2, earlier this season.

Friday, April 18
PONCHY FROSH/SOPHS HANDLE LORANGER

The Ponchatoula Green Wave freshman-sophomore team collected 13 hits and used the pitching of Darrin Bach to whip Loranger, 12-6 Wednesday at Loranger.

Randall Meyers, Kaleb Kraft and Ryan Daniels led the hit parade with two each while Justin Crowell, Mark Traylor, Jeremy Trouillet, Jake Ruiz, Brett Vampran, Hayden Hutches and Bach all had one hit apiece.

Crowell, Daniels and Kraft all had 2 RBI’s while Vampran and Hutches both had one RBI.

Bach pitched five innings, allow