Photo By Michael AlexanderAtlanta
Marist, St. Pius Reach State Baseball Quarterfinals
By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, Staff Photographer | Published May 21, 2009
Marist School and St. Pius X High School baseball teams swept their respective opponents in May 13 doubleheaders to propel the schools to the third round of the state baseball playoffs.
In game one Marist broke a tie in the fifth inning with three runs to take a 4-1 lead over Marietta’s Sprayberry High School. On offense, first baseman Mitchell Anderson went 3 for 3. An insurance run was added in the sixth when junior Patrick Sullivan doubled and then scored on shortstop Kyle Farmer’s RBI single. In the seventh and final inning, Farmer pitched in relief of winning pitcher Trent Scudder. The final score was 5-3.
Marist won game two 11-4. With a seven-run third inning that included a pair of two-run homers by first baseman Kash Manzelli and second baseman Andy Perez, Marist took an 8-2 lead. Marist added another run in the fourth. In the fifth inning, Manzelli hit his second two-run homer of the game, a towering shot over the right field scoreboard.
St. Pius High School second baseman Sloan Ruzicka slides safely into home plate after tagging up on a sacrifice fly by catcher Chris Wright in the top of the seventh inning during the second game of a May 13 doubleheader against CovingtonÕs Eastside High School. St. Pius won game two 11-4 and game one 7-5 to sweep the series. Photo By Michael Alexander
As a team, Marist has 29 home runs this season, and nine have come during four playoff games. On the season, seniors Farmer and pitcher/outfielder Eric Weikert lead the team with eight homers apiece. However, during the playoffs it has been the hot bats of Manzelli (3) and sophomore designated hitter Brandon Leibrandt (2) that have led the way. Farmer also leads the team with 39 RBIs on the season, followed by third baseman Brady Herman (32) and Weikert (31). Manzelli and Leibrandt have hit their playoff homers with players on base, so they also lead the team with six RBIs each in the playoffs.
In game one of St. Pius’ doubleheader the team held a 6-4 lead going into the sixth inning against Eastside High School of Covington. An RBI single by Eastside shortstop Travis Marks narrowed the margin to one. An RBI double by St. Pius first baseman P.G. Standard in the sixth extended the St. Pius lead back to two. St. Pius relief pitcher Adam Hall held Eastside scoreless in the seventh inning to preserve a 7-5 victory.
In game two, St. Pius defeated Eastside 15-4. A seven-run first inning gave St. Pius a nice cushion through two innings as the team held a 7-1 lead. Eastside put three runs on the board in the third inning. Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings and the score remained 7-4.
In the sixth inning, an RBI single by St. Pius catcher Chris Wright scored two more runs, which were followed by RBI doubles off the bats of outfielder George Kennedy and infielder Chad Mabini to extend St. Pius’ lead to 12-4. St. Pius added three more runs in the seventh inning, and with five scoreless innings of pitching by junior reliever Andrew Mabini the team was able to seal the win.
Other Round 2 State Playoff Games (May 13)
Blessed Trinity High School 10
Jefferson High School 8
Blessed Trinity High School 3
Jefferson High School 1