Crusader Baseball - 4

1931 State Rally Participants
Coach Kip Kessler's 1931 St. Aloysius baseball team played in the "state rally" at LSU April 24-25.
  • The term "state rally" today means academic competition across all subjects of the curriculum. But as late as the 1950s, it also meant the ultimate LHSAA compe­tition in a sport. During the same weekend, the LHSAA boys and girls tennis "rally" was held along with the track and field finals on the LSU campus.
  • Three of the eight teams in the baseball rally came from New Orleans, with War­ren Easton and Commercial High (S. J. Peters) joining the Panthers. These three clubs topped the standings of the New Orleans "A League" at that point. (However, the Crescent City prep schedule hadn't been completed yet. So, from today's perspective, the state championship was determined before the city championship.)
  • With Alex Box Stadium still seven years in the future, the baseball games were held at both the LSU varsity diamond and the freshmen field on the parade grounds.
  • Prep games followed the major league rules of the time - nine inning games with no designated hitters.
The Panthers' bats bludgeoned their first two opponents.
  • In the first round on Friday, Aloysius pounded Monroe 17-1. Ace righthander Frank Thriffiley started but was pulled early when the Panthers jumped to a big lead.
  • The Saints faced Ouachita at 8:30 Saturday morning in the semifinals. The Pan­thers again feasted on opposition pitching, 13-7.

The victory propelled SA into the finals against Warren Easton, the undefeated leader of the New Orleans league who had already beaten the Panthers 4-3 April 7.

  • With Thriffiley back on the hill, the Saints jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings. But the Eagles roared back with three in the fourth, one in the fifth, and one in the seventh to tie.
  • But Aloysius responded with three in the top of the eighth. But Easton responded with one in the eighth and two in the ninth to send the contest into extra innings.
  • After a scoreless tenth, the Eagles pushed a run across in the bottom of the ele­venth to take the state crown, 9-8.

Aloysius had four players with two or more hits.

  • Junior 1B Karl Martina 2-5
  • Junior 3B John Clesi 3-5
  • Junior RF Steven Franz 2-5
  • Freshman 2B Druilhet Vitter 3-5
1931 St. Aloysius Varsity Baseball Team
1931 St. Aloysius Baseball Team
When the New Orleans Prep league resumed play, the Saints dropped three of their last four games.
  • Easton beat the Panthers 9-6 three days after the rally final at Holy Cross Park, which Aloysius used for its "home" games.
  • After clobbering Fortier 14-2 at Illinois Central Park, the Saints lost a double­header to Commy 5-0 and 4-0 to finish tied for third with Jesuits (as the papers referred to the Banks Street school).
  • Easton finished undefeated, no mean feat in baseball.
60 Years Ago - Johnstown Champs
Eight Aloysians participated in the 1953 Amateur Baseball Associa­tion's ninth annual championship in Johnstown PA.
  • They were members of the La Rocca team made up of high school and college players who had played in the New Or­leans All-American league during that summer.
  • The Aloysius players on the 19-man squad were:
    • Tony Chimento ('52), C
    • Emile "Chubby" Marks ('54), P
    • John "Boogie" Murret ('53), CF
    • Carlos Piper ('53), P
    • Robert Skrokov ('54), OF
    • Robert Stechmann ('54), SS
    • Don Summerhalter ('53), RF
    • Paul Zinser ('53), 3B
  • Chimento and Zinser were elected co-captains of the team upon their arrival at the 16-team tournament.
  • Rags Scheuermann coached the Crescent City all-star team.

The La Roccas pounded out 20 hits for 13 runs and won their open­er - just barely.

  • Springfield MA talled 12 runs themselves on only 11 hits. The La Roccas nearly blew the 10-1 lead they enjoyed entering the bottom of the fourth. Two innings later, they enjoyed a 12-2 advantage.
  • 15,000 fans, enticed by the fact that admission to all tourna­ment games was free until the finals, witnessed the thriller, which was the second game of the evening doubleheader.
  • Stechmann had one hit, Murret, Zinser, and Chimento two each, and Summerhalter, three. Tony smacked a homer while "Boogie" doubled, and Paul tripled. Batting leadoff, Murret scored three runs.
  • At the 25th reunion of the team, Rags recalled how he took advantage of the early nine run lead to rest for the 1 pm game the next afternoon.

    I remember keeping (pitcher) Van Hoffman on the bench and sending all the other subs back to the hotel after we led Springfield, 10-1. It was 12:30 a.m. and we were only in the third inning [actually the fourth].

Springfield had the winning run on in the ninth when we got the third out. The game ended at 2:30 in the morning. Incidentally, we lost the next day to Pittsburgh.

  • Hoffmann (Warren Easton) saved the game with 2 2/3 innings of relief.

After losing to the Steel City team 5-4, the New Orleanians had to stave off elimination later that day against Allentown PA.

  • Summerhalter got one of NO's five hits against Pittsburgh.
  • Prospects looked bleak when La Rocca fell behind 4-0 and then 7-2 in the second game. The seven runs came off Marks and Piper before Hoffman shut the door the last five innings.
  • The key hit in the comeback was another triple by Zinser, driving in the two go-ahead runs in the eighth. Stechmann whacked a double while Chimento contributed two singles to the 9-7 triumph.

New Orleans had to go an extra frame to win their next game.

  • Zinser and Chimento hit doubles in the eighth to drive in a run each for a 3-1 lead. After South River (NJ) rallied to send the game into extra innings, La Rocca won it in the tenth.
  • Summerhalter scored the first run after reaching on an error. Stechmann had one of the seven hits.

The following day, La Rocca romped 13-2 over Maryland State to reach the semifinals.

  • Summerhalter, Skrokov, and Zinser had one hit each. Chi­mento, the team's hottest hitter, had three, including a HR. Stechmann added two more.
  • La Rocca scored in every inning except the seventh, with a 6-spot in the second providing the most impetus.

Next up was the undefeated Washington (D.C.) Boys Club aggre­gation.

  • William "Brother" Burke, a lefty who did his hurling for Holy Name of Mary in Algiers, twirled a masterful one-hit shutout.
  • Zinser and Murret paced the La Rocca 4-run attack with two hits each, and Stechmann belted a homer.

The La Roccas now sat back and awaited the winner of the Buffalo- Washington elimination game.

  • That team turned out to be the New Yorkers before a record 10,000 paying customers the following night.
  • Marks started and gave up six hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings, leaving with a 5-3 lead. A three-run sixth extended the margin on the way to a 9-3 victory to claim New Orleans' first championship since Johnny Altobello's team won the tournament in 1948.
  • Summerhalter rapped a single, double, and triple to drive in two runs and score three.
  • Stechmann made several fine plays at SS in the last two innings.
  • Chimento carried off the outstanding player trophy. In addi­tion to his hitting .523, the future Jefferson Parish superintendent of schools threw out eight of nine runners attempting to steal.

The victory set off a celebration never before seen in Johnstown.

  • Since the Johnstownians had adopted the New Orleanians after their own team was eliminated, the jubilant Southerners tossed their caps to the fans and gave their bats away. Some even parted with their gloves and spikes.
  • Dr. Henry LaRocca, the team sponsor, joined them, standing on top of the dugout and throwing even the catcher's equip­ment to the fans. He promised to buy all his guys new gloves.
  • The good doctor treated the team to a victory dinner at a local restaurant.

Just as was done for the '48 champions, the Crescent City planned a grand welcome for its heroes.

  • A police escort met the team bus at the Gentilly Highway In­dustrial Canal bridge and escorted them to Canal Street, where they joined a motorcade parade through the central business district. A drum and bugle corps of the Veterans of Foreign Wars led the procession.
  • Mayor deLesseps S. Morrison greeted the conquerers at City Hall, where an official citation and key to the city was presen­tation to Dr. La Rocca and the team members.
  • Isidore Newman III, president of Maison Blanche Company, hosted the team at a banquet.
Thanks to David Glaviano ('73) for the article about the 25th anniversary of the La Rocca champs.

C Tony Chimento
Tony Chimento
P Emile "Chubby" Marks
Chubby Marks
John "Boogie" Murret
Boogie Murret
P Carlos Piper
Carlos Piper
Bobby Skrokov
Bob Skrokov
SS Bobby Stechmann
Bobby Stechmann
Don Summerhalter
Don Summerhalter
Paul Zinser
Paul Zinser

"Never Say Die" Spirit

Bobby Folse, Butler Powell, and Coach Carl Lavie
L-R: Bobby Folse, Butler Powell,
Coach Carl Lavie

Roy Picou
Roy Picou

P Donald Watts
Don Watts

OF Tyrone Clark
Tyrone Clark

Andy Bourgeois
Andy Bourgeois

In his "Prep Parade" column in the Times-Picayune of August 2, 1955, N. Charles Wicker wrote this about the St. Aloysius-based American Legion baseball team.

New Orleans has had many fine Legion teams, and many have shown great "never say die" spirit, but we doubt if ever a local team came so close to losing a South Louisiana playoff championship and then won as did this year's Coca-Cola team.
Lousteau Motors of Norco was within one out of breaking the city's record of never having lost a South Louisiana championship and ap­pearance in the state championship finals in the history of American Legion baseball in the city.
The Kids should truly be called the "hard way" kids. They came from behind ... and successfully defended honors they won last year. ...
Two words, "true champions," is the best way we can explain the kids. It takes a stout hearted team to come from behind to win. This the kids from St. Aloysius did.

After winning the New Orleans league with a 16-0 record, the Cokes beat Morgan City twice - the second game a 23-0 rout - to move to the South Louisiana final against Lousteau Ford of Norco (14-2).

The best-of-three series started badly as Lousteau won the opener at home 9-4.

  • Coke ace Bobby Folse ('55) allowed only five hits and fanned 13. But six walks and six errors contributed to the defeat.
  • The winning pitcher was Norco ace Lou "Frog" St. Amant, the nephew of coach Eldon St. Amant.

Game 2 was played three nights later at Pelican Stadium in New Orleans after a one-day delay due to rain.

  • Coach Carl Lavie ('46) handed the ball to another righty, Don Watts ('55) as a crowd estimated at 4,000 turned out on "free night."
  • Matters looked bleak when Norco plated four in the top of the 5th to break the scoring ice.
  • But the home team took advantage of Larry Richard's wildness to get back all but one of those runs in the bottom of the inning.
  • After coming in to get the last out in the 5th, Frog proceeded to set down the Cokes through the 8th while his mates added an insurance run in the 7th.
  • St. Amant set down the first two batters. One out away from elimina­tion, CF Roy Picou ('56) doubled off the CF fence. Frog then walked the next two batters to load the bases.
  • Lavie first called for a pinch-hitter for Watts but changed his mind. Don rewarded his coach's confidence by knotting the count with a two-run single.
  • After Don set down the visitors in the top of the 10th, 2B Baptiste Souquet ('56) opened with a single, stole second, and continued to third when the throw went into CF. 3B Tyrone Clark ('56) drove home the winning run.

The teams returned to Norco for the deciding game the next night.

  • Facing St. Amant again, Coke jumped in front with three in the top of the third. But in the bottom of the inning with Folse facing runners at the corners and none out, the rains came and terminated the contest.
  • More showers the next night caused the game to be postponed again to Sunday night at 8 o'clock.
  • The respite allowed both aces to take the hill again.

The final didn't have near the drama as Game 2.

  • The Cokes gigged Frog for four in the first and three more in the next two innings.
  • Meanwhile, Folse pitched scoreless ball for five frames before allowing two in the sixth.
  • Souquet, C Butler Powell ('56), and RF Andy Bourgeois ('56) each collected two hits in the 9-2 rout.

Coca-Cola dispatched Bastrop for the Louisiana championship to earn a berth in the Regional Tournament in Pontchatula.

  • The Crusaders reached the best-of-three finals against Salisbury NC.
  • Despite being outhit 11-5, the Cokes took the opener 6-5, overcoming a 5-2 deficit.
  • But an incredible 13 errors in Game 2 helped Salisbury pound out a 15-4 victory.
  • Folse tried to come back for Game 3 on one day's rest but didn't have it as the Tar Heel staters romped 18-2 to earn a spot in the Legion World Series.
First Baseball District Title

Coach Tom Schwaner
Coach Tom Schwaner

Brian De Jean
Brian DeJean on the mound

Tom Schwaner (SA '57) began his second season at the helm of Brother Martin baseball in 1975. With the assistance of Dan Conlin, Tom won the first baseball district championship for the six-year-old school on Elysian Fields.

  • The Crusaders won the first round with a 5-2 record.
  • Senior ace Barry Smith went the distance in the 4-2 win over defending district and state champion Rummel in the last contest of the first half of District 11-AAAA play.
  • The second round started poorly with losses to Jesuit (for the second time) 7-6 and De La Salle 9-7. Smith was out with an illness and the defense was shoddy.
  • The Raiders captured the second round title as the Saders slumped to 3-4.

Brother Martin and Rummel met in a one-game playoff for the district championship.

  • Schwaner went with senior righty Brian DeJean who had recorded all BM's second round victories.
  • Brian responded with a 1-0 shutout as the teams garnered only seven hits between them. Senior Larry LeBourgeois's triple plated the run.

The Crusaders marched through the state playoffs all the way to the finals.

  • Three runs in the seventh knocked off Bonnabel 4-1.
  • DeJean won another 1-0 white knuckler, this one over Baker which had won 22 in a row. Jay Blass's late inning single scored fellow senior Lucian Giordano.
  • Morgan City fell 4-2 in the semifinals as Smith returned to pitch in relief.
  • In the finals that night, New Iberia ended the Sader dream 9-1.

As usually happens after a successful season, many Crusaders garnered recognition.

  • The Times Picayune named Schwaner Coach of the Year.
  • De Jean and senior Chris Davezac earned spots on the All-City team.
  • Blass was chosen city MVP by the States-Item (the afternoon sister publication of the TP)
1975 Crusader Baseball Team
1975 Brother Martin Baseball Team
Kneeling: Roger McConnell, Daniel Sabrio, Keith O'Cain, Lucian Giordano, Kerry Marks
Center: Hector Maldonado, Denny McDowell, Jimmy Ruffin, Dennis Gares, Mike Toups, Larry LeBourgeois, David Voiron
Standing: Coach Tom Schwaner, Michael Rowe, Joe Morse, Brian DeJean, Barry Smith, Chris Davezac, Jay Blass, Manager Keith Schwaner
What a Contrast

In sports like baseball and basketball that play two rounds, the two games district foes play sometimes produce sharply different results. That was certainly the case in the 1952 baseball campaign as regards St. Aloysius and Nicholls.

The Crusaders and Rebels met on April 8 at Perry Roehm Park near the newly-constructed Elysian Fields overpass.

  • Nicholls coach George Manteris unveiled "a new pitching star" (to quote TP Prep writer N. Charles Wicker) in the form of A. J. Alessi. He opposed "the lefthanded sensation of the Crusaders cochampionship aggregation of last season," senior Doug Regan.
  • Regan pitched well, holding the Rebels to four hits and walking only one while fanning seven. The Rebs pushed across their only run in the bottom of the fourth when C Pete Vogt doubled, then advanced to third of a single with one out. CF Gene Schwankhardt grounded to junior 2B Paul Zinser whose threw wild to the plate.
  • That lone run proved to be enough because Alessi pitched a one-hitter, a single by Regan. The righty walked eight but struck out nine to strand nine Crusaders, including three in the second inning.

The teams clashed again on May 5 at Roehm.

  • Regan and Alessi again faced off on the hill but with markedly different outcomes.
  • After three innings, the Crimson led 6-4. Doug settled down and shut out the Rebels until he surrendered a meaningless run in the ninth. By that point, the Crusader bats had plastered Alessi and two relievers for 15 hits to go with 12 walks to finish with 20 runs.
  • Regan himself led the onslaight with three hits and three RBI while junior 3B Don Summerhalter, senior CF Donald Trosclair, senior SS Ed Lauricella, and senior C Tony Chimento had two each.
  • The victory moved the 5-2 Crusaders into first place, one game ahead of Nicholls and Warren Easton.
  • Earlier that day at Roehm, the Eagles also plated 20 in plastering Redemptorist 20-9.

Johnny Altobello's last Crusader team won the state championship a few weeks later.

Tony Chimento, Don Trosclair, and Doug Regan
L-R: Tony Chimento, Donald Trosclair, and Doug Regan
Baseball Rebounds
Coach Dan Conlin
Coach Dan Conlin

P Dudley Thiel
Dudley Thiel

After several losing seasons, the Brother Martin diamondmen compiled a 10-6 record in 1979 in Dan Conlin's second season at the helm.

  • Six returning starters formed the nucleus of the team, which captured the Chalmette Tournament in the preseason.
  • The Saders compiled a 4-3 record in round one of district play, including a 5-4 victory over Jesuit, the eventual district champs.
  • Round two included another triumph over the Blue Jays, 3-2, as Reggie Gaines beat them again, this time in nine innings.
  • BM finished in a three-way tie for second in the round. They eliminated Shaw 8-4 behind the effective relief pitching of Dudley Thiel before losing to Chalmette 5-4 as a late comeback fell short.

Conlin was pleased with the season.

We improved a whole lot as the season progressed, and we were playing our best ball at the season's end.

  • Senior co-captains Brian Barkemeyer, Warren Dufauchard, and John Wisniewski led the team.
  • In addition to contributing on the mound with a 3-1 record, Gaines led the hitters at .391.
  • Barkemeyer turned in a fine performance behind the plate, allowing only three SB.
  • Bruce Daigle topped the hurlers in ERA at 1.44 while Thiel compiled a 1.93 mark and a 4-2 record.
C Brian Barkemeyer
Brian Barkemeyer

Co-captain John Wisniewski
John Wisniewski

Early Baseball
Times Picayune April 4, 1919
Baseball 04/09/19
"Manual" in the standings was Isidore Newman Manual Training School. Verrina High School was founded on Napoleon Avenue by the Brothers of the Society of Mary (Marianists). Rugby Academy was a private school on St. Charles Avenue. It is interesting that "Boys High School" (Warren Easton) did not compete in baseball.

"Best High School Baseball Game Ever" - I

P Craig Sturiale
Craig Sturiale

Blair Barbier
Blair Barbier

P Tyler Watson
Tyler Watson

The situation certainly looked bleak for the Crusaders in the bottom of the tenth of the scoreless 1996 5A state championship game against West Monroe.
  • The Rebels had the bases loaded with no one out.
  • Further, junior Craig Sturiale, who had relieved senior David Miller earlier in the inning, faced a 3-0 count on the batter.

Let's keep you in suspense and flashback several weeks to trace how Martin reached this point.

The Saders beat Rummel 5-3 April 25 in a playoff for second place in District 10-5A.

  • SS Blair Barbier got the ball rolling with a two-run HR over the LF fence at Kirsch-Rooney Park.
  • However, the Raiders took a 3-2 lead in the fourth before Sturiale, on in relief, shut them out the rest of the way.
  • A bases-loaded bunt single by junior Tyler Watson tied the game in the fifth.
  • Then Jeremy Luth's double plated the go-ahead runs in the sixth.

The victory sent BM into the playoffs against Grace King.

  • Ace Miller was unavailable after receiving a cut on his pitching hand from a line drive in the Rummel game.
  • No problem as Coach Barry Hebert called on Watson to take the mound for the first time in three weeks. Tyler responded with a one-hitter, and Barbier clouted a grand slam for a 10-0 win.
  • David DiSalvo led the onslaught with four hits.

Next up was West Jefferson in the regionals.

  • Even with five stitches still in place between his pinky and ring fingers, Miller twirled a three-hitter to run his record to 10-1 and send the Crusaders to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1985.

I threw at practice Wednesday, and it felt good. I just tried to hit the spots with curveballs and fastballs. I felt a little pain every now and then.

  • Watson's single drove home two runs in the opening frame to start the 7-1 victory.
  • Seniors Joe Schick and Danny Lutterman smacked a run-scoring double and a run-scoring single, respectively, in later innings.

The Crusaders now traveled to Denham Springs to play Slidell in the Final Eight.

Continued below ...

P David Miller
David Miller

 

Joe Schick Class of 1996
Joe Schick

Danny Lutterman Class 1996
Danny Lutterman

"Best High School Baseball Game Ever" - II

David Miller, First Baseman
David Miller played 1B when not pitching

Barbier Scores against St. Amant

Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers
Ben Sheets

The 1996 Crusaders met Slidell in the quarterfinals of the state playoffs in Denham Springs.
  • The starting pitchers dominated - David Miller for BM and Jim Plaisance.
  • Only three Tigers got as far as 2B in the first six innings. SS Blair Barbier, with two singles, was the only Crusader to reach base.
  • Slidell came close to scoring in the third. After retiring the first eight batters, Miller walked Plaisance. SS Dwaine Henderson followed with a single. 1B Damien Powell singled, but CF Joe Schick threw out the courtesy runner, who missed the plate avoiding C Tommy Donelon's tag.

Finally, in the top of the seventh, Martin took advantage of a scoring opportunity with aggressive base running.

  • Barbier led off with another single, then stole second as Tyler Watson struck out.
  • After Miller was hit by a pitch, Donelon bounced a grounder to Henderson. Courtesy runner Royce Girouard was out at second, but the 2B's throw to first was late.
  • Barbier barrelled around third and beat Powell's throw to the plate.
  • Coach Barry Hebert said afterwards:

I was sending him all the way. I was going to take a chance. You could tell from the start that nobody was going to score much. I had to try to get a run there.

  • Miller set down the Tigers in the bottom of the inning to send the Saders to the semifinals. David had allowed only one run in his two playoff starts.

Martin now had to beat St. Amant, winners of the last three 5A crowns.

  • The Crimson and Gold jumped to a quick lead the next day and coasted, 12-6.
  • The Crusaders built an 8-0 advantage after 3 1/2 innings against Ben Sheets.
  • Schick drove home the first two runs with a two-out triple in the second.
  • Barbier started the third with a double, then Watson reached on a throwing error by Sheets. Miller drove in Barbier with a single, and Donelon's ground out scored another.
  • Another error by Sheets and one by the 2B set up the four-run fourth inning. Chris Kane and Donelon had run-producing singles in the inning.
  • Hebert:

This was not the type of game we had been used to playing. Today, we came out swinging the bats, and it got contagious. We wanted to be aggressive on the bases and keep St. Amant off-balance.

Ben Sheets was taken in the first round of the 1999 major league draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, for whom he won 86 games.

Brother Martin faced West Monroe that night in what would be a Game for the Ages.

To be continued ...
"Best High School Baseball Game Ever" - III
Just hours after dispatching St. Amant in the semifinals of the 1996 baseball playoffs, Brother Martin faced West Monroe for the 5A championship.
  • David Miller returned to the hill approximately 27 hours after hurling the 1-0 victory over Slidell in the quarterfinals.
  • Once again, David and his opposing moundsman, Jason Roberson, were on their games, putting up goose egg after goose egg on the scoreboard.

Both teams squandered scoring opportunities in the early going.

  • The Rebels had a man on second when CF Joe Schick misplayed a line drive in the first, but Miller got the next batter to fly out to end the threat.
  • In the second, a one out single and a wild pitch moved a man into scoring position, but Miller recorded back-to-back whiffs, two of his finals record 17 strikeouts in 9+ innings.
  • West Monroe had a runner on third with two outs in the fourth, but Miller went to the K ball to preserve the shutout.

In the meantime, Robertson wiggled out of trouble almost every inning.

  • The Crusaders moved a man to second in the first two innings to no avail.
  • In the third, Coach Barry Hebert called for the "force balk" with runners on first and third, but David DiSalvo was thrown out at the plate by the 2B.
  • A hit-batter and walk to start the fourth created an excellent chance, especially after Donelon bunted the runners over. But Danny Lutterman struck out, and Royce Girouard grounded out.
  • An inning later, the bases were loaded with one out, but Watson and Miller popped out.

After that, base runners became scarce, and the game drifted into extra innings.

  • In the bottom of the tenth, the Rebs seemed assured of victory.
  • 3B Jeff Schmidtke's throwing error put the leadoff man on first. After Miller walked the next batter, Hebert brought in Craig Sturiale. David exited to a rousing ovation after giving up just one run in 23 innings of playoff pitching.
  • The next batter bunted and reached safely when C Tommy Donelon threw low to first.
  • Sturiale now faced the toughest situation in baseball: sacks full and no one out with the championship run on third. To make matters worse, he went to 3-0 on the batter.
  • He then threw the "automatic" strike. The next pitch came in high, a sure walk to force in the run, but the batter swung and popped it straight up to Donelon.
  • The next hitter swung and bounced the ball off the plate. Donelon caught it before it landed, stepped on the plate, and threw to first to complete the inning-ending double play.

Finally, the Crusaders broke the deadlock in the top of the twelfth.

  • As he had done to start the winning rally against Slidell, Barbier led off with a hit, a double this time.
  • Watson's bunt single moved Blair to third. Then came a controversial play.
  • Plate umpire Pat Patterson called a balk on reliever Clay Locklear. But 3B ump Jerry Duplechain ruled that Hebert, coaching third, had caused the balk and nullified the call.
  • Locklear then struck out Sturiale. Still, go-ahead run at third with only one out.
  • But an attempted squeeze play didn't work as Barbier was tagged out at the plate.
  • After first and third and no outs, the Saders now stared at first and second and two outs. But then they got a break.
  • PH Jeremy Luth hit a grounder to the 3B, who threw into the dirt at first, allowing Watson to score from second.
  • Sturiale retired the side with the tying run on second to end the tournament-record 4 hour, 20 minute marathon that LHSAA Commissioner Tommy Henry called "the best high school baseball game ever."
  • It was the Crusaders' eighth victory of the season in their last at-bat.
1996 State Championship Celebration
Celebration!
Post-game comments:
  • Hebert: It was just a great game with a great effort by both teams. We have a bunch of close-knit guys, who came through for us.
  • Donelon: All year long, we've been winning the one-run games. We have shown the ability to come from behind since our first game.
  • Losing pitcher Locklear on David Miller: That pitcher's got heart. I've never seen a pitcher do that. He deserves everything he got.
Miller, Barbier, and Schick earned spots on the All-Tournament Team with David the undisputed MVP.
Lunch with the Governor

P Craig Sturiale
Craig Sturiale

Donelon Catches Popup in 10th

 

 

 

 

 

Wisniewski One-Hits St. Aug.


Coach Elmore Steinert
Coach Elmore Steinert

1980 wasn't the greatest of seasons for the Crusader dia­mondmen, who finished with a 10-10 record. JV coach Elmore Steinert took over for the second semester when Dan Conlin resigned to take a job in business.

The highlight of the season was a one-hitter by junior Mark Wisniewski.

  • Mark twirled his gem against St. Augustine on March 22.
  • He struck out eight and walked nary a batter.
  • The final score was 5-0.
  • Mark's twin brother Mike drove in two of the five runs.

Here's the Brother Martin box score.

Player Pos. AB R H RBI
Mike Calogero LF 3  0   1  1
Bruce Daigle DH 4 0 1 0
Juan McWilliams 2B 4 1 2 0
Reggie Gaines SS 3 1 1 0
Greg Lewis C 2 0 0 0
David Abadie 3B 2 1 0 0
Kevin Schultz RF 1 1 0 0
Mike Wisniewski 1B 1 0 0 2
Vincent Parenti CF 1 1 0 0
Billy Moore CF 2 0 0 0
Jason Sorapuru CF 1 0 0 0
Barry Lemoine 1B 1 0 0 0
Totals   25 5 5 3


Mark Wisniewski
Mark Wisniewski