Staff Writer
Quality pitching anchored winning weekends for the Ruston and Choudrant high school baseball teams.
RUSTON BASEBALL: The Bearcats swept District 2-5A foe West Ouachita 8-2 (Friday) and 6-2 (Saturday), getting going with a complete-game, three-hit performance from J.R. Tollett and breaking it open in the fifth inning on a three-run Haydn Shoemaker home run Friday on the road.
The Bearcats (15-8, 2-2) struggled defensively with six errors, helping West Ouachita score both its runs to carry a 2-0 edge into the top of the fifth.
Ruston got on the board after singles by Jacob Martin and Issac White (on a bunt) when Martin scampered across on a double steal. After a Jack Whitaker single, Shoemaker hit a big fly to right field for a 4-2 advantage.
RHS added another four runs in the sixth, twice scoring on wild pitch and adding a third on a passed ball before an RBI single from Joshua Miller.
Tollett struck out 12 Chiefs and walked none, throwing strikes on 75 of his 94 pitches. He did not allow an extra-base hit or an earned run.
Saturday at home, Ruston was errorless as White scattered six hits over six innings, striking out four and allowing one run.
The Bearcats posted a 3-spot in the bottom of the first highlighted by an RBI triple by Cade Patterson and a sacrifice fly by Kyle Russell, with West Ouachita allowing a score on a passed ball. RHS doubled the lead in the sixth with an RBI single by pinch-hitter Reid Williams and a squeeze bunt RBI by Whitaker, along with another passed ball scoring a run.
Russell had three of Ruston’s nine stolen bases.
The Bearcats host Neville at 5 p.m.today at the Ruston Sports Complex.
CHOUDRANT BASEBALL: The Aggies stretched their win streak to 17 after a tight 4-2 win over Glenmora and a one-hitter by Landon Hennen in a 10-0 trouncing of host Maurepas in the Class B Bash Saturday.
Choudrant (20-3) posted two runs in the bottom of the sixth to overcome Glenmora, then walloped Maurepas.
Brandon Carter struck out 10 Glenmora batters over the first five innings, and Braden Jones struck out four and walked none in the final two innings to earn the win.
Choudrant broke a 2-2 tie, then Jones set down Glenmora 1-2-3 in the seventh to secure the W.
In the decisive sixth, two errors paved the way and the Aggies took advantage. Hennan, who reached on a fielder’s choice for the first out, moved to second on a single by Luke Tassin and scored on an error for a 3-2 edge. Carter delivered a sacrifice fly to double the lead.
Choudrant took command early against Maurepas, scoring twice in the top of the first, adding another in the second inning and three in the third. A four-run fifth and another goose egg hunt by Hennen ended it on the run rule.
Tassin doubled in the opening run and scored on a single from Jones in the first inning before Austin Swift smacked a solo shot in the second. Eli Watson led the winners with three hits.
The Aggies battle district rival Quitman twice this week, at 6 p.m. Tuesday at home and in Jackson Parish at 6 p.m. Thursday.