Robertson propels Flashes, 5-4

Published 12:00 am Monday, March 22, 2004

St. Aloysius’ Jordan Muirhead, right, slides safely into third as West Lincoln’s Shane Lynch reaches to catch an errant throw in the first inning of the Flashes’ 5-4 win. Muirhead did not advance on the error. (Melanie Duncan ThortisThe Vicksburg Post)

[3/20/04]The St. Aloysius Flashes found a surefire cure for their recent bout with the blues a hard-fought, come-from-behind win.

Curtis Robertson went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs, and Andy Wiles scored the go-ahead run on a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning as St. Al beat West Lincoln, 5-4 Friday at Bazinsky Field.

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The Flashes came from behind twice, including a three-run rally in the sixth that gave them the win, to snap a three-game losing streak.

“This gets a weight off our shoulders. We found a way to win, even when we didn’t hit the baseball. That gives them a little confidence,” St. Al coach Joe Graves said. “Our kids have got a lot of heart … We just played fundamental baseball when we had to, and got some things done.”

Dan Lofton was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs for West Lincoln (6-3, 2-2 Division 7-1A), while Dan Allen and Robbie Dees each had two hits. Drew Mazzanti doubled and scored two runs for St. Al (3-4., 2-1).

Lofton’s three-run double gave West Lincoln a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth, but the Bears failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the sixth. St. Al came back in the bottom of the inning and made them pay.

Mazzanti led off the St. Al sixth with a double, and the Flashes loaded the bases with a walk and a single by Wiles. Robertson followed with a two-run double to right center to tie the game.

“He consistently hits the ball to the opposite field, and they had been working away from his hands and it fell in,” Graves said of Robertson’s double. “I’m happy for him. He just made a clutch hit when he had to.”

After Dustin Jones struck out, Thomas Escousse laid down a squeeze bunt. Wiles charged home from third, but Allen fielded the ball by the time he was halfway down the line. Allen considered trying to tag Wiles for a moment and hesitated before flipping the ball home.

Allen’s toss was in the dirt, though, and Wiles slid under Lofton’s glove to give the Flashes a 5-4 lead.

“I think it was just kind of a bad toss,” West Lincoln coach Andrew Redd said.

The Flashes were battered by Cathedral, 11-0, on Tuesday, and it looked as though they were in for more of the same early on against West Lincoln.

Landon Case drove the first pitch of the game over the left field fence to give the Bears a 1-0 lead, and they put runners at first and third with one out.

“I didn’t think it was going to be very good, but we came back and hung in there,” said Wiles, who struck out eight and walked only one in seven innings.

Porters Chapel 22, Amite 2

Porters Chapel Academy continued its tour of destruction by hammering Amite on Friday night.

The Eagles (10-0) scored 16 runs and hit four home runs two of them by Ryan Hoben in the top of the first. PCA has outscored its opponents 154-14 this season, and hit 11 home runs in its last two games. Eight of the runs PCA allowed came in one inning of one game.

“We’re doing it all well right now,” PCA coach Randy Wright said.

Michael Busby (4-0) picked up the win, allowing three hits and striking out eight in four innings. At the plate, Busby went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Josh Gain also homered twice and drove in three runs for PCA, Justin Boler was 3-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs, and Rob Quimby was 2-for-4 with a solo home run. Gerald Mims scored four runs, and Chip Lofton was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

PCA will play at rival Tallulah on Monday, then host Franklin on Tuesday.