One big inning and a couple of missed opportunities put St. Aloysius behind the 8-ball in the MAIS Class AAA baseball playoffs.

Nick Weaver hit a two-run home run during a five-run third inning, and Central Private rode that to an 8-4 win over St. Al in Game 1 of their best-of-three first-round series Monday at Bazinsky Field.

St. Al (17-3) will now need to win Games 2 and 3 on the road Thursday in Baker, La., to advance. The potential doubleheader begins at 4:30 p.m.

“We gave up that big inning and got it back within two, but that five runs was a big thing. We were missing spots, and a couple of good hitters in the lineup are going to hit mistakes,” St. Al coach Sid Naron said. “I was proud of our guys for tacking on and getting back close and in the game, but that timely hit evaded us tonight. I feel really good about going down there.”

Wes Warnock had an RBI double and scored two runs for St. Al.

Jace Pendarvis went 3-for-4 with five RBIs for Central Private (18-10). He had a two-run single in the seventh inning that iced the game, and a two-run double just before Weaver’s home run.

Weaver’s homer put the Rebels ahead 6-2, but St. Al battled to get back in the game.
Ethan Parmegiani hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third, and Tyler Breithaupt hit an RBI double in the fourth to pull the Flashes within 6-4.

The Flashes missed opportunities, however, that could have completed the comeback. They left runners in scoring position in each of the last four innings, had another picked off of first base, and hit into a game-ending double play.