St. Aloysius swept a doubleheader to win its district championship. It’ll need to do it again to keep its state title hopes alive.

Parker Reech hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give Silliman Institute the lead, and the Wildcats added an insurance run in the sixth to beat St. Al 5-3 in Game 1 of an MAIS Class 5A baseball playoff series.

Reech’s home run was one of only three hits Silliman mustered against three St. Al pitchers. Silliman drew eight walks and three hit batters, however, and three of those 11 runners came around to score.

St. Al took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with three singles, including an infield hit by Walt Andrews that brought in Keller Bradley with the game’s first run.

The Flashes extended their lead to 3-1 in the third inning when Carson Smith legged out another infield hit and the throw to first was wild. Laken Bradley came all the way around from first base to score.

Laken Bradley finished 1-for-2 with a single, walk, and two runs scored. Keller Bradley also reached base twice and scored a run, and Andrews and Smith each had one RBI.

Silliman (17-14) got a run back in the third on a sacrifice fly by Cooper Reech, then went ahead for good in the fifth. Kevin Windham led off with a double, and Parker Reech fouled off three pitches before belting a home run over the left field fence to put the Wildcats ahead 4-3. Conner Huegler drove in another run with a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning.

St. Al (15-12) had several chances over the last three innings. A runner was thrown out stealing in the fifth inning and two were stranded in the sixth. The Flashes were then retired in order in the seventh to push them into a do-or-die situation.

Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3 of the best-of-three series will both be played Friday beginning at 5 p.m. at Bazinsky Field in Vicksburg. St. Al will need to win both to keep its season alive. It swept a doubleheader from Cathedral in a similar situation on April 11 to win the District 4-5A championship.

MAIS BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
First round
Best-of-3; x-if necessary
Class 5A
St. Aloysius vs. Silliman
April 22 – Silliman 5, St. Aloysius 3
April 25 – Silliman at St. Aloysius, 5 p.m.
x-April 25 – Silliman at St. Aloysius, 7:30 p.m.

Class 3A
Porter’s Chapel vs. Lamar Christian
April 22 – Lamar Christian 20, Porter’s Chapel 2
April 25 – Porter’s Chapel at Lamar Christian, 5 p.m.
x-April 25 – Porter’s Chapel at Lamar Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Class 2A
Tallulah Academy vs. Union Christian
April 21 – Tallulah Academy 19, Union Christian 5
April 24 – Union Christian at Tallulah Academy, 4 p.m.
x-April 24 – Union Christian at Tallulah Academy, 6:30 p.m.