University High worked through a tough first inning, and used two unearned runs in the third to take a lead on Newman they would not relinquish on the way to a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of the Division III championship series on Thursday afternoon in Sulphur.
The top-seeded Cubs (30-8) trailed 2-0 after Jack Falgoust came home on a sacrifice bunt from Christian Sauska, and Thomas Smallpage (a courtesy runner for Charles Wilson) scored on a sacrifice fly from Malcolm Schairer.
However, the second-seeded Greenies (28-8) ran into trouble in the third, as Atticus LaFleur and Schairer miscommunicated on a popup from Max Mahaffey, who made to second on the bloop double. Shepherd Gammon knocked in Mahaffey on a ground-rule double, and Gammon and Trey Sotile came home on a dropped pop-up at second base that gave U High a 3-2 lead.
Grayson Rodrigue came in for the Cubs in relief of starter Grant Sunstrom in the fourth and shut the door on Newman.
He allowed just a seventh-inning single and struck out six Greenies in 3 2/3 innings to earn the victory and give the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three.
Game 2 will be played Friday morning at 11 a.m., and Newman will play as the home team.
Here are the line scores, top hitters and pitchers’ lines from the series:
GAME 1
LINESCORE
(2) Newman – 200 000 0 – 2 | 3 | 1
(1) University – 003 010 X – 4 | 6 | 0
TOP HITTERS
Newman (28-8): Jack Falgoust, 2-3, R; Atticus LaFleur, 1-2.
University (30-8): Max Mahaffey, 1-3, 2B, R; Shepherd Gammon, 2-3, 2 2B, 2R, RBI; Mackie Musgrove, 1-2.
DECIDING PITCHERS
WIN: Greyson Rodrigue (2-1), 3.2IP, 0R, 1H, 0BB, 6K.
LOSS: Jack Falgoust (5-2), 4.1IP, 4R, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 1K.