Jays Begin District Competition Tuesday Against Patriots

Posted March 22, 2016 / Last updated March 22, 2016

Jesuit Brings a 12-4 Record to Miley Playground for John Curtis Game

Brandon Briuglio tosses to Nick Ray at second base for the forced out, and the Jays make a double play out of it against Central Lafourche on Sunday, March 20.

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The Blue Jays put their 2015 District 9-5A championship on defense when they compete against the John Curtis Patriots tonight (Tuesday, March 22) at Mike Miley Playground. First pitch is 7 p.m.

The game opens the district season for both teams. Jesuit brings a 12-4 record to Miley (out-of state wins and losses are not counted).

The Jays are coming off a rough week of baseball, but finished 2-2 in the annual Gerard Oubre Memorial Tournament. In that rain-extended event, the Jays dropped two consecutive games at John Ryan Stadium, first against Byrd (3-0), then Zachary (6-3). But the Jays bounced back against West Ouachita, 6-1, at the Ryan, then on Sunday, traveled to Hahnville to beat Central Lafourche, 7-2. Jesuit’s pitchers in the two winning games went the distance — Brandon Briuglio tossed a two-hitter against the Chiefs and Hayden Fuentes struck out seven Trojans while allowing five hits.

“Hayden did a really, really good job,” said Coach Joey Latino. “Needless to say, we’re at the end of a very long week where the pitching’s been thin the last few games. We needed great pitching out of Brandon and Hayden and we got both.”

Against Central Lafourche, the Jays spotted the Trojans one run in the top of the third, but tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Lafourche came right back in the top of the fifth to take a 2-1 lead. What Jesuit needed was a big inning, which the team staked in the bottom of five as a quintet of Jays crossed the plate.

“That’s the kind of team we are,” said Coach Latino. “When we’re at our best, we can put up big innings. Once we generated some opportunities for ourselves, we came through.”

The Jays had nine hits against the Trojans, including two singles from Austin North that scored three runs. Fuentes helped his cause on the mound by hitting a double. Alex Watermeier had his first hit as a Blue Jay, a double that scored Connor Maginnis, who had reached first on a single. Nick Ray, Jake Licciardi, Stephen Sepcich, and Briuglio each hit singles.

“We’ve done everything we could to prepare for what’s going to be a very tough district,” said Coach Latino.