Baseball playoffs: Ascension Catholic cruises past Catholic-PC 10-1 to reach Division IV semifinals – The Advocate

DONALDSONVILLE First, they rejoiced in unison with a celebratory leap in center field.

Then they joined their joyous home crowd at La La Regira Field.

After three straight state quarterfinal setbacks, No. 4 Ascension Catholic reveled in the moment following its 10-1 Division IV quarterfinal victory Tuesday over No. 5 Catholic-Pointe Coupee.

For three years in a row we were stuck in the quarterfinals, and we finally got over that hump, said Ascension Catholic shortstop Nick Bellina, who contributed a grand slam. It feels great to be where were at.

The Bulldogs (21-12) clinched a berth in the state tournament for the first time since 2009. They will meet No. 1 Central Catholic-Morgan City, a 7-1 winner over Ascension Christian, at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at McMurray Park in Sulphur.

This group of seniors have been working since our freshman year, Ascension Catholic pitcher Landon Clifton said. The last two years we lost here and it hurt. We put in the work this week and finally got through it.

Clifton (10-3) pitched into the seventh before leaving because of stiffness in his back. He yielded four hits, walked three and struck out eight in an 81-pitch outing before David Girior got the final two outs.

He threw well, Ascension Catholic coach Todd Landry said. We didnt want to risk anything in the end. There was no reason to push it with a nine-run lead.

Ascension Catholic was clinging to a 2-1 lead after Catholic-Pointe Coupee (19-13) scored its lone run in the fourth on Walker Castles RBI groundout.

The Bulldogs, who won their fifth straight game, left no doubts about their state tournament intentions by answering with six runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Catholic-PC had one of its four errors in the inning, leading to six unearned runs and nine overall.

Catholic-PC first-year coach Drew Leonard declined comment afterward.

Ascension Catholic made it 3-1 on Rodney Blanchards RBI groundout when the Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs, and Bellina, an LSU-Eunice signee, launched his fourth homer of the season on a 2-1 offering from losing pitcher Samuel Grezzafi.

Grezzafi allowed four hits and five runs (none earned), walked two and struck out one.

I was thinking he was going to throw a curveball and I sat back and hit it over the fence, Bellina said. It felt good. It felt like a relief off our shoulders.

The Bulldogs tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth on Mason Zerangues RBI double and a fielding error.

Weve been working for it since my freshman year, and we finally got through it, Clifton said. It feels great.

Follow Robin Fambrough on Twitter, @FambroughAdv

More:

Baseball playoffs: Ascension Catholic cruises past Catholic-PC 10-1 to reach Division IV semifinals - The Advocate