Posted on Thu, May. 08, 2008

BASEBALL: LEXINGTON CATHOLIC 3, TATES CREEK 0

Maronde brothers shut out Creekers

CATHOLIC EARNS AT LEAST TIE FOR TOP SEED

By Mike Fields

MFIELDS@HERALD-LEADER.COM

The Maronde brothers did the job on the mound, and Ken Riley delivered the big hit as Lexington Catholic beat Tates Creek 3-0 Wednesday night in a game that will help determine the seeding for the 43rd District baseball tournament.

The victory gave Lexington Catholic a 5-3 district record and at least a tie for the top spot.

Paul Dunbar also can finish 5-3 if it beats Lafayette in a game that was rained out Wednesday night and rescheduled for Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

There will be a coin flip to break any ties. Tates Creek and Lexington Christian each own 4-4 district records.

Lafayette is assured of the No. 5 seed with a 2-5 mark.

"This district has a reputation for being the toughest in the state, so it's great to pull out a win," Riley said. "And it'd be a great accomplishment to win the district."

Lexington Catholic got strong pitching from sophomore Patrick Maronde and senior Nick Maronde.

Patrick, a right-hander, gave up only three infield hits in four innings.

"Patrick's been throwing well his last three outings," Knights Coach Rodney Martin said. "He's occasionally limited by control problems, but he's started to really pitch.

"We're seeing him grow right before our eyes."

Nick, an ace lefty, pitched three innings of no-hit ball and got the win to push his career record to 33-2.

"It's a big relief to see Nick come in," Riley said. "We've got other great pitchers, but Nick is the one guy we can count on to get it done."

Riley got it done at the plate in the fifth inning against Tates Creek's Abe Mitchell.

Frank Carter led off with a single, and Michael Champa drew a one-out walk. The left-handed hitting Riley followed with a slicing line drive to left that drove in both runners.

"That was a great piece of hitting," Martin said. "It was a 2-2 count, and they'd been working him away. That's a money hit."

Lexington Catholic added a run in the sixth on pinch-hitter John Michael Cowley's single and Drew Dalton's double.

Tates Creek's best chance to score came in the third when Trevor Gott walked, went to second on a fielder's choice, and then to third on T.J. Mangione's infield hit.

With two outs, Commodores Coach Dom Fucci argued that Patrick Maronde balked, which would have forced in a run. But the umpires (Marty Feltner and David VanMeter) didn't call it.

Fucci protested and wound up getting ejected. He wasn't happy about that, and he vented his displeasure afterward.

"I'd like to see a little better officiating crew brought over here," he said. "I get bumped out of one of the biggest games in the district on a mistake by an umpire.

"He can't call a balk, but he can throw me out of the game because I go over and question his call."

The 43rd District tournament will be played at Tates Creek from May 19-22.

Tates Creek 000 000 0--0 3 0

Lexington Catholic 000 021 x--3 8 0

Abe Mitchell, Phillip Donovan (6) and Lee Kimbrell. Patrick Maronde, Nick Maronde (5) and Michael Schornick. W--Nick Maronde. L--Mitchell. 2B--Casey Messner (LC), Drew Dalton (LC).

Records--Tates Creek 17-8; Lexington Catholic 14-9