In 2009, St. Martin’s reached the state quarterfinals in 1A with a senior-laden team. In 2010, the Saints are a much younger, less seasoned team and the early returns have reflected this.

In 2009, St. Martin’s reached the state quarterfinals in 1A with a senior-laden team. In 2010, the Saints are a much younger, less seasoned team and the early returns have reflected this fact.

Entering their 9-1A district contest with league-leading Crescent City Tuesday afternoon as Muss Bertolino Playground in Kenner, St. Martin’s was 5-10 overall and 2-1 in league play. By the end of a long afternoon and evening, the Saints looked more like their 2009 version.

Nathan Rome belted a two-run home run, Jason Fresneda produced a base-clearing double and Evan Chacon had three doubles to lead a 14-hit attack as St. Martin’s outscored the Pioneers 18-14 in a marathon affair.

Rome pitched into the sixth inning to pick up his second win of the season against four losses. Jason Cooper took the loss in relief for Crescent City, now 13-3 and 3-1 in 9-1A. The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Pioneers.

For St. Martin’s coach Frank Cazeaux, the long day’s work was worth it. “It was worth seeing Nathan Rome work that long and hang in there. He has had some rough outings. He has not pitched in a while. If he gets on track, we will be in good shape. He has a live arm.

This was not our best performance of the season but it was our best come from behind win of the year. Today put us in great shape and put us in the thick of the district race. Our kids really battled,” said Cazeaux.

Crescent City controlled play until the fifth inning. Carrying a 6-1 lead into the top of the fifth, the Saints erupted for six runs to take the lead.

Chacon started the inning with a ringing double. With one out, Rome blasted a two-run home run to right-center field to make it 6-3. Then came a pitching meltdown for Crescent City. By the time the inning was over, St. Martin’s had drawn five walks and a hit batter, plating an additional four runs to make it 7-6 Saints.

The Pioneers tied it in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out, RBI single by Jared Vogel, his third hit, to make it 7-7. The tie was short-lived.

In the top of the sixth inning, Julian Schardt doubled to left field to start the frame. After a walk to Bailey Arnett, Stewart Campbell doubled to deep center to give the Saints an 8-7 lead, a lead they would relinquish. Doug Collins added an RBI double before Jacob Fresneda struck the big blow, belting a base-clearing double down the left-field line to make it 12-7.

The Saints went on to score six more times and needed most of them as Crescent City continued to battle. St. Martin’s scored 17 runs in the final three innings, thanks to timely hitting and the inability for the Pioneers relievers to throw strikes.

When we got to their starter (Blake Quinlivan) in the fifth inning, it was big. Once we got into their bullpen, our hitters really produced. They were patient to accept walks and came up with big hits,” said Cazeaux.

The win was especially gratifying for the Saints after a disappointing 19-12 loss to Country Day on Monday. “We kicked it around and just didn’t play well against the Cajuns. This takes the bad taste out of our mouths. We needed this,” said Cazeaux.

Both teams return to 9-1A action next Tuesday with St. Martin’s taking on South Plaquemines in a 4 p.m. tilt at Mike Miley Stadium while Crescent City battles Ridgewood next Tuesday. By then, both teams and their fatigued pitching staffs may have recovered.

In other 9-1 action, Ecole Classique downed Ridgewood 6-2 to improve to 2-2 in league play and 10-3 overall. The Eagles dropped to 7-12 overall and 1-3 in league play. South Plaquemines is 0-3 in 9-1A and faces Country Day Wednesday afternoon.

District 9-1A Standings

St. Martin’s              3-1
Crescent City            3-1
Country Day                  2-2
Ridgewood                1-3
South Plaquemines    0-3
Ecole Classique         2-2

AREA BASEBALL RESULTS FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 30

6-5A

Destrehan 13  East Ascension 3  (Destrehan 13-9, 4-0, E.A. 10-12, 0-4)

Dutchtown 12  East St. John 0  (Dutchtown 18-6, 2-2, E.S.J. 9-10, 1-3)

St. Amant 8  Hahnville 6  (S.A.14-9, 4-0, Hahnville 11-11, 1-3)

7-5A

Covington 15  Hammond 6  (Covington 13-11, 2-2, Hammond 7-14, 0-4)

Fontainebleau 1  Mandeville 0  (Fontainebleau 16-7, 4-0, Mandeville 5-15,1-3)

Northshore 10  St. Paul’s 4  (Northshore 14-6, 3-1, S.P. 11-6, 3-1)

Slidell 9  Ponchatoula 5  (Slidell 10-9, 1-3, Ponchatoula 11-11, 2-2)

8-5A

Assumption 6  Thibodaux 5  (Assumption 13-3, 3-0, Thibodaux 6-16, 3-1)

Central Lafourche 7  Terrebonne 1  (C.L. 10-9-1, 2-2, Terrebonne 12-6-1, 0-4)

South Lafourche 27  H.L. Bourgeois 13  (S.L. 11-9-1, 3-0, H.L.B. 9-11, 0-3)

9-5A

Chalmette 11  Higgins 0  (Chalmette 6-13, 1-2, Higgins 5-14, 1-2)

John Ehret 13  Bonnabel 0  (J.E. 12-7, 2-0, Bonnabel 2-10-1, 1-2)

King 5  West Jefferson 4  (King 8-6, 3-0, W.J. 2-14, 0-3)

8-4A

Lutcher 4  Belle Chasse 3  (Lutcher 17-4, 3-0, B.C. 11-8, 1-2)

Morgan City 22  Helen Cox 0  (M.C. 14-4, 3-0, H.C. 4-11, 0-3)

Vandebilt Catholic 14  Ellender 2  (V.C. 13-5, 2-1, Ellender 3-13-1, 0-3)

9-4A

Franklinton 15  Salmen 7  (Franklinton 15-3, 3-0, Salmen 8-11, 1-1)

Pearl River 8  East Jefferson 6  (P.R. 10-6, 2-1, E.J. 5-12-1, 0-2)

6-3A

Patterson 6  Berwick 3  (Patterson 10-6-1, 2-2, Berwick 9-9, 2-2)

8-3A

Brusly 26  Plaquemine 5  (Brusly 15-6, 3-0, Plaquemine 7-11, 0-2)

St. James 7  Port Allen 6  (S.J. 12-2-1, 1-2, P.A. 10-9, 1-2)

9-3A

Albany 7  Independence 1  (Albany 13-6, 3-1, Independence 7-11-1, 2-2)

8-2A

Northlake Christian 10  Doyle 0  (N.C. 15-4, 4-0, Doyle 10-8-1, 2-2)

Pope John Paul 16  Pine 6  (P.J.P. 6-11, 3-1, Pine 1-5, 0-4)

St. Thomas Aquinas 5  French Settlement 4  (S.T.A. 8-10-1, 3-1, F.S. 3-10, 0-3)

9-1A

Ecole Classique 6  Ridgewood 2  (E.C. 10-3, 2-2, Ridgewood 7-12, 1-3)

St. Martin’s 18  Crescent City 14  (S.M. 6-10, 3-1, C.C. 13-3, 3-1)

9B

Holden 7  Bethany Christian 6  (Holden 11-5, 2-0, Bethany Christian 7-5, 0-1)

Maurepas 10  Mount Hermon 0  (Maurepas 11-2, 1-0, Mount Hermon 0-5, 0-2)

OTHERS

Haynes 14  West St. John 8  (Haynes , W.S.J. 5-6)

Livonia 12  Cecilia 3  (Livonia 19-1, Cecilia 7-12)

Riverdale 22  Karr 5  (Riverdale 6-7, Karr 3-13)

St. Charles Catholic 7  Ascension Catholic 2  (S.C.C. 16-4, A.C. 13-7)

Jewel Sumner 9  Hannan 8  (J.S. 6-7, Hannan 12-10)

AREA PREP BASEBALL SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31

10-5A

Jesuit vs. Rummel @ Mike Miley Stadium—7 p.m.

Shaw vs. St. Augustine @ Skelly-Rupp Stadium—7 p.m.

10-3A

McMain @ O. Perry Walker—4 p.m.

8-4A

Ellender @ Vandebilt Catholic—6 p.m.

11-3A

Warren Easton vs. McDonogh @ Perry Roehm Stadium—4 p.m.

11-2A

Lusher @ Fisher—5 p.m.

Newman vs. Thomas Jefferson @ Kirsch-Rooney Stadium—4 p.m.

8-1A

West St. John @ East Iberville—4 p.m.

9-1A

South Plaquemines vs. Country Day @ Mike Miley Stadium—4 p.m.

OTHERS

John Curtis vs. Holy Cross @ Mel Ott Park—5:30 p.m.

McDonogh vs. Warren Easton @ Larry Gilbert Stadium—11 a.m.

McMain vs. O.P. Walker @ Skelly-Rupp Stadium—11 a.m.