Pitching got Marist to the semifinals of the Class AAAA baseball playoffs. Hitting put the defending champions in the finals as Marist scored Loganville’s staff for 17 hits Tuesday in a 13-6 victory at Marist’s Jerry Queen Field.
Marist (31-4) will play Whitewater in a best-of-three championship series beginning Saturday at home.
Marist pulled away in this Game 3 with a three-run fourth inning for a 9-6 lead. Daniel Spingola (2-for-4), Kevin Gale (2-for-5), Andy Perez (3-for-4), Mitchell Anderson (2-for-2) and George Durot (2-for-4) — hitters five through nine — had consecutive hits off Loganville reliever Heath Holder, a University of Georgia signee.
Loganville showed the kind of batting punch that Marist hadn’t seen this season. Against a team that had allowed only six runs in its 12 games entering the semifinals, Loganville scored 17 in this three-game series.
This appeared to be the kind of game Loganville wanted. It took a 3-2 lead in the second on home runs by Kyle Pulliam and Eric Baglee. After Marist scored four in the third, Loganville struck for three more and a 6-6 tie.
Both teams’ starters struggled with control, but Marist’s Cole Truxillo (2-0) was effective in relief of Spingola, who walked seven and allowed five runs in less than three innings. Truxillo got the win as he pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing four hits but no walks. For the second consecutive game, Marist’s David Bourbonnais would pitch a final, scoreless inning.
“I was very nervous, but Coach said it would take all 20 guys to get the job done,’’ said Truxillo, who had thrown only 16 innings before this series. “They hit me, but the guys behind me did the job. I kept the ball down and let the defense take care of the rest.’’
Meanwhile, Loganville found no relief for its starter, Garrett Ford, who walked three, hit two and allowed four runs, including a two-run homer by Chesney Young (2-for-4) in the first inning. Cleanup batter Anthony Sherlag was Marist’s other top hitter. He was 3-for-4 with a double.
“Obviously our pitching is what keeps us close, but to get this far, you’ve got to be all-around,’’ said Young, who hit his fifth home run of the season. “We feel our bats will come alive with good pitching.’’
Holder, who hit two home runs in Loganville’s Game 1 victory, allowed seven hits in nine Marist at-bats, and he was charged with the loss. Loganville finished 29-5.
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