St. Aloysius clinches state baseball title
PEARL — The St. Aloysius Flashes baseball team won the MHSAA (Mississippi High School Athletic Association) State 1A baseball championship Friday night, May 15, by defeating North State champions West Union 13-2 in the second game of a best-of-three series at Trustmark Park.
The first game on May 14 ended with a 6-2 St. Al win. For the two game series St. Al didn’t make an error and allowed only eight hits. Junior Stephen Evans was the winning pitcher for game one, and junior Ryno Martin-Nez completed the championship game on the mound for the Flashes.
St. Al finished their impressive 28-4 season in front of a supportive crowd estimated at 1200, made up of St. Al students, alumni and supporters, as well as coaches and players from other Vicksburg high schools, many of whom donned St. Al colors for the event. The win ended a 30-year drought in state finals play for the Flashes.
St. Al baseball players dedicated the championship series to former St. Al player Kyle Coleson, who has been battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia for over a year. Fans wore a special “For You – 32” T-shirt to the game; 32 was Coleson’s former jersey number.
The team was determined to win the series in two games, since it would result in a 32-game season. Coleson, who watched both games from a stadium sky box, was presented with a winners’ medal at the post game ceremony by head baseball coach Clint Wilkerson.
Coleson has been an inspirational presence at St. Al games throughout the season. Even though he transferred to Warren Central High School a year ago, he has remained a part of the Vicksburg Catholic School (VCS) family, receiving prayer and support from various VCS fundraising activities.
Flashes baseball is losing only three senior players this year and is expected to have a strong roster returning for the 2010 season.
