Baseball: Tampa Catholic tops Jesuit 8-2

TAMPA — Power was on display Saturday for Tampa Catholic, which followed a 7-3 win over Countryside in an afternoon tournament game at Seminole with an 8-2 victory at Jesuit in the nightcap.

Gio Marrero hit a walkoff grand slam to snap a tie at 3 with Countryside, then Hank McLoud hit a three-run homer against Jesuit. McLoud's blast over the fence in left-center fueled a five-run fourth inning.

"I knew if we could come out tonight and beat (Jesuit) it could be back to being our town," Tampa Catholic coach Pat Russo said. "It's hard to play Jesuit early, but playing in that tournament got us ready for Jesuit."

Tampa Catholic (3-1) struck first with a run in the second as Marrero reached on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Mendoza. Jesuit (1-1) evened the score in the bottom of that inning with Chris Reinhart racing home on an errant pickoff throw by catcher Shane Rowland.

Derek Nunez gave the Crusaders a 2-1 lead, scoring on a wild pitch by losing pitcher Willi Martin in the bottom of the third.

Miscues also contributed to Tampa Catholic's big inning. Before McLoud's three-run shot, Alex Martinez and Mendoza scored on a throwing error by Jesuit first baseman Bobby Eveld.

Starter T.J. Owen, who scattered four hits and allowed one earned run, earned the win for Tampa Catholic.

Nick Iacovella had the Tigers' other RBI, driving in Chris Pagilarulo with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.