Daniel Fischer tossed a five-hitter and struck out three as the St. Xavier High School baseball team beat Ballard 6-0 on Tuesday in a semifinal of the Seventh Region Tournament at U of L’s Jim Patterson Stadium.
No. 16-ranked St. X (24-12) advanced to face Manual (20-15) in Thursday’s 5:30 p.m. regional final.
“I threw two pitches all night – a two-seam fastball and a cutter,” said Fischer, a U of L signee who improved to 5-2. “I didn’t feel like I needed to show my change-up or my four-seam much. I felt like the pitches I was throwing were working and hitting spots. It also helps when we put up six runs.”
The Tigers pounded out nine hits and had five stolen bases on their way to avenging a 5-2 loss to the Bruins in last year’s regional final.
St. X got all the offense they needed in the second inning with three straight two-out RBI singles from Dalton Dedas, Sam Mudd and Zeke Porta.
Adam Elliott and Chris Esselman delivered RBI singles for a 5-0 lead in the third – knocking Ballard starting pitcher Tyler Horsley out of the game – and Porta’s RBI single in the sixth off reliever Will Barman gave the Tigers a 6-0 cushion.
Jordon Adell, a U of L commit, had two of Ballard’s five hits – all singles. The Bruins finished 21-13-1.
Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046 and jfrakes@courier-journal.com.
BALLARD 000 000 0 – 0 5 2
ST. XAVIER 032 001 x – 6 9 2
WP – Daniel Fischer (5-2). LP – Tyler Horsley (7-5). 3B – Simon (SX).