Jackson Dugan has shined on the mound for Jesuit during district play and continued his recent run of success against Holy Cross.
The right-hander Dugan was one out away from throwing a complete game when Jesuit coach Kenny Goodlett called for a mound visit. Holy Cross had brought the tying run to the plate with two men on base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Goodlett let Dugan face what ended up being the last Holy Cross batter. The junior starting pitcher recorded a strikeout for the final out in a 4-1 Jesuit win on Tuesday at John Ryan Stadium.
“I really wanted (Tuesday’s) game,” Dugan said. “(Coach Goodlett) asked me if I wanted (the ball) in the last inning, and I told him, ‘yeah.’ It felt good to get that (last) out.”
Jesuit (21-6, 8-2) took over first place in the District 9-5A standings with the win.
“I just went (to the mound) to settle (Dugan) down a little bit,” Goodlett said. “He’s been a fantastic job for us all year and again tonight. We always know that he’s going to give us a chance to win.”
Dugan recorded 11 strikeouts in Tuesday’s seven-inning start against Holy Cross. He threw 109 pitches and allowed just one unearned run on four hits and three walks.
After serving as Jesuit’s primary catcher last year, Dugan is thriving in a two-way role this season as the starting third baseman when not pitching.
“Having (Dugan) on the mound is a blessing,” Goodlett said. “(Sophomore) Austin Guidry has done a fantastic job for us at catcher this season, so we can use Dugan on the mound and play him at third base.”
Jesuit set the tone on Tuesday with two runs on three hits in the opening frame. Dugan scored first after an RBI single to left by senior Marshal Serio, and senior Brennan Jeansonne followed with a bloop single to right to drive in Serio.
Holy Cross starting pitcher Greg Ruiz didn’t allow any more runs until the bottom of the sixth, where he was pulled with one out in the inning after issuing a leadoff walk.
Jesuit sophomore Logan Nelson came through in the sixth with a two-out RBI single to left with runners on second and third to put the Blue Jays up by three runs.
Holy Cross scored its lone run in the top of the fourth. Tigers junior Roux Gerra stole third base and scored on a throwing error after Guidry tried throwing him out at third.
“Playing behind against (Jesuit’s) ace is tough to deal with,” Holy Cross coach Kal Bonura said. “We had multiple chances to get guys in but didn’t come through. We played hard, but starting behind in the Catholic League is hard to overcome.”
Jesuit will face Pearl River on Wednesday before continuing district play on Thursday against Warren Easton. Holy Cross (19-9, 5-5) will face Rummel in its next district game on Wednesday.