Eyes on Prize

The South Mississippi Sun Herald

March 26, 2008

Few schools win a state baseball championship in their first year of existence.

St. Patrick could pull off the rare feat in two months.

The Fighting Irish (14-5, 8-0 Division 8-2A) are considered among the top challengers to win a Class 2A championship.

The merging of longtime South Mississippi Catholic rivals St. John and Mercy Cross into St. Patrick High School has been a winning combination.

'It has worked well,' St. Patrick coach Joe Sam Owen said. 'Any time you bring two schools together that were rivals, you must have team chemistry. Getting kids into two different schools was tough. All of the kids from both sides have done a great job.'

St. John made a remarkable run in its final year last season, capturing the 1A state title. As the school began the countdown to its last days, the Eagles brought championship gold to the Coast.

The Eagles' other state baseball title came in 1970 under the late Irvin Favre, the father of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

The Fighting Irish have four former Eagles in their starting lineup: shortstop Kyle Ladner, first baseman Keaton Day, second baseman Joey Lacy and center fielder Hunter Frierson.

'We came together and bonded as a team,' Ladner said. 'When the school opened, it was St. Patrick, not Mercy Cross against St. John anymore. They all expected to win, just like we do.'

Two former Crusaders - right fielder Beau Underwood and third baseman Patrick Veale - embraced the Eagles' title experience. Former Mercy Cross coach Josh Swinford is also a key member of Owen's coaching staff.

'It was great that St. John brought its title experience to our new school,' Underwood said. 'Everyone wanted to see how it would work. It was exciting to know they had playoff experience.'

Lacy thinks St. Patrick's debut in the summer league last June played a key role in their becoming a complete team.

'We bonded during the summer league,' Lacy said. 'It was hard at first to get us to unify. We worked it out.'

The Fighting Irish are in the same division as their top competition to win a state championship.

Richton (10-3, 4-1) is the defending 2A state champion. St. Patrick already owns two victories over Lumberton, its other competitor in the Division 8-2A race.

St. Patrick plays Richton in a pair of games next week, home and away, which will go a long way to settling the Division 8-2A crown.

'We'll have to get through: Richton and Lumberton,' Swinford said. 'Richton won a state title last year and have a stud pitcher.'

St. Patrick certainly has the offensive firepower and pitching to win its first baseball title. Ladner is hitting .451 and drove in 21 runs. Tyler Martin has three homers and team-leading 22 RBIs. On the pitching side, Veale and Day are both 3-0. Trey Lacy has 36 strikeouts.

Ladner has set the bar high for St. Patrick, which swept Biloxi in a doubleheader two weeks ago.

'We have high expectations,' he said. 'Anything less than playing for a state championship and winning it will be a disappointment. The former St. John players expect to win a second straight state title.'

Owen, however, has a few concerns about the Fighting Irish's possible title run. St. Patrick plays its home games at the Biloxi Sports Complex because its homefield is still a work in progress. The Fighting Irish also practice at St. John in Gulfport, creating logistical issues of traveling back and forth each day.

'Our baseball field is not complete,' Owen said. 'It won't be finished until next year. We're all concerned about getting the enough work and practice time in. '

Small-school success

Here are the St. Patrick predecessors that won state baseball titles:

1960 - Notre Dame: Class B-BB

1961 - Notre Dame: Class B-BB

1970 - St. John, Class BB

1980 - Notre Dame, Class B

1989 - Mercy Cross, Class 1A

1990 - Mercy Cross, Class 1A

2007 - St. John, Class 1A

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