CUT DOWN—Walker’s Trenton Strange tags out Ponchatoula’s Justin Crowell (14) trying to advance on an error Tuesday. —Photo by Fred Batiste/Daily Star

Ponchatoula needed two things Tuesday against Walker - a strong pitching performance and timely hitting. The Green Wave got them both.

Hammond, meanwhiuole, needed just one thing - a win. And the Tors got that, too.

In Ponchatoula, a four-run fifth inning gave hurler Torin Lucas the support he needed as Ponchatoula (7-1) knocked off Walker 5-2.

"Our guys have a lot of confidence now, and that's very important in high school baseball," Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell said.

A two-run double by Matt Stock and a two-run home run by Derek Gaudin in the fifth gave Lucas some breathing room. The Southeastern signee gave up no hits until the top of the sixth, striking out eight in six complete innings.

"We found a way," Gosnell said. "We've been playing really good defense and pitching well. We found a way to get a few guys on and finally get a big hit."

Meanwhile, every team needs a turning point in their season, and Hammond Tors coach Steve Labbe is hoping Tuesday's 7-5 victory over Riverside does the trick.

“We played great tonight,” Labbe said. “Pitcher Zach Cefalu couldn't find his release point early on. He walked a couple guys and they scored three runs in the first inning. But our guys never quit and we just kept working. Zach found his release point and did a great job on the mound. Overall, it was a total team effort. These guys worked hard like they do every day at practice. We just have to keep working.”

In other local action, Maurepas improved to 3-0 by pounding Family Christian 12-1 in five innings.

"Getting these wins right now are especially important because we started so late," Maurepas head coach Anthony Gregoire said. "Saturday was our first game. We're two weeks behind everybody."

Two games were postponed by wet fields. St. Thomas Aquinas' game against Loranger has been moved to today at 4 p.m. at Loranger. Jewel Sumner head coach Mike Cassel said Tuesday's game at Pine was cancelled, while Monday's rainout at Mt. Hermon was rescheduled for March 17.

Ponchatoula 5, Walker 2

PONCHATOULA-Walker (6-5) got going in the top of the fifth when Lucas plunked Taylor Parker and walked Hunter McCullough. A wild pitch and Logan Lewis' RBI groundout gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

The Wave rally in the fifth began with Jacob Griffin's single, then pinch runner Randall Meyers moved to second on Laramie Pittman's sac bunt. Tyler Nelson doubled to left before Stock cleared the bases with a double to left off of Smiley.

Smiley struck out Lucas, but Gaudin crushed a Smiley pitch high and deep into the bushes past the right-field wall for a two-run homer and a 4-1 lead.

"We had the big home run, and we were able to have a little cushion," Gosnell said. "We've been getting some timely hits late in the ball game, and that's why we've been winning."

Trenton Strange broke up Lucas' no-hitter with a single to right in the top of the sixth, but Lucas got out of the inning without damage, then drove in a run on a sac fly in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-1.

"Our pitching was outstanding tonight," Gosnell said. "Torin threw six innings, and you can't ask for much better from him."

An error allowed Walker to cut the lead to 5-2 before Regis Stephens closed the door on the Wildcats in the seventh.

Gaudin went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Stock also drove in a pair.

-Reported by Fred Batiste

Hammond 7, Riverside 5

Riverside's three-run first came off a walk, catcher's interference, an error, and three walks before Cefalu struck out the side to end the inning, then didn't allow another run until the seventh.

In the third, Hammond took advantage of three Rebel errors to score Alex Wolf and Koty Miller to cut the lead to 3-2.

The Tors took command in the fifth when Cefalu singled and Wolf and Miller both reached on fielder's choices, with Miller driving in a run on a bunt play. After a strikeout, Steven Tanis reached on an infield single that loaded the bases. Jon-Mike Williams lashed a two-run single, Tanis scored on a passed ball and Josh Geraci had a RBI single.

Cefalu gave up an RBI single to Wade Delaneuville and a sacrifice fly by Timmy Teague in the seventh before Hammond shortstop Chris Moran caught Delaneuville off the bag at second base to end the game.

Cefalu threw a complete game, giving up five runs off of six hits, six walks, and 11 punchouts. He also went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Tors, who play next on Thursday at the Franklinton Tournament. The Tors take on the Demons on Thursday, Amite on Friday and Northwood-Shreveport on Saturday.

Maurepas 12, Family Chr. 1 (5 in.)

MAUREPAS - The Flames took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, but the Wolves scored two runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Mauepas broke the game open in the third inning, with help from Keith Landry's grand slam. The Wolves put up nine runs to take an 11-1 lead.

"They had a couple of walks and blew one, and the grand slam just blew it open," Gregoire said. "We just opened up on them."

Maurepas added a run in the bottom of the fourth. Landry finished with six RBIs on 2-for-2 hitting while Casey Lauzervich went 2-for-3 with a double. Cade Scivicque (1-0) picked up the win for the Wolves.