If you stuck around long enough at the Vidalia tournament Saturday, you would have seen an aluminum bat break in two.

True story.

Crowville hitter Ben Raley didn’t really take a cut at an inside pitch, but the bat broke just above the handle on a pitch from Cathedral’s Garrett Jones. The barrel rolled back to the pitcher’s mound just past Jones, but Cathedral shortstop Jeremy Davis picked up the ball and flipped to second to force out Justin Castillo for the first out of the fourth inning.

&uot;I’ve seen it happen one other time,&uot; Crowville head coach Jimmy Comeaux said. &uot;I don’t know if it was just a cracked spot in it or what, but it came all apart. He hit it right there on the barrel, right where it said, ‘Louisville Slugger.’ He didn’t really get jammed. But it’ll get your attention.&uot;

Fortunately for Jones, the barrel didn’t come back in a hurry. Comeaux said the only other time he saw it happen was when he was throwing batting practice, and the barrel came back and got him in the leg.

But it was enough to get Jones’ attention since it came to the right of the mound.

&uot;Garrett comes off the mound to that side, and he had to dodge the bat,&uot; Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley said. &uot;That’s something you don’t see very often. I’m just glad it didn’t hit anybody. You really don’t know how you’re going to react to it. You see it with the wooden bats but not with aluminum.&uot;

SUPPORTING CAST &045; No one took command of a ball game like Te Riley did on Thursday night when he handcuffed Vidalia with his curveball and imposing fastball, but the Green Wave had good pitching the rest of the way to finish the tournament undefeated.

On Saturday the Wave got a strong outing from Jones on the mound, the regular shortstop who’s taking to the mound this spring. Already possession a strong arm, Jones allowed two hits in five innings of work Saturday before coming out in the sixth inning against the Hornets.

It was Jones’ first start of the season.

&uot;He got a little tired there in the sixth inning, but he did a good job,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;I didn’t want him to throw too many pitches and get worn for Tuesday’s game against St. Al. He’s got good velocity on the ball and a good curveball. In these tournaments, we have to go three deep on the mound. Once we get in district, it’ll probably be Corey (Walker) and Te on the mound. Garrett will do it if we need him on the mound.&uot;

On Friday Walker got the nod against a strong-hitting Jena team, and he went three innings before being relieved by sidearmer Preston Hicks. Walker, who isn’t far behind Riley as the team’s hardest thrower, struck out three and allowed three hits in his three innings.

The Giants got a run in the third off him, but the sophomore has battled a sore arm of late. How well it holds up this week will determine when he’ll pitch.

The Green Wave play a huge division game Tuesday at St. Aloysius before playing at home a week later against Bogue Chitto.

&uot;It started hurting him in the second inning,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;I think it was hurting him last week when we played West Lincoln. Corey will be our No. 2 pitcher as soon as he gets his arm back in shape. His breaking ball looked good, but his fastball didn’t any zip. But I know he was holding back. He normally throws in the mid-80s with is fastball.&uot;

BREAKING OUT &045; Vidalia didn’t bring it all to the plate in all three games this weekend, but the Vikings’ best hitter of the week may have been catcher Chris Williams after he homered and doubled on Saturday.

He had also homered Monday against Bolton, and both shots were to the opposite field &045; much like his bomb at the Cathedral tournament earlier this month.

&uot;He’s a good gap-hole hitter,&uot; VHS head coach Johnny Lee Hoffpauir said. &uot;He’s made improvement at the plate, and he had a good at-bat. We’ve got to have Chris hitting.&uot;

(

Adam Daigle

contributed to this report.)