BOGUE CHITTO — For one of the very few times this season, the Cathedral Green Wave was involved in a close game as opposed to taking care of the opposition in five innings.

Tyler Ballard’s run-scoring double off reliever Seth Avant keyed a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning as the Green Wave defeated the Bogue Chitto Bobcats 5-2 Tuesday night to finished undefeated in Region 8-1A.

“We had a good game. We had a close game. I think that’s good for us to stay focused for seven innings right before the playoffs start,” Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley said.

What was perhaps the most peculiar move of the game was that Bogue Chitto head coach Curt Crain put Avant in to pitch the seventh after starting pitcher Michael Martin had held Cathedral to two runs on just one hit through six strong innings.

A few miscues on the part of the Bobcats’ defense behind Avant led to two more runs for the Green Wave in the top of the seventh for a 5-2 lead.

“I thought Michael Martin pitched a good game for them and held us down for six innings,” Beesley said. “But then we got the three runs in the top of the seventh and all we had to do was throw strikes. Cole (Mann) did a good job of that. I knew that if Michael was on, it was going to be a tough night for us at the plate.”

The key point in the game occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs and a runner on base with the score tied at 2-2, Mann got Avant out to end the threat. Then in the top of the seventh, Caleb Johnson singled and scored on Ballard’s double.

Mann was the winning pitcher for Cathedral. He pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings, gave up just three hits, struck out six and walked none. Starting pitcher Aaron White gave up two runs on three hits and five walks. White struck out just three batters in 2 2/3 innings.

Cathedral finished the regular season with a 17-0 overall record and a 12-0 record in region play. However, Beesley said he wants his team to be ready for the playoffs.

“(Being undefeated) is something that we don’t talk a lot about. We’re trying to focus on the second season,” he said.

Cathedral will play at Noxapater, the No. 4 seed out of Region 6-1A, in Game 1 of the Class 1A South State Playoffs Friday at 5 p.m. Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3, will take place at Chester Willis Field in Natchez. Game 2 will start at 1 p.m.

Forest 15, Monterey 1

(5 innings)

MONTEREY, La. — The Monterey Wolves had to play their best game of the season if they were to upset Forest Tuesday afternoon and keeping the Bulldogs from winning the District 3-A title.

Unfortunately, that would not be the case as Logan Pippin held Monterey to just five hits and Dustin Forsse hit a home run as the Bulldogs defeated the Wolves to clinch the district championship.

Forest (16-6, 3-0) got off to a good start by scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. That would be all the run support Pippin would need as he held Monterey (4-15, 0-3) scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning when Taylor Campbell scored on a ground ball by Chance Cooper.

Conner Matthews went 4-for-4 with a double and Pippin helped his own cause by going 2-for-4 at the plate. Monterey was led by Campbell and Cooper, who each went 2-for-3.

District 6-A Tournament

Riverdale 12, Huntington 0, Franklin 4, Huntington 3

WINNSBORO, La. — The Hounds saw their season come to an end with two losses in the district tournament on Tuesday.

Huntington got no hits in its loss to Riverdale and was never in the game as Riverdale scored five runs in the first inning.

The Hounds had a chance to defeat Franklin, as pitcher Jordan Wilson had a no-hitter through four innings.

However, defense let the Hounds down in the fifth as they allowed three runs.

Franklin scored another run in the sixth, which turned out to be the difference.

Franklin won the game despite getting only one hit to Huntington’s six.

Phillip Washington and Tyler Peré both were 2-for-3 in the game and Peré had a triple in the losing effort.