VICKSBURG — The Cathedral baseball team played more like its old self in the second game of round two of the MHSAA Class 1A playoffs t St. Aloysius on Friday.

But it was too little too late for the Green Wave, who fell 7-6 to the Flashes in eight innings.

Cathedral led by a run through the third and fourth innings, but St. Aloysius tied it in the fifth and took a two-run lead in the sixth.

Cathedral tied the game again at the top of the seventh with a two-out, two-RBI single by Daniel Jenkins, and a scoreless seventh by St. Al sent the game into extra innings.

But unfortunately for the Green Wave, that was where their offense ended, and St. Al took advantage of key mistakes to win the game.

“They led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch (from pitcher Preston Edwards), then he advanced to third on a pass ball and scored on a single by Pierson (Waring),” Cathedral coach Craig Beesley said.

The Flashes also used a couple of controversial calls to their benefit, including one that scored a run, Beesley said.

St. Aloysius’ Justin Rushing was on third when the ball was thrown to Cathedral catcher Daniel Jenkins on a fielder’s choice play, at home. Jenkins dropped the ball while trying to block it from passing to the backstop, and Rushing hurdled him, not touching home.

But the home plate umpire said Jenkins was blocking the plate and gave the run to St. Aloysius. anyway

“There’s still a couple things I haven’t figured out,” Beesley said. “The kid never touched the bag. But the umpire said he didn’t need to touch the bag, he was giving it to him. The umpire said he was blocking the plate and not making an attempt to catch the ball. That was the go-ahead run in the sixth inning.”

Cathedral didn’t get a runner on base in the top of the eighth innings, but their chances of winning this game were much better than Thursday’s.

The Green Wave fell 15-6 at home in game one of the series.

“We definitely came back and played the way Cathedral normally plays,” Beesley said. “I thought we played how we should have played (Thursday). We battled (Friday), and we played good baseball, we just didn’t get the job done at the end there. I really hate it for the seniors.”

Preston Edwards recorded the loss by giving up the last run of the game, but he was dominant through most of 2 2/3 innings.

He entered in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and one out with Cathedral down 6-4, struck out both batters to end the inning and sent all three down on strike outs in the seventh.

He also had a double for the Green Wave.

Aaron White started the game, pitching 4 1/3 innings, and Dylan White replaced him for one inning.

Jenkins was the best hitter of the series, hitting 4-for-4 with three RBI Friday and going 3-for-4 on Thursday.

Cathedral recorded three fielding errors, although one was charged on the controversial play at home.

Cathedral finished the season at 21-2, with no regular-season losses, and the Flashes (22-3) will head to the third round for the second straight season.

“We knew St. Aloysius was good, and I expect them to make it all the way to the state championship if they play well,” Beesley said. “But we had them on the ropes tonight. We just couldn’t get that last run across the plate.”