Berwick pounds Patterson 18-5

Berwick High School’s Mitchell Sanford led off Tuesday’s District 8-3A contest at Patterson with a solo home run in the top of the first inning.
While it was the only run the Panthers scored in the inning, it was a sign of things to come both for Sanford and the Panthers.
Sanford, an LSU signee, finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, and Berwick pounded Patterson 18-5 in five innings.
Berwick High School Baseball Coach Brandon Bravata agreed that it was a good way for his squad to start district play and hopefully set the tone for the league schedule.
“We talked so much about the process and ourselves and how we can improve, and the wins will come if we continue to get better and do the things that we’re supposed to do,” he said.
While Bravata said the defending Class 3A state champion Panthers are happy with their record and power ranking, he also said they are concentrating on continuing to improve as the season progresses.
“That’s where last year, you look at it, we continued to get better as the season (went on), so we’re not ‘hey, just lay back and let it roll' type of mode,” Bravata said. “We’re getting after it. We’re trying to get better.”
Berwick (13-4 overall, 1-0 in district) entered Tuesday’s game ranked No. 4 in the latest Class 3A Louisiana High School Athletic Association power rankings, while Patterson (10-5, 0-1) is ranked No. 10.
After Sanford’s solo shot in the top of the first, the Panthers added six more runs in the second and five in the third to take a commanding 12-0 lead.
Berwick had run-scoring singles in the second inning by Barrett Hover and Sanford.
In the third, Berwick’s run-scoring hits came on a two-run triple by Delatte to the right field wall and a bloop single to shallow centerfield by Hunter Landry.
Patterson scored two runs in the bottom of the third via back-to-back run-scoring doubles by Irvin Celestine and Noah Bryant.
But the Panthers came back with six more runs in the fourth.
Berwick’s Zeph Hoffpauir, a Louisiana Ragin' Cajun signee, drove in a run on a double in the fourth, while Brett Williams drove in two runs in the frame. Landry also had a run-scoring single, while Evan Thomas drove in the Panthers’ final run on a groundout to shortstop for an 18-2 lead.
Patterson scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Berwick outhit Patterson 15-8.
Sanford led Berwick with a 4-for-4 performance with a double, a home run, two RBIs, two stolen bases and four runs. Other top Berwick offensive contributors were Landry, 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a run; Hoffpauir, 2-for-3, a double, two RBIs, a stolen base and two runs; Ethan Nguyen, 2-for-3, a run; Delatte, 1-for-2, a triple, two RBIs and a run; Hover, 1-for-3, two RBIs, a stolen base and two runs; Seth Canty, 1-for-3, an RBI, a stolen base and a run; Williams, 1-for-4, two RBIs, a stolen base and a run; and Thomas, an RBI.
Rustin Ratcliff earned the win. In 2.2 innings, he surrendered two runs (two earned) on five hits with two strikeouts.
Don Diaz suffered the loss. In 1.2 innings, he surrendered seven runs (four earned) on five hits with three walks, one hit batter and one strikeout.
Dylan Fabre led Patterson with a 2-for-3 performance with a double, two stolen bases and a run. Other top Patterson offensive contributors were Celestine, 1-for-1, a double, an RBI, a stolen base and a run; Diaz, 1-for-3, a double, an RBI and a run; Bryant, 1-for-3, a double and an RBI; and Randy Paul, 1-for-3, a double.
Berwick and Patterson will meet again Thursday in District 8-3A action at 6 p.m. at Berwick.