CUT DOWN AT HOME—Hammond catcher Zach Cefalu shows the umpire the ball after tagging out Ponchatoula’s Derek Gaudin at home to prevent a run and end the third inning and keep the Green Wave lead at 2-0. Ponchatoula later pulled away, however, to win 9-0 at Athletic Park. -Fred Batiste/Daily Star

Ponchatoula had to go through rival Hammond if it wanted to stay tied for first place in District 7-5A Thursday night.

The Green Wave (15-5, 5-1) did just that, ripping off four runs in the bottom of the fourth to break away from the Tors and getting a gem from hurler Torin Lucas to blank Hammond 9-0 at Athletic Park.

Lucas went the distance for Ponchatoula, striking out seven Hammond (8-12, 0-6) hitters while scattering five hits and walking none.

"Torin did his usual thing," Green Wave head coach Mark Gosnell said. "There are a lot of zeroes on that board, so he had good stuff tonight. He pitched a great ball game."

"They got hits with runners on base and got runners in scoring position," Tors coach Steve Labbe said. "We had them out there all night; we just couldn't get guys in scoring position and score. We just got to get hits with runners in scoring position."

Both teams will complete rained-out games Friday, with Ponchatoula going to Fontainebleau before hosting Northshore Saturday and Hammond finishing up with 7-5A co-leader Slidell Friday before traveling to Fontainebleau Saturday.

Meanwhile, two more area district front-runners each won handily on Thursday.

In Hammond, St. Thomas Aquinas didn't let Friday's looming matchup with Pope John Paul interfere with the task at hand as the Falcons handed French Settlement a 15-5 decision at Falcon Field.

STA (16-6, 6-0) pounded out 15 hits and Jacob Trapani went 3-for-4 with four RBI as the Falcons run-ruled the Lions (8-11, 2-5) for the second time this season.

"Once we get on a roll offensively we are pretty good," St. Thomas Aquinas head coach John Legoria said. "Some kids are just really producing for us right now."

The win sets up a crucial matchup in District 9-2A on Friday as St. Thomas visits Pope John Paul at 5 p.m. The game, which was postponed Tuesday and Wednesday because of rain, will determine the district's top team.

"(Friday) is big for us," Legoria added. "It's monumental but it's not life or death. We have to play better and pitch better if we hope to win."

And in Loranger, the Wolves continued their unbeaten roll through District 10-3A with a 16-2 romp over Jewel Sumner. The Wolves (16-9, 6-0) return to action Saturday with a non-district doubleheader at Notre Dame in Crowley starting at 11 a.m.

DISTRICT 7-5A

Ponchatoula 9, Hammond 0

PONCHATOULA — The Greenies went to work in the bottom of the second to break a scoreless tie. B.J. Welch reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on Elisha Setton's single off Tors starter Lucas Quebedeaux to center. Jacob Griffin singled to right, scoring Welch, before Seth Bratton doubled down the left field line to drive in Setton and give Ponchatoula a 2-0 lead.

The Tors threatened in the top of the third. Justin Billiot reached base on an error and moved to second on Steven Tanis' infield single. Shane Cutrer moved the runners into scoring position with a sac bunt. However, Lucas picked up a strikeout and got Zach Cefalu to fly out to left to end the threat.

The score remained 2-0 until Ponchatoula broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Quebedeaux plunked Griffin with one out, and Bratton followed up with a base knock to left. The runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch before Tyler Nelson doubled off the left field wall to drive in Griffin and Bratton.

Nelson moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Laramie Pittman's single to left. Gaudin drew a walk, and Lucas singled to center to drive in Pittman to increase the lead to 6-0 after four complete innings.

Ponchatoula added three more runs down the stretch for insurance.

—Reported by Fred Batiste

DISTRICT 9-2A

St. Thomas Aq. 15, Fr. Settlement 5

Trapani's banner day got off to a quick start as he planted a John Sager offering deep over the left field wall in the bottom of the first. The two-run blast scored Gabe Woods, who reached on a single, and paved the way for STA's three-run frame. Ryan Downing added the final run later in the inning on a steal and error on the catcher.

Legoria's offense kept the hot string going in the second as singles by Gemelle Washington, Daniel Huggett, and Woods helped bring across two runs. Logan Shaver capped the six-run frame with a three-run double to left.

Meanwhile, STA starting pitcher Huggett continued to mow through the Lions lineup, yielding just one hit and a walk through three innings.

His offense continued to help him out with four more runs in the bottom of the third to give the Falcons a 13-0 lead to work with. A two-run double from Downing and a two-run single by Cody Durham highlighted the inning.

But Huggett ran out of gas in the fourth as he allowed a single and three walks, the final with the bases loaded, before being pulled for Trey Marino.

The Lions weren't fazed by Marino as Adam Beary clubbed a two-run single and Jordan Cornett followed with an RBI single to narrow STA's deficit to 13-5.

"Pitching wise I was a little disappointed toward the end of the game with the walks but when you get up 13 runs it's a mental thing and our kids just have to stay mentally sharp for an entire game," Legoria said.

However, that would be as close as the Lions would get as the Falcons wrapped up the 10-run victory with a pair of runs in the fourth on RBI singles from Trapani and Blake Brooks.

Huggett got the win in 3.1 innings of work, allowing three runs on two hits with four walks. Marino pitched the final 1.2 innings and surrendered no runs on three hits with one walk and a strikeout.

Today's game in Slidell is slated for 5 p.m.

—Reported by Justin Robicheaux

DISTRICT 10-3A

Loranger 16, Sumner 2

LORANGER—Loranger pitcher Justin Gauthreaux pitched a complete-game victory and the Wolves broke open a close game in the fifth inning to remain unbeaten.

The Wolves held a slender 3-2 lead through four innings before exploding with a seven-run fifth to blow it open. Nick Bihm went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Taylor Abdalla was 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead Loranger. Kyle Wheeler launched a solo home run for the Wolves, his fifth and the team's 23rd of the season.