McAuley baseball falls to Billings in busy day for Bazzano-Joseph

May 15—The McAuley Catholic High School Warriors' baseball season came to an end Tuesday with a 13-0 loss to top-seeded Billings High School in a run-rule shortened game Tuesday in Hurley.

McAuley starting pitcher Rocco Bazzano-Joseph teed off in the Class 1 state golf tourney Tuesday morning, walked 18 holes, then made the hour-plus drive to Hurley to take the mound for the Warriors 4:30 p.m. start in their Class 1 District 5 semifinal game.

Billings (13-10), which capitalized on three Warrior errors in the game, plated two runs in the bottom of the first and added four more runs in the second to take an early 6-0 lead.

After a scoreless third frame, Billings exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth and blanked the Warriors (5-11) in the top of the fifth inning to claim the 13-0 run-rule win.

Billings starter Kjelsen Kenniston gave up just one hit — a line drive single to left field by Bazzano-Joseph in the top of the fourth inning. Kenniston struck out seven and walked one in the five-inning complete game.

Bazzano-Joseph gave up six earned runs and nine total on five hits while striking out five and walking five in 3 2/3 innings.

Grant Heimer led Billings after going 2 for 3 (both doubles) with three RBIs and a run.