Benedictine won Game 3 of the Class AA state finals Monday in Savannah 7-2 after a 5-run sixth inning put the Cadets ahead for good. A solo home run by junior Brad Stewart gave host Benedictine a 3-2 lead and the Cadets added four more to take an insurmountable lead.
After a two-hour rain delay, sophomore Chase Marini homered in the first inning for Benedictine, which led 1-0. Greater Atlanta Christian, however, plated two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 edge. Stewart scored in the fourth inning on an RBI single by sophomore Ryan Woiwode to tie it up.
Junior pitcher Al Pesto, a Duke commitment, earned the win with a complete-game performance.
It is the first baseball state championship for Benedictine since 1961. The Cadets defeated three straight Region 6 teams in the final three rounds of the playoffs.
The Spartans, whose outgoing coach Cliff Shelton was fired weeks ago, was denied its first baseball championship since 1982.
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