Extra inning HR lifts Providence baseball past Catholic in SW4A
Providence got a measure of revenge — and a No. 1 Southwestern 4A Conference state playoff berth — by rallying from behind to defeat Charlotte Catholic 5-4 in eight innings on Xavier McCoury’s walk-off home run at the Garinger High School field.
The Panthers (21-5) had shared the Southwestern regular-season title with Catholic (21-5-1) as the two teams split their league games.
When both advanced to the Southwestern tournament championship game, it meant Thursday’s contest would determine which team got the league’s No. 1 4A state playoff berth for pairings that will be announced Monday.
And in Providence’s case, it was a chance to avenge a 6-4 conference tournament title game loss to Catholic on the same field a year ago. That win had propelled Catholic to the Western N.C. 4A finals while the Panthers suffered their first opening-round state playoff loss since 2013.
“That first-round loss has been on my mind the last 365 days,” Providence coach Danny Hignight said. “Now we’ve got to get healthy. We got a little banged up tonight.”
McCoury, a junior shortstop who has committed to play at Liberty University, had earlier in the game saved a run with a spectacular sixth-inning defensive play and hit a RBI double, drew a walk and bunted the potential lead run to second base in the sixth inning.
When he came up in the eighth inning, McCoury took a ball and then smacked the second pitch for a line drive to right field that cleared the fence.
“Don’t give me the heater,” McCoury said of the pitch he hit for a home run that set off a wild celebration at home plate after he scored the winning run. “I’m sitting on a fastball every day.”
Three who made a difference
Xavier McCoury, Providence: Had two hits and two RBIs and made two putouts and three assists, including cutting down a runner at third base in the third inning on a cutoff throw one batter before a Catholic home run. He was named Southwestern 4A tournament MVP.
Parks Rhyne, Providence: Reliever pitched the last three innings and retired nine of 12 batters with two strikeouts to pick up the victory.
Alex Hartman, Catholic: Hit a two-run home run to give Catholic a 2-0 lead in the third inning and started and pitched four strong innings with six strikeouts.
Notable
▪ Though only in its 26th year, Providence is Mecklenburg County’s winningest public school in history with 22 regular-season titles and 15 postseason conference tournament titles.
▪ Thursday’s game was the 20th meeting between the schools since they became rivals in the SoMeck 4A Conference from 2014 to 2017. Thursday’s win gives Providence a 15-5 advantage in those 20 contests.
▪ Catholic reliever Ben Bordeaux was the hard-luck loser — and after he wriggled out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh inning. Providence’s first two runners reached base before he fielded a bunt and got a forceout with a sharp throw to third base. After a walk loaded the bases with one out, Bordeaux got a strikeout and groundout to send the game to extra innings.
They said it
“They’ve got a good club — one of the five best in 4A in the West.” Providence coach Danny Hignight on coach Eddie Hull’s Cougars team.
GAME SUMMARY
Catholic 002 200 00 - 4 7 0
Providence 002 020 01 - 5 6 1
W - Parks Rhyne. L - Ben Bordeaux. Leading hitters: Catholic- Alex Hartman (1-2, home run, 2 RBIs), Jon Fijalkowski (double, RBI), Tripp Warnement (double, 2 RBIs); Providence- Xavier McCoury (2-3, double, home run, 2 RBIs), Jackson Debe (double), Brodie Slone (1-2, 1 RBI).
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 10:32 PM.