Sports Report May 18, 2026

Baseball

Game 1: U-High 4, Newman 2

The baseball team opened its state championship series on Thursday at McMurry Park in Sulphur by applying pressure early and battling throughout the afternoon, but University Laboratory School used a three-run third inning to edge the Greenies 4-2 in Game 1 of the best-of-three series.

The Greenies came out aggressively in the top of the first inning. Jack Falgoust opened the game with a single before Charles Wilson worked a walk to give Newman two baserunners with nobody out. Christian Sauska followed with a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, and Atticus LaFleur later drew a walk to load the bases. Collier Villere then forced home the game’s first run with a bases-loaded walk before Malcolm Schairer lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to extend Newman’s lead to 2-0.

The Greenies continued to flash strong defense in the early innings. Behind the plate, Wilson threw out a runner attempting to steal second base, marking the 25th time this season he has thrown out a baserunner, and later battled the fence near the Newman dugout to secure a difficult foul-pop catch.

The Cubs answered in the bottom of the third inning after capitalizing on an early baserunner and a fortunate situation to take a 3-2 lead.

The Greenies threatened to answer immediately in the fourth. George Loop and Benjamin Singer reached base before Tanner Robert drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Newman continued to pressure throughout the inning, but could not push across the tying run.

LaFleur paced the Newman offense with two hits, including a double, while Falgoust added two hits and scored a run from the leadoff spot.

In the field, the Greenies were able to turn two more double plays, including an inning-ending play at the plate in the fifth inning to remain in striking distance.

On the mound, starting pitcher Jack Falgoust allowed only one earned run, on five hits over 4.1 innings while striking out two and walking two. Augie Sauska provided 1.2 scoreless innings of relief without allowing a hit and issued one walk.

Game 2: Newman 13, U-High 6

Facing elimination, the Greenies delivered an immediate response on Friday, using a fast start, a deep offensive attack, and steady defense to defeat University Lab 13-6 and force a decisive Game 3.

The Greenies set the tone in the bottom of the first inning. Jack Falgoust opened the game with a double and later scored when Christian Sauska reached on a dropped third strike. Atticus LaFleur followed with a run-scoring single, Collier Villere added an RBI double, and Malcolm Schairer drove a triple to center field to give Newman a 4-0 lead after the first inning.

Newman kept rolling in the second. Tanner Robert opened the inning with a double before Falgoust drove him in with another double. Charles Wilson followed with a single, and Sauska doubled to bring home another run. LaFleur then delivered a two-run single, and Schairer added an RBI groundout as the Greenies pushed the lead to 9-0.

After the Cubs cut into the lead, Newman answered again in the fifth with another four-run inning. Schairer and George Loop opened the inning with singles before a pitch hit Robert to help load the bases. Falgoust then put another ball in play before Wilson delivered the biggest swing of the inning, driving a three-run double to left field to stretch Newman’s lead to 13-4.

Wilson finished 2-for-4 with a double and a team-high three RBIs. Falgoust, LaFleur, and Schairer also collected two hits each as Newman finished with 12 hits. Regular pinch-runner Thomas Smallpage scored three runs, while Falgoust and Robert each scored multiple times.

Newman also turned two key double plays. In the fifth inning, Villere started an inning-ending 6-3 double play, fielding a ground ball at shortstop and throwing to Peter Barras at first to erase the lead runner and end the threat.

The Greenies then closed out the game with another double play in the seventh inning, as Villere fielded a ground ball and threw to Barras at first before Wilson applied the tag at home plate to complete the game-ending sequence.

Christian Sauska earned the win after allowing six runs, including four earned runs, over six innings while striking out six and walking two. Villere closed out the victory with a scoreless inning of relief and added a strikeout.

With the win, Newman evened the championship series and forced a winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday.

Game 3: Newman 15, U-High 12

With throngs of Greenie Nation fans on hand in Sulphur and over a hundred more cheering along at Fat Harry’s, Newman captured the state championship on Saturday, surviving multiple momentum swings and answering every challenge in a dramatic 15-12 victory over U-High in the decisive Game 3 of the championship series.

The Greenies came out aggressively from the opening pitch. Jack Falgoust, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the series after finishing 6-for-11 with four doubles, five RBIs, two walks and a .615 on-base percentage, reached to begin the game. Christian Sauska and Atticus LaFleur then worked walks to load the bases, Malcolm Schairer followed with an RBI single to right field, and George Loop added another RBI hit as Newman quickly built a 3-0 lead.

The Cubs answered in the middle innings and briefly moved in front 5-3, but Newman immediately responded. Benjamin Singer singled to open the fourth inning before Charles Wilson lined an RBI single to left field to cut the deficit to one run. Newman later tied the game at 5-5 as momentum swung back toward the Greenies.

In the fifth inning, Schairer opened the rally with another hit before Loop reached on an error. Singer was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Tanner Robert brought home the go-ahead run. Moments later, Falgoust ripped a two-run single to right field to push Newman back in front 7-5.

Wilson then delivered the defining swing of the championship when he launched a two-run home run over the left-field wall, igniting the Newman dugout and stretching the lead to 9-5.

The Greenies kept applying pressure in the sixth inning. Schairer collected his fourth hit of the afternoon before Tanner Robert added an RBI single to left field. Falgoust later drew a walk, and Wilson followed with a bases-loaded walk to extend Newman’s lead to 12-5.

The Cubs rallied again in the bottom of the sixth, but Newman immediately answered in the seventh. Schairer opened the inning with another hit before Loop drew a walk. Robert was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force home a run, and Falgoust delivered again with a two-run single to right field that extended Newman’s lead to 15-8.

The Cubs mounted one final rally in the bottom of the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate before Peter Barras entered in relief and recorded the final out to secure the state championship for the Greenies.

Newman finished with 12 hits and repeatedly pressured offensively throughout the afternoon. Schairer led the attack with a perfect 4-for-4 performance, finishing 6-for-10 with a .545 on-base percentage in the series, while Wilson collected three hits, including the pivotal fifth-inning home run. Falgoust drove in four runs and repeatedly delivered in key moments during the championship battle.

Collier Villere, pitching for the second consecutive day after closing out the Game 2 victory, started the championship clincher and battled through the opening three innings, and later returned as a reliever as well. Augie Sauska entered in relief and stabilized the middle innings, allowing Newman’s offense time to reclaim momentum during the decisive fifth inning rally. He earned the victory after working 3.2 innings through several high-pressure situations late in the game. With the tying run at the plate in the seventh inning, Peter Barras came on in relief and recorded the final out to secure the state championship for Newman, its first in baseball since 2003. Congratulations state champion Greenies!

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For NOLA.com’s “After Game 1 between Newman and U-High, one team will lean on its ace to keep the season alive,” click here.

For NOLA.com’s “Newman’s senior pitcher-catcher duo looks to end ‘surreal’ season with a state championship,” click here.

For NOLA.com’s “One team’s explosive offense forces Newman and U-High into decisive finals Game 3,” click here.

For NOLA.com’s “Newman and U-High’s title-clinching game ended with the bases loaded. ‘I was kind of freaking out,” click here.

For Fox 8’s video highlights of “Newman captures their state title in baseball since 2003 with a win over U-High, 15-12,” click here and here.

For VSN’s “Newman Outlasts U-High for First State Baseball Title Since 2003,” click here.

For GeauxPreps’ coverage of the state championship series, click here, here, and here.

For Crescent City Sports’ “Newman takes slugfest over University Lab to win state baseball crown,” click here.

For The Real VK Jones postgame interviews, click here, here, here, and here.