Pensacola Catholic Keeps Rolling, Goes 4-0 In Aggie Classic

Senior Jackson Kohr and the rest of the Crusaders have had plenty to celebrate so far this season. Photo from pensacolachs.org.

The Pensacola Catholic Crusaders kept the momentum going on their great start to the 2024 season with another strong week of baseball this week, going a perfect 4-0 during the Aggie Classic tournament.

Serving as one of four host sites, the Crusaders (11-1) defended their home turf with decisive wins over a trio of teams from Oklahoma in Union, Booker T. Washington and Noble, before ending their perfect week with a 14-3 win over the Olympia Titans (7-3), from Orlando.

Catholic has now won seven straight since taking its only loss on the season, a 15-10 decision to Marist, Georgia, back on March 7th. The offense has been on fire all along, averaging over ten runs per game. Six of their eleven wins have come by double digits, including three of those in the Aggie Classic.

Colton Guillot celebrates with Vaughn Howard after hitting a home run against Booker T. Washington, OK. Photo from pensacolachs.org.

The ball has been leaving the yard off the bats of the Crusaders with great regularity, as they have combined to hit 14 home runs already as a team. Chris Rembert and Colton Guillot are tied for the team lead with three home runs each, while Brock Clayton, Gavin Howard, Vaughn Howard and Jalen Moton have two apiece.

Rembert has been on an absolute tear this year to lead the team in most offensive categories. Through twelve games he has hit .579 with 22 hits in 38 at bats, with 19 RBI and 21 runs. He also has four doubles and a triple to go with his three long balls.

Rembert scored three times in their big, 16-2 win over the Booker T. Washington Hornets, from Oklahoma. The entire offense exemplified how locked in it is at the plate, as the Crusaders broke open the game with a 12-run fourth inning that turned a 4-2 battle into a mercy-rule early finish.

Jackson Maddrey bats against the Booker T. Washington Hornets in the 2024 Aggie Classic. Photo from pensacolachs.org.

Colton Guillot and Brock Clayton went deep in that contest, but every batter in the lineup also got in on the action. Every starter reached base and scored against the Hornets, with Clayton and Vaughn Howard both collecting two hits.

Pitching might get overlooked with that much offensive firepower rolling off the bus, but the Crusaders have gotten the job done on the mound as well. They have held the opposition to two runs or less in seven of their wins this season, with one shutout. Sophomore Parker Granse leads the pitching staff with 27 strikeouts in his first 19 innings this year, and he has gone 4-0 in his first four starts.

Senior Jackson Kohr has also gone undefeated in his starts this year, posting a 3-0 record and 19 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched. The right-hander has a 0.36 ERA and has only allowed one earned run thus far on the year.

Brock Clayton also hit a home run against Booker T. Washington, OK. Photo from pensacolachs.org.

The team will continue to enjoy some home games for this part of the schedule, before finishing up the regular season with its toughest stretch of games. Then the real season can begin.

The sky is the limit for this team going on into the second half of the year. Certainly the Crusaders will look to defend their district title from a year ago, with an eye on another deep playoff run in pursuit of the program’s fourth state championship.

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