Nick Biddison '18 hit two home runs, while the Saints pitching staff teamed up to toss a one-hitter, as the varsity baseball team dispatched the #9-seed Norfolk Academy from postseason play with an 8–2 victory in the quarterfinal round of the 2017 VISAA State Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at Jacobs Field.

Jimmy Starnes '19 got the start on the mound for the top-seeded Saints (17–8), and got into hot water early on. The Bulldogs had the bases loaded with nobody out. Starnes fanned Norfolk's Colby Worden, and then got a sacrifice fly which gave the Bulldogs a 1–0 lead. The sophomore proceeded to induce a flyout to left field, limiting the damage to just a run in the first.

It was the future UNC Tar Heel Biddison who picked up his ace.

Biddison clobbered a ball to deep left-center field, which was initially in the outstretched glove of the leftfielder, but dropped over the wall, giving the home team a 2–1 advantage as Hayden Mitchell '17 scored on the play.

Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Biddison hit his second homer of the contest, this time a solo shot, that put St. Chris up 7–2.

Starnes wound up pitching four innings of shutout ball, not allowing a hit and fanning three Bulldogs. Patrick Routsis '19 came in for relief, earning the three-inning save and allowing just one hit. Routsis also helped himself out, going 3-for-4 at the dish.

The decisive blow for the victors came in the third, with the bases loaded and two outs. Maddison Furman '18, typically known for his work on the mound, drove a clutch double down the left-field line that plated Routsis and Donovan Murphy '18. Starnes followed up with an RBI single, giving the Saints a four-run cushion.

Now having clinched the ninth semifinal berth in school history, the Saints will look to continue their dominant season, as they will do battle with crosstown rival Collegiate on Friday afternoon in the semifinals.

First pitch is set for 4:30pm at Shepherd Stadium, located in Colonial Heights.