Northlake Christian School’s Wolverines secured the District 7-1A title with a 7-4 victory in extra innings Tuesday over the Christian Life Academy Crusaders in Baton Rouge behind senior Sam Scheibal’s seventh homer of the year. Scheibal, the Wolverines top hitter with a .481 average, gave his club the lead with a solo homer in the top of the first. Scheibal, who is second on the team with 30 runs batted in, has also scored 28 times to lead the team in that category.

NCS (15-5-1) upped its district record to 4-0 with just two district games remaining. The Wolverines host Southern Lab this afternoon at four, and close out district play Tuesday on the road against Archbishop Hannan.

NCS sophomore starter Zac Hawkins went four and two-third innings giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked four and struck out two. Justin Cromartie replaced Hawkins going one and two-third scoreless innings.

NCS Sam Scheibal

He gave up one hit, struck out four, while walking three. Reliever Bryan Picou (5-0) picked up the victory allowing no runs on one hit in his one and two-third innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. His earned run average is 3.04.

Christian Life tied it with a run in the bottom of the first. NCS took a 4-1 lead with three runs in the second. Ryan Pfefferle reached on an error, and Tyler Clark 2-for-4 with a .387 average followed with a single.

Joel Brannan sacrificed both runners up a base. Jason O’Rear hit into a fielders choice. Picou loaded the bases when he reached on a catcher’s interference.

John Farr, 2-for-3 with a walk, delivered a two-run single. Scheibal contributed a run-scoring double, but also on the hit Farr was gunned down at the plate on a strong relay throw from shortstop Zack Hedrick to end the inning.

Christian Life came back with a run in the second to cut the lead to 4-2. The Crusaders made it a one run game with another tally in the third. Christian Life’s Matt Mitchell singled, stole second and third and scored on an error during a pick off attempt.

Christian Life tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a run. Mitchell walked, and advanced to third on a throwing error. He scored on Hedrick’s sacrifice fly to force extra innings.

NCS stormed back with three runs in the top of the eighth. Farr walked to open the inning. Austin Prats replaced him as a pinch runner and stole second.

Scheibal was walked intentionally. Hawkins singled to right driving in Prats with what proved to be the winning run. Scheibal was thrown out at the plate.

Pfefferle walked and Brannan closed out the scoring with a two-run single scoring Hawkins and Pfefferle. Hawkins is the Wolverines second leading hitter with a .453 average, and leads the team with 32 RBIs.