NATCHEZ — St. Aloysius jumped out to a big lead early and kept pounding away as the Flashes topped rival Cathedral High School 15-5 in five innings Friday night.

The Flashes were up 9-0 before the Green Wave plated their first run in the bottom of the fourth. And even though Cathedral tacked on four more to cut the lead to 9-5, the St. Al offense proved to be too much for Cathedral to overcome.

Cathedral used three pitchers, with starter Sam Parker taking the loss after he surrendered four runs — three earned — on three hits with three walks and one strikeout. Alex Weadock and Pate Shirley also got in on the action for the Green Wave.

“I was trying to see what these guys would do on the mound, because we’re going to need them in a three-game playoff series,” Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley said. “We wanted to see how these guys would react to a playoff atmosphere, and they didn’t do a bad job, but St. Al has a good hitting team.”

Ben Welp got the win for the Flashes. Despite his hiccup in the third inning, Welp went the distance, giving up five runs on four hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

St. Al struck first in the top of the second when a ground-rule double by Welp sent home Will Pierce. Jacob Breeden later scored on a fielder’s choice by Matt Foley, giving the Flashes an early 2-0 lead.

The Flashes exploded in the top of the third, and Matt Mims got things started after he scored on a passed ball in the top of the third. Beesley then pulled Parker for Weadock, but Weadock was unable to record an out. Andrew Collins singled in Drake Dorbeck and Pierce, and Lane Hynum was hit by pitch with bases loaded to score Collins, putting St. Al ahead 6-0.

Beesley changed pitchers again, with Shirley coming in to a bases-loaded jam. The Flashes weren’t done scoring, as Foley drew bases-loaded walk to score Breeden. Pat Murphy scored on a sacrifice fly, and Hynum came home on an error to round out the scoring, making it 9-0 St Al.

Cathedral didn’t go away quietly, as Thomas Garrity drew a bases-loaded walk to send home Ty Brown. In the next at-bat, Zach Flattmann hit a grand slam to make it 9-5.

“I was hoping we could go back out and shut them out, but they came back and scored four more (the next inning),” Beesley said. “I was pleased with how Zach hit the ball. It was a big hit that put us back in the game, but we just couldn’t hold down the runs.”

An RBI double by Murphy in the top of the fourth made it 10-5 St. Al, and Murphy and Hynum later scored on an error. A double by Mims sent home Foley to make it 13-5 Flashes.

St. Al tallied its final two runs in the top of the fifth when Murphy came around on an error and Hynum scored on a fielder’s choice. Cathedral went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings, forcing the 10-runs-after-five mercy rule.

Mims, Pierce and Welp all doubled for St. Al, and Mims went 2-for-3, while Welp finished 2-for-4. Hynum was a perfect 3-for-3 for the Flashes, and Murphy was 2-for-2.

Garrity had a double for the Green Wave, but no one for Cathedral had more than one hit. Weadock surrendered five runs — four earned — on three hits. Shirley went three innings, giving up six runs — one earned — on five hits while walking two and striking out two. Cathedral committed six errors, something Beesley said hurt all three of his pitchers.

“We didn’t get help behind them defensively,” he said.

Cathedral (11-6, 3-3) will face Vicksburg High School and Natchez High School today for a weekend doubleheader.