Episcopal pitcher shuts out Wolves in 8-0 victory

Saint Francis Catholic Academy suffers first loss of the season against Episcopal of Jacksonville

Mar. 19, 2026 at 2:34am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Saint Francis Catholic Academy baseball team suffered its first loss of the season, falling 8-0 to Episcopal of Jacksonville. Episcopal senior pitcher Jude McDonald threw a 4-hit shutout, striking out 11 batters. The Wolves stranded a runner in scoring position in the first inning but were unable to capitalize, as Episcopal took advantage of a pair of walks in the bottom of the first to score two runs and never looked back.

Why it matters

This loss marks the first time the Wolves have been shut out this season. It comes against a tough Episcopal team that won 22 games last year and advanced to the second round of the FHSAA Class 2A state playoffs. The Wolves will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for the postseason.

The details

Saint Francis Catholic Academy pitcher Carson Long (4-2) struggled early, walking a pair of batters in the first inning which led to two Episcopal runs. Long settled down after that, but Episcopal tacked on three more runs in the fourth inning and added two more late to seal the victory. Episcopal's Jude McDonald was dominant on the mound, striking out 11 Wolves batters.

  • The game was played on Wednesday night, March 19, 2026.
  • Saint Francis Catholic Academy will host P.K. Yonge at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

The players

Jude McDonald

A senior pitcher for Episcopal of Jacksonville who threw a 4-hit shutout, striking out 11 batters.

Carson Long

A freshman pitcher for Saint Francis Catholic Academy who took the loss, though he settled down after a shaky start.

Chris Santamarina

The first-year head coach of Saint Francis Catholic Academy, who said he wanted his team to face tough opponents to prepare for the postseason.

Cooper Jones

A junior for Episcopal who went 1-for-3 with 2 runs scored.

Cole Davidson

A junior for Episcopal who went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“When I took over, this is what we wanted. We wanted those tough, tough games because we didn't want to come into a season and just roll through everybody. We wanted the adversity. These kids feed into it. We knew coming in here that it was going to be a battle...they fought no matter what. They kept the spirit up, the energy, and that's the biggest thing.”

— Chris Santamarina, Head Coach, Saint Francis Catholic Academy

“The off-speed stuff, they're not used to that, and we've been trying to work on that as much as we could in practice, and they're getting better at it. We're a great fastball hitting team, and they attack, attack, attack, but once that off speed stuff comes...”

— Chris Santamarina, Head Coach, Saint Francis Catholic Academy

What’s next

Saint Francis Catholic Academy will look to bounce back when they host P.K. Yonge on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.

The takeaway

This loss against a tough Episcopal team will serve as valuable experience for the Wolves as they prepare for the postseason. The team's resilience and ability to adapt to different pitching styles will be tested, but their first-year coach believes they are up for the challenge.