This week’s series with Central Hinds was already going to be a bit of a dry run for the playoffs for St. Aloysius. The winner of their three-game set will be the District 3-AAA champion, while the loser will likely finish second.

Seeing how they do with their backs against the wall wasn’t necessarily part of the Flashes’ plan, but they’ll get to work on that as well.

Weston Acey went 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and two runs scored, Tanner Leggett and Peyton Banes had two hits apiece, and Central Hinds beat St. Al 7-2 Tuesday night in Raymond.

The loss was just the second for St. Al (12-5, 8-2 District 3-AAA) in its last 10 games, and forced it into a must-win situation. St. Al plays a doubleheader with Central Hinds (15-6, 10-0) Thursday at Bazinsky Field beginning at 4:30 p.m., and must sweep it to win the district title.

“We must play a complete game to beat a team of this caliber, and we did not do that tonight. This team will be ready Thursday,” St. Al coach Sid Naron said.

St. Al took a 1-0 lead Tuesday on an RBI triple by Lane Hynum in the third inning, but the rest of the game belonged to Central Hinds. The Cougars scored three runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good, and added to it in each of the next three innings.

Leggett scored the tying run on a single by Josh Banes, and Peyton Banes scored the go-ahead run on an error. An RBI single by Beau Coumbe made it 3-1.

Leggett had an RBI single in the fourth inning, Hunter Harvey had one in the fifth, and Acey an RBI double in the sixth. Acey scored Central Hinds’ final run on an error.

Will Pierce homered for St. Al in the sixth inning and finished the game 2-for-3.

Central Hinds pitcher Jackson Smith faced one more batter after Pierce’s home run before leaving the game. He threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He struck out two and didn’t walk anyone. Josh Banes pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

St. Al’s Casey Griffith took the loss. He pitched four innings and allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits. He walked three batters and struck out one.