No. 3 Pitkin 5, No. 7 Weston 4
Division V Nonselect Semifinals
A walk-off single by Pitkin will send them to their 22nd state championship appearance and send the No. 7 Weston Wolves (17-15) back to Jackson Parish. After back-to-back appearances in the quarterfinals, this was Weston’s first appearance in the semifinals in over 20 years.
After getting runners on first and second from a walk and an error by the third baseman, Colten Blundell smashes a double to right field to score S Watkins and push Tait Henderson to third. Cole Tolar followed it with a single to left field, scoring Henderson. Weston took an early 2-0 lead after half an inning.
Weston held the shutout until the bottom of the second. A walk to Longino puts a runner on base. Longino was replaced by a courtesy runner. The Wolves were looking to escape the inning without a score with back-to-back flouts. James pops a ground ball to right field giving a runner at first and second. Stephens hits a line drive to center field scoring one run and pushing James to third base. The Tigers had cut the lead to 2-1 after two innings.
Pitkin caught the Wolves in the third. Back-to-back walks put runners on first and second. Weston brought in Cooper Delaney as a pitcher. A bunt back to the pitcher loads the bases and Mother Nature favored the Wolves stopping the momentum with a 30-minute lightning delay. Another walk scored Perkins. Three consecutive outs stopped the danger to the Wolves, but the two were knotted at 2-2.
Pitkin looked to threaten to retake the lead in the fourth with bases loaded again. Outfielders saved the inning as both stayed tied at 2-2.
Weston finally caught a break in the fifth as Bryce Zehr reached on a single from a line drive to center field. Henderson had a sacrifice bunt and the speed of Zehr allowed him to reach third. Blundell was intentionally walked, giving runners on the corners. A fielder’s choice to shortstop ended the inning still with both tied at 2.
Pitkin finally broke the tie in the bottom half of the fifth. Nolen was hit by a pitch from Delaney. Nolen gained another base on a wild pitch. Davis bunted back to the pitcher but beat the throw and sent Nolen to third. James hit a worm burner to center field. Zehr tries to catch Nolen getting home but scores. James stretched his single to second base on the throw, but Davis was caught out at third. The damage was done as Pitkin took the 3-2 lead after five innings.
Pitkin continued to expand the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Perkins kicked off the inning with a single to right field. A fielding error allowed Perkins to reach third base. The defense kept Perkins at third. Longino was hit by a pitch and runners once again were at the corners. Delaney struck out the last batter of the inning to stop the scoring.
Weston had struggled to get the offense rolling but it kicked in at the right time. Top of the seventh, back-to-back walks put Jacob Gill and Sawyer Watkins on first and second. Zehr gave a sacrifice bunt and pushed Watkins and Gill to second and third, respectively. Henderson hit a grounder to short and got out at first but Gill scored and Watkins made it to third. Weston had tied the game at 3-3. Blundell was intentionally walked for the second time this game putting runners on first and third. Tolar delivered as he hit a line drive to left field scoring Watkins and giving Weston the lead for the second time in the game. The top of the seventh ended with Weston up 4-3.
The bottom of the seventh saw the inning open with a walk for Davis. Weston brought in T Culpepper on the mound. Davis reached second on a wild pitch. James reached on an error and took another base as Davis scored, tying the game at 4-4. James is on second base as Stephens comes to bat. Fly out to right field and James stayed on second. Martin is hit by a pitch and Martin is on first and James is on second. Perkins walked, loading the bases. On a 2-1 pitch, Pitkin tries a squeeze bunt but James is caught stealing at home. Second out of the inning. Perkins moved to second as Martin is on third. Wisby smashes a line drive to left field scoring Martin giving the Pitkin Tigers yet another trip to the state championship.
Colten Blundell went 2 for 2 with a double and an RBI. Cole Tolar batted 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Tait Henderson had an RBI for the Wolves.
Cooper Delaney pitched 4 innings throwing 4 strikeouts. Tait Henderson tossed 3 innings throwing a strikeout. Tayt Culpepper threw for a ⅔ of an inning.
No. 5 Anacoco 4, No. 1 Choudrant 3 (9 innings)
Division V Nonselect Semifinals
Anacoco took 9 innings to stop the Choudrant Aggies from taking their third consecutive state title, but the Anacoco did. Anacoco will make their fourth appearance in the state title game although they have never won a state championship. The last appearance by the Indians was in 2009. The No. 1 seeded Choudrant Aggies finished at 28-5 and made their third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
Choudrant started early with the offense. Landon Hennen reached base on an error. Back-to-back singles by Bryce McGuire and Gavin Murphy loaded the bases. Kaden Bradshaw knocked a fly ball to right field for a sacrifice fly as Hennen tagged up and scored while McGuire stayed at second and Murphy stayed at first. TJ Smith gave the Aggies a two-out rally with a single back to the pitcher scoring McGuire. Choudrant ended the first inning up 2-0.
Second inning Choudrant looked to widen their lead. Eli Callendar started with a single. Callendar reached second on a wild pitch. Wade Watson bunts to third base for a sacrifice bunt and pushed Callendar to third. Hennen hits a sacrifice fly to the right field as Callendar tags up to home. Choudrant lead 3-0 after two innings.
Defense prevailed until the top of the sixth inning for Anacoco. Choudrant threatened to score again in the third but a double play by the Indian's defense gave two out and left a runner on third base for the Aggies. Choudrant once again had runners reach third but Anacoco's defense held them back from adding to their lead.
In the sixth, it was time for the Indians to get some offense. After a fly-out, Rodriguez walked. Scott reaches on an error and allows Rodriguez to reach third. With runners on the corners, Welch hit a line drive single to left field, scoring Rodriguez and Scott. Anacoco cut the lead to 3-2. Welch is put out on a fielder’s choice by Thompson. Matthews then walked putting Thompson on second. Taylor pops a line drive to center field for a double scoring Thompson and sending Matthews to third. Anacoco had caught Choudrant 3-3 at the top of the sixth.
Choudrant was three up, three down in the sixth.
Top of the seventh, Anacoco was also three up, three down.
Bradshaw started the seventh inning with a double. Anacoco made a pitching change by putting in Taylor. After the first out, Smith grounded out to shortstop but Bradshaw moved to third. A strikeout ended the seventh inning sending the game to extra innings.
Anacoco’s Welch reached on an error but was caught stealing second and a strikeout ended a chance for the Indians to score.
Bottom of the eight, Choudrant looked to end it again. Jackson Pyle hit a single on a line drive to left field. Following a second out on a strikeout, McGuire and Murphy walked loading the bases. Bradshaw hit into a fielder’s choice ending the eighth inning.
Top of the ninth, Taylor hit a single to give the Indians a runner on base. Goodwin is walked and gives runners on first and second. The second out was gained by a ground out by Goodwin to first base, but an error allowed Taylor to score, breaking the tie at 4-3. Goodwin reached third on a single but was unable to score. Anacoco held the 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Michael Jones started the inning with a single to center field. Smith gave up a sacrifice bunt to send Jones to second base. On a 1-1 pitch, Jones tried to steal third but was caught and given the second out of the inning. A ground ball by Colton Smith to the pitcher sends the Indians to the state championship.
Kaden Bradshaw hit 2 for 4 including a double and an RBI. TJ Smith also hit 2 for 4 and had an RBI. Bryce McGuire and Gavin Murphy each hit 2 for 4. Michael Jones was 2 for 5 for the Aggies.
Bryce McGuire pitched 5 innings for 3 strikeouts. Landon Hennen closed out 4 innings for 2 strikeouts.
Ascension Catholic 4, Glenbrook 1
Division IV Select Semifinal
The Glenbrook Apaches in their first-ever LHSAA appearance made a pretty bold showing as newcomers. The Apaches got as far as the state semifinals before succumbing to Ascension Catholic 4-1. Weather played havoc in the game as they were delayed when Ascension Catholic was up 2-1.
Maddox Mandino gave the Apaches a spark on the first at-bat of the game as he hit a double on a line drive to center field. Cason Clemmons grounded out to shortstop but Mandino reached third. Easton Sanders reached first on a walk to get runners on the corners. Turner McLelland popped a fly ball to the right field. Mandino tagged up to give Glenbrook the 1-0 lead.
Ascension Catholic answered in the bottom half of the first as Leonard walked. A double by Landry sent Leonard home for the 1-1 tie.
Glenbrook threatened to take the lead back in the top of the third as McLelland started with a single on a ground ball to left field. G Brown hits another single to center as McLelland advanced to second and Brown reached first. On a 1-0 pitch to J Waller, McLelland reaches third and Brown advanced to second on a wild pitch. Waller eventually loaded the bases with one out. A strikeout followed by a ground out to the pitcher ended the inning.
The Bulldogs finally did break the tie in the fourth inning. Melancon started the bottom of the fourth with a double to right field. Paine had a sacrifice bunt that sent Melancon to third. Husers hit another double scoring Melancon to take the 2-1 lead. Back-to-back strikeouts stopped
Glenbrook tried to catch up in the top of the fifth. Brown reached first on a dropped third strike. S Mangrum came in to run for Brown. Waller pops a single shortstop and Mangrum reached third on an error. Hayden Harmon tried the sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher but Mangrum was tagged out at home. Waller reached second, but Glenbrook exited the fifth still down 2-1.
Ascension Catholic added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth. Glenbrook got the first two out but a rain delay stopped the game. Back from the rain delay, Leonard gave the Bulldogs a single. Nolan came in as a courtesy runner for Leonard. Landry gets hit by a pitch and pushes runners to first and second. Melancon hits a single to centerfield scoring Nolan and sends Landry to
third. On a 1-2 count, Landry scores on a wild pitch sending the lead to 4-1 for the Bulldogs.
Glenbrook got close again in the sixth as Mandino reached base getting hit by a pitch. Cason Clemmons is walked adding a runner at first putting Mandino at second. A ground out by Sanders for the second out advances the two runners to second and third. Close but not enough as a ground out ends the inning.
Husers reached base in the bottom of the sixth on a walk and was sent to second on a sacrifice bunt and eventually reached third on a wild pitch. The Apaches stopped the scoring with back-to-back strikeouts.
One last chance for Glenbrook as Mangrum started the inning with a walk. Harmon is hit by a pitch, sending Mangrum to second. Toby Haulmark is walked with one out loading the bases. Rhett Johnson comes into run for Haulmark. The Bulldogs get the second out on a strikeout. A groundout ends the inning and the season for the Apaches.
Maddox Mandino hit 2 for 3 including a double. Garrett Brown also went 2 for 3 with a double.
Easton Sanders pitched 3 ⅓ innings with 7 strikeouts. Hayden Harmon tossed 1 ⅔ innings for 3 strikeouts. Maddox Mandino pitched an inning for 2 strikeouts.
No. 3 DeQuincy 10, No. 2 Logansport 0
Division IV Nonselect Semifinal
The Dequincy Tigers had a strong fifth and sixth inning to head to their second state title game in history. The last time they were in the state championship since 1981 when they lost 4-0 to Notre Dame in 2A.
DeQuincy took the early lead in the top of the second. Pharris started on base with a walk. After back-to-back strikeouts, Puryear hit a ground ball back to the first baseman scoring Pharris and giving the DeQuincy Tigers the 1-0 lead after two innings.
Logansport held strong until the fifth inning. Puryear started the fifth inning off with a worm burner to center field. Logansport intentionally walked Ashworth to set up a force. Hext comes into a courtesy run for Ashworth. Unfortunately, Maddox is hit by a pitch and loads the bases for DeQuincy. Dowden hits a fly ball to left field gaining a single scores Hext and Puryear to get the 3-0 lead, Rodriguez hits into a fielder’s choice and gets Dowden out at third but scores Maddox to give DeQuincy the 4-0 lead.
Logansport could generate the offense as they still had only one hit in the game. Three up, three down for Logansport.
The sixth inning was worse than the fifth. An error in the outfield allows DeQuincy’s Keel to reach second base. Another error by the infield scores Keel and puts Puryear on base. Ashworth was intentionally walked again and sent Puryear to second. Maddox hits a single, loading the bases once again for DeQuincy. Logansport puts in Register on the mound. Dowden nails a triple to right field scoring three runs and giving DeQuincy the 8-0 lead. On the 1-0 count, Dowden takes the plate on a passed ball pushing the lead to 9-0. Rodriguez walked and puts a fresh man on base. Rainwater is then hit by a pitch and has runners on first and second. Logansport makes another pitching change by bringing in Forrest. Forrest strikes out the next batter getting the second out of the inning. Rodriguez and Rainwater double-steal and reach third and second, respectively. A wild pitch and Rodriguez crossed the plate for the 10-0 lead. Forrest pulls the second strikeout and ends the nightmare inning for Logansport.
Logansport had one last shot to score to get to the seventh inning. The Tigers reached first and second on a hit by pitch and walk, respectively but were unable to score and the game ended in the sixth inning 10-0.
Logansport’s lone hit came from Jace Thompson in the fourth innings.
Thompson also pitched 5 ⅓ innings getting 10 strikeouts. Levi Forest pitched ⅔ of an inning getting 2 strikeouts.
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