FROM THE TOWN TALK

LaMar Gafford, Alexandria Town Talk

SULPHUR — Saturday's Class 4A title game was going to be a historic one for either Buckeye or West Ouachita.

With an opportunity to send their coach, Darlene Wiley, out as a champion in her final game, the Lady Panthers were stopped by the Lady Chiefs and lost 3-0 Saturday.

"The girls showed so much grit and they fought," Wiley said. "They came out hitting the ball but it went straight to them. Whoever had the best breaks in the game was going to win the game. You have to give it to them, they're a great team. Our kids stayed with them toe-to-toe, but when you can't put runs on the board, you don't win."

Buckeye (17-11) managed to get just one hit off Lady Chief senior Shelby Carlson, who earned MVP honors after being a walk and a hit shy of a perfect game.

Lady Panther first baseman Abby Thompson got her team's lone hit in the second inning and they did not have another runner on the bases until Jadyn Dauzart drew a walk in the sixth.

Ashlyn Roach's sac fly in the fifth gave the Lady Chiefs an extra run to play with after Wilhite scored to make it 3-0.

For West Ouachita, it is the school's first softball title after making it to Sulphur for 13 consecutive years and settling as the runner-up in 2009, 2015 and 2017.

"It's amazing and it's so humbling to get a championship after all these years," Lady Chiefs coach Ashley Hoyle said. "To actually win it and seeing my kids' faces, it's so humbling. I'm blessed and it's just an amazing feeling."

Despite the loss, Wiley was proud of her team and her career, which is highlighted by the Class 3A state title in 2012.

"To be able to take a group of kids like this that nobody really believed in and to let them experience what I have had the pleasure of experiencing in the past (is amazing)," Wiley said. "To win a championship is one thing, but to see a group of kids come together and play like they've done, that's pretty sweet."

Lady Chiefs advance to State Softball Tournament for 13^th straight season

By: Jimmy Touchet (From The News Star)

West Ouachita third baseman Joyce Currie tags out a DeRidder Lady Dragon for the final out in the Lady Chiefs' 6-0 Class 4A quarterfinal victory at West Ouachita's Reservation on Saturday, April 20. (Photo by Kenneth Burford).

CADEVILLE --- The West Ouachita Lady Chiefs are heading back to Sulphur for the 2019 Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) Fast Pitch State

Softball Tournament for the thirteenth straight season following a 6-0 Class 4A quarterfinal playoff victory over the 2018 LHSAA Class 4A State Champion DeRidder Dragons at West Ouachita High School on Saturday, April 20.

West Ouachita senior pitcher Shelby Carlson continued her post season dominance striking out eleven DeRidder batters, while pitching a no-hitter and allowing zero walks, in the complete game of 7 innings.

“She (Carlson) is in the zone right now,” West Ouachita coach Ashley Burkett – Hoyle said.  “She is pitching well and moving the ball well.  With our defense behind her, we are hard to beat.”

After Carlson struck out the side with a quick three-up-three down, West Ouachita jumped all over the Lady Dragons by plating four runs in the bottom of the first. 

“I thought that we all came out very calm and very confident,” Carlson said.  “Our five seniors knew that this would be our last time to step on this

field and we made sure that we would leave our mark.”

Following a single by Lady Chiefs’ first baseman Ashlyn Roach and an error to reach base by Carlson, catcher Sam Eckert blasted the ball over the right field center wall for a three run home run to give West Ouachita the early 3-0 lead.   

“Honestly, I was just trying to get a base hit and score a run because I knew that we needed it,” Eckert said.  “I knew that it would take a little bit of pressure off us if I could get in one run.  She (DeRidder pitcher Kyleigh Hoskey) just hung it out there and I got a hold of it.”

Coach Burkett was pleased to get the early run cushion on a tough DeRidder squad.

“That big stroke (Eckert’s homerun) was huge,” Burkett – Hoyle said.  “We come out hot in the game.  We come out swinging it ready to score runs.  When we do that, it puts the other team down quickly.”

Later in the bottom of the first, West Ouachita left fielder Alex Roberson reached base on an error by DeRidder third baseman Jocelyn Irving. Up next, Lady Chiefs’ third baseman Joyce Currie laced 1-2 pitch in the gap in right center field to score Irving to give West Ouachita a 4-0 advantage at the end of the first.

West Ouachita would add another run in the bottom of the second when center fielder Jordie Wilhite hit a double to left center field to reach base.  Wilhite would eventually steal third which set the stage for Roach to hit a sacrifice fly to straight away center to score Wilhite from third and give West Ouachita the 5-0 lead.

West Ouachita would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when third baseman Joyce Currie hit a shot over the left center wall to give the Lady Chiefs a solid 6-0 advantage heading into the game’s final frame.

In the top of the seventh, Carlson struck out the first DeRidder batter before hitting the second Lady Dragon in third baseman Jocelyn Irvine to give the DeRidder a runner on base.Next up, the West Ouachita defense took control forcing a 3-5-3 double play to end the game and start the celebration for the thirteenth straight trip to Sulphur.

About the streak – Is this the year that West Ouachita finally wins a state title?

Even though West Ouachita has advanced to the state tournament for thirteen straight seasons, the Lady Chiefs have failed to come home with the state’s ultimate prize – a state championship.

West Ouachita’s streak is one of the most impressive milestones in the state.  Some of the players on the current Lady Chiefs squad were in diapers the last time that West Ouachita failed to qualify for the State Tournament.

Still after twelve straight trips to the state’s top stage, coach Burkett-Hoyle still feels great for her girls and the team on the accomplishment.

“It feels amazing just like it does every year,” Burkett-Hoyle said jubilantly.    

In Sulphur, the Lady Chiefs have played .500 ball winning 12 games in the state tournament while dropping 12 games during their 13 straight appearance streak.

All total, West Ouachita has made the Class 4A state championship game three times, losing all three games, and advanced to the semifinal round nine times.  

West Ouachita will make the move to Class 5A’s District 2 next season where the Lady Chiefs will compete in arguable the toughest Class 5A softball district in the state. 

District 2-5A consists of 15 state championships earned by the Ouachita Parish Lady Lions (2 state titles – 2014, 2018), Pineville Lady Rebels (6 state titles – 1983, 1985, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998), Ruston Lady Bearcats (1 state title - 2007), Alexandria Senior High (ASH) Lady Trojans (1 state title – 2016) and West Monroe Lady Rebels (5 state titles – 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999).

With the upcoming transition to Class 5A next year, West Ouachita will have a final opportunity to claim a Class 4A softball state title.

Up next, West Ouachita will turn its attention to its semifinal opponent in the second seeded North DeSoto Lady Griffins.  North DeSoto and West Ouachita are no strangers to each other having met in Sulphur twice in the state championship game.

“They (North DeSoto) are always very competent,” Burkett-Hoyle said.  “They are biggest competition in Class 4A every year so it will be a fun game coming in the semifinals no matter what.”

West Ouachita and North DeSoto met on February 25 with the Lady Griffins claiming an 8-7 home victory.

Coach Burkett-Hoyle was very pleased with huge home crowd that came out to support the Lady Chiefs’ march to the semifinals.

“We need them (West Ouachita fans) in Sulphur big time,” Burkett – Hoyle said.  “We need them to come out just as big as they did today.”

By Andrew Valenti

St. Thomas More players Paityn Desormeaux (left) and Hannah Parker (right) following their 9-3 extra innings victory over Haynes in the Division II quarterfinal playoff game.  (Photo courtesy of www.nola.com)

By Charles Salzer (From The Advocate)

Top-seeded Parkview Baptist felt some pressure in the early going of its Division II softball playoff game against No. 8 Academy of Our Lady, but a dominant pitching performance by Kassie Salling gave the Eagles all the time they needed to settle in.

Salling struck out 15 batters, and Parkview scored in each of its last four at-bats on its way to a 7-1 over the Penguins at Parkview Baptist.

The two-time defending Division II champion Eagles advance to next week’s state tournament beginning Friday at Sulphur’s Frasch Park. It is the fifth consecutive state tournament appearance for Parkview, whose semifinal opponent will be the winner between Thomas Jefferson and De La Salle.

Salling threw 116 pitches in seven innings, walked two and gave up two hits. She struck out half of the 30 batters she faced, but had to pitch around four Parkview errors.

“It's kind of tough sometimes when you’re playing behind Kassie because you don’t get too many ground balls,” Parkview coach Ashlee Weems said. “I knew Academy of Our Lady was going to put the ball in play — some way, some how they were going to figure it out. They’re a scrappy team.”

Academy of Our Lady (16-9) started senior Kaitlyn Lubbert in the circle, the same pitcher the Penguins used when they lost to Parkview 9-8 in the 2017 semifinals. Lubbert retired the first six Eagles she faced, and had a 1-0 lead before the Parkview bats came to life in the third inning.

Audrey Greely, who went 3 for 4 with a triple and three stolen bases, got Parkview started with a two-out single in the third. After Greely stole second, Madison Watson got the first of her three RBIs with a double to left. Jaci Vannorden followed with an RBI single, and the Eagles had a 2-1 lead.

Parkview stretched the lead to 3-1 on Meghan Mitchell’s RBI single in the fourth.

In the fifth, Watson hit a two-run home run to center field, and Taylor Spencer added a solo shot to left-center.

Academy of Our Lady stranded a bunt single in the first inning, and picked up its second hit in the sixth, a one-out liner to right by Eden Messa. Ca’Terra Bates drew a walk to put to Penguins on base, but Salling got a fly ball out and a strikeout to end the threat.

“I thought we played our game, but their pitcher was outstanding today,” Academy of Our Lady coach Frank Palmisano said. “She had 15 strikeouts and gave up maybe one hit. That was the ballgame right there. They made a couple of errors, we had a few opportunities, but we had one base hit and you can’t win games like that. (Salling) was dominant.”

• By: Ken Trahan (From www.crenscentcitysports.com)

  The defending LHSAA Division Softball State Champions John Curtis Lady Patriots are heading back to Sulphur for the 2019 LHSAA Fast Pitch 48 State Softball Tournament following their 10-0 quarterfinal 4 innings victory against Archbishop Chapelle on April 18. (Logo courtesy of John Curtis Christian School).

The defending state champions are heading back to Sulphur.

Second-seeded John Curtis Christian hammered No. 7 Archbishop Chapelle 10-0 in a game shortened to four and a half innings by the mercy rule in the Division I quarterfinals Wednesday at River Ridge.

Cam Goodman belted a two-run, inside-the-park home run and delivered an RBI double to pace the Patriots to an early lead. Tatum Meyers had a two-run single, Sierra Sacco, Jacke Melancon, Bri Neal and Toni Langford each had an RBI single and Rayven Sanders doubled for Curtis (21-6).

Remi Hebert picked up the win, pitching four shutout innings with Madison Laiche pitched the final inning for the Patriots.

It was the third win for John Curtis over Chapelle (3-17) this season. The Patriots defeated the Chipmunks 15-0 and 17-2 during the regular season.

John Curtis advances to face another familiar foe in Mount Carmel Academy in the semifinals. The Cubs and Patriots split a pair of regular season games with each team winning by two runs over the other. The other semifinal will pit top-seeded Dominican against fourth seed Evangel Christian.

De La Salle 7, Thomas Jefferson 2

At JPRD Playground, Metairie, Division II quarterfinal playoff game

Records: De La Salle (15-4); Thomas Jefferson (14-8)

PLAYER OF THE GAME

De La Salle pitcher Cera Blanchard

She did it on the mound and at the plate. Blanchard dominated from the circle in three of the first four innings while the offense was on the way to building a 5-1 lead. She also had a hand in the offense, going three for four at the plate with four 4RBI.

4 KEY MOMENTS: HOW THE GAME WAS SHAPED

1) The Cavaliers were aggressive from the start as pitcher Cera Blanchard retired the side in the top of the first, and then contributed an RBI single in the bottom half to score lead-off hitter Gabby Vado, who reached base on an error.

2) Blanchard continued her mastery of the Jaguar line up striking out two of three and retiring the side for the second consecutive inning while her teammates added more offense in the bottom half. This time, it was a base hit by Vado that brough home Skyler Miller, icreasing the De La Salle lead to 2-0.

3) Thomas Jefferson showed flashes of why they made the playoffs in the top of the third when they cut to lead to one, 2-1 as Brooke Taylor hit a single to score Nikki McMassey.

4) De La Salle had threatened to break the game wide open when they score three runs in the fourth, and at one point, had the bases loaded, but the Jaguars halted the surge and the offense added two more runs in the next inning for a comfortable 7-2 advantage.

SCORELINE

BOX SCORE

Thomas Jefferson – Serena Brown (CF), 0-3; Brooke Taylor (C), 1-3, RBI; McKenzie Bourgeois (P), 1-3; Regina Fletcher (0-3; Witney Kramer (LF), 0-3; Isabella Landaiche (1B), 0-3; Nikki McMassey (RF), 1-1, 2R; Ashlyn Arcement (3B), 1-3; Raleigh Dugas (2B), 2-2, 3B, RBI

De La Salle – Gabby Vado (SS), 4-4, 3RBI, 2R; Tayla Hunter (2B), 3-4, R; Taylor Edwards (3B), 1-3, R; Cera Blanchard (P), 3-4, 4RBI; Ali Cerise (C), 0-3; Lainey Robertson (1B), 1-3, R; Skyler Miller (CF), 2-3. R; Summer Neumiller (LF), 1-4, R; Dulce Rivera (RF), 0-3

DECIDING PITCHERS

WP: Cera Blanchard (15-2), 7IP, 2R, 5H, 3BB, 6K

LP: McKenzie Bourgeois (7-4), 6IP, 5R, 3ER, 13H, 2BB, 2K

NOTABLE:

Thomas Jefferson had a 4-1 record against teams in the Division II quarterfinals while De La Salle is 2-2.

In the 2018 Division II postseason, Thomas Jefferson was seeded eighth and defeated No. 9 Academy of Our Lady 4-3 in the first round and fell 17-3 to top seeded Parkview Baptist in the quarterfinals. De La Salle was seeded seventh and beat 10th seeded St. Louis 5-0 in round one and fell 5-1 in the quarterfinals to second seeded Hannan.

THEY SAID IT:

“I had to go up to the plate knowing I was going to hit the ball and do this for the team. We needed to be aggressive.” De La Salle shortstop Gabby Vado

“We were very glad to be moving on and going to the state tournament. I knew the team had my back, and we want to keep playing.” De La Salle pitcher Ciera Blanchard.

“I’m pretty sure it’s the first time since a De La Salle team made the semis, so we’re real proud of that. I got this job in January and we started talking about how what level we were on and where we need to be to get to this point in the season. What you saw today is what we do. I also have to give credit to Thomas Jefferson because they put the ball in play a lot.” De La Salle coach Bobby Ledoux

“I told the girls to not let this be the end, but the beginning of something special. We had a very good season and this year was something to build on.” Thomas Jefferson coach Kevin Perry

NEXT UP: De La Salle advances to the semifinals to face top seeded Parkview Baptist, a 7-1 winner over No. 8 Academy of Our Lady in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Division II championship at Frasch Park in Sulphur, La.