Parish trio, led by SJHS, awaited state baseball state playoff berths as week began
St. John, White Castle, and Plaquemine entered this week awaiting notice on state baseball playoff berths.
SJHS led the way with a 20-victory season, District 8-1A runner-up honors, and power rating around number eight in the Class 1-A rankings.
White Castle High finished in a three-way tie for third place in the 8-1A behind champion Ascension CHS and runner-up St. John. The WC Bulldogs joined with West St. John and Christian Life with a 6-6 final league mark. However, White Castle with a 12-11 overall record held a lead over WSJHS and CLA in the 1-A power ratings. Ken Ramsey’s website had the Bulldogs rated as the number 28 seed, while WSJHS (30th seed) and CLA (31st seed) followed. Ramsey’s service was as of April 22.
Plaquemine High, which finished 11-16 overall and claimed third place in the District 8-3A baseball race with a 3-5 mark, was rated around number 29th seed in Class 3-A and the Green Devils were hoping for a playoff berth as a result as the week began.
Livonia High won the 8-3A crown and finished 8-0, followed by Brusly at 6-2, PHS at 3-5, Port Allen at 2-6, and St. James at 1-7.
SJHS LOSES TITLE BID:
St. John lost its bid to tie for District 8-1A baseball honors with archrival Ascension CHS Monday as the locals lost for the second time in league play, falling 10-9 in Donaldsonville two weekends ago.
SJHS finished 8-1A play with a 10-2 record, while ACHS remained unbeaten. SJHS lost in Plaquemine in the first round by a 2-1 score.
Both teams are ranked in the top ten in 1-A baseball.
Coach Heath Whittington is relying on the hitting and pitching of senior Shea Ourso as well as the pitching of senior Kade Yarbrough, junior Dakota Richard, and sophomore Seth Gulotta in the upcoming playoffs. Seniors Cole Verret, Mike Martinez, and Wesley Miller lead the batting order, while shortstop Trevor Curry and third sacker Kaleb Campesi also figure in the offense, along with seniors Garrett LeStage and Ourso.
WCHS MUST REBOUND:
White Castle was off to a strong start in district play before dipping in the second half with losses to West St. John and Christian Life. The second round defeats pushed the Bulldogs into the final three-way, third place tie in the 8-1A.
The Bulldogs are hoping to rebound in the playoffs behind the pitching of Gerad Carline and Isaac O’Bear (as well as their hitting) and the bats of outfielder Tyree Bracken, catcher Jonathan Roberts, outfielder Quincy Jones, and infielders Vance Williams, Terrance Taylor, and Dedrick Gore.
WCHS has a veteran ball club, which could very well help them in the playoffs.
PHS UP AND DOWN:
Plaquemine High showed every bit of their good and bad diamond play this season in their final league loss by a 12-1 score to league champ Livonia last week.
PHS has one of the better hitting teams in the area, led by standout newcomer Julius Maracalin, who is hitting over .400. Cody Nugent, Josh Randall, and Josh Falcon are also solid hitters for the Green Devils.
However, the PHS club has struggled in the field and on the mound against strong teams like Livonia. The played second-place Brusly close in a pair of costly losses when their pitching and fielding let them down in the end.
With the playoffs comes new life and Coach Cory Alleman is hoping his Green Devils get a spark and improve on their defensive end and hit the ball well enough to find some postseason victories.
