Plaquemine IPRD 10s reach final four of Babe Ruth Southwest Regional Baseball Tournament Sunday evening
Plaquemine’s IPRD 10-year old All-Stars reached the final four of the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Southwest Regional Baseball Tournament in Levelland, Texas Sunday night and were set to play Bryant, Arkansas at article deadline Monday morning.
The locals beat hosting Levelland, Texas by a 10-4 count Sunday night to advance to the final four. Joining the IPRD club in the final round of tourney play were Bryant, Ark., Gulfport, Miss., and Tri-County, Tex.
The losers’ bracket victory Sunday evening gained revenge over the hosting Levelland club, while topped the IPRD boys 9-3 in the first round of the tourney.
“I think our boys were a little nervous the first game and playing the host team. They made ten-year old type of errors and mistakes. But, they came back the last two games and played much better. They are having fun now,” commented IPRD Director Mike Markins.
The IPRD director said no team is dominant in the tournament. “The team that plays the best from now on out will win it. No one team is stronger than the other. They all make mistakes, but they all play hard and make good plays as well. These are ten-year old boys having fun,” he noted Monday afternoon.
Adam Blanchard started the victory effort against Levelland Sunday evening. Justin Rivet relieved him in the fourth inning and closed it out. Rivet went three for three at the plate to lead the offense, while Keldrick Deggs blasted a triple. Nico Anzaldua turned in several big catches in the outfield, while Deggs made several key catches and putouts at first base.
FIRST TWO GAMES: The local all-stars drew hosting Levelland, Texas in their tournament opener and lost by a 9-3 score.
“We did not play our usual best. Tough playing the host team, but we did not play well. We bounced back in good fashion in our second game,” commented Coach John “Chief” Barbee Sunday morning.
The locals rallied back from their opening tourney loss to the hosting Leveland with a 15-3 rout of Brownsville, Texas.
Coach John “Chief” Barbee said leaders on the field over the first two games were Blanchard, Rivet, Ben Bucher, Anzaldua, and Collin Barbee. Others on the standout baseball club are Darian Pierce Jr., J’Vonte Powers, Adam Theriot, Percy Butler, Louis Adler, and Deshannon Johnson. Joining Barbee on the coaching staff is Brent Rivet and Darian Pierce Sr. Batboy is Connor Barbee.
STATE TITLE:
The 10-year old all-stars reached the Southwest regional tourney via a Louisiana State Championship in their age group two weeks ago.
The locals pounded New Iberia Recreation in their final title match by an 11-2 score to win the state crown. They battled back to win the title after losing a narrow 6-5 contest to New Iberia in the winners’ bracket.
