Parish baseball teams set for state tournament

This very well could be the year that we get an all-Ascension Parish Class 5A baseball championship game. We’re two wins away from seeing it.

On Thursday evening, both Dutchtown and St. Amant will be competing in state semifinal games in Sulphur. The winners of those matchups will play for the 5A state title on Saturday night.

St. Amant had a bit of an improbable run to the state tournament.

The Gators had a terrific regular season, winning 28 games and earning the No. 8 seeding in the Class 5A playoffs.

St. Amant then took care of business in the first two rounds. The Gators cruised past Chalmette, 10-0, in round one and swept ninth-seeded Live Oak in round two.

However, St. Amant pulled off the biggest shocker of the playoffs in the quarterfinal round, when the Gators went on the road and upset top-seeded Barbe in three games.

Barbe had won the last two 5A state titles, and the Buccaneers had never lost a best-of-three playoff series since the format was introduced in 2014.

They were the MaxPreps national champions last season, and they were ranked in the top 10 nationally in multiple polls heading into their matchup with the Gators.

St. Amant won game one on the strength of a two-homer effort by Cole Poirrier. Poirrier drove in seven runs.

On the mound, Jacob Mayers held Barbe to just two hits and two runs, and he struck out 10 batters. In game three’s victory, Porrier pitched four solid innings.

From the plate, Lee Amedee hit a home run, and Connor Molaison drove in three runs.

With that win, St. Amant is now ranked 18th in MaxPreps’ latest national rankings.

The Gators are making the trip to Sulphur for the state semifinals for the first time since 2014. It’s also their first trip under head coach Brandon Bravata.

St. Amant will now face fourth-seeded Sulphur High (32-7). Sulphur swept fifth-seeded Zachary in the quarterfinals. Like the Gators, the Tornados are a perfect 5-0 in the postseason.

The Gators have a great bunch of seniors that have helped lead them this season. Their seniors are: Jasen Templet, Landon Stewart, Cole Poirrier, Jacob Mayers, Brier LeBlanc, Ashtyn Ellis, Brayden Kuriger, Brayden Billingsley, Camron Planche, Lee Amedee and Isiah Omiat.

From the very start of the season, Coach Bravata raved about the traits his team possessed. 

 “I like our team. I like our team chemistry; I like our team toughness,” Bravata said.

The Dutchtown Griffins have exhibited the same qualities in 2022. And like St. Amant, they’ve been led by a group of grizzled seniors.

Dutchtown’s seniors are: Nick Gisclair, Collin Dupre, Caleb Ickes, Ethan Mayeux, Tanner Vadnais, Max Pearce, Grant Morrison, Nathan Monceaux, Treg Arboneaux, Will Delaune, Ty Quibodeaux, Kyle Robinson and Reuben Williams.

Griffin head coach Chris Schexnayder said this about his team earlier this season: “It’s a special group of guys. There’s a lot of senior leadership that has been at it for four years. It’s one of the closest groups I’ve ever been around. They pull for each other, and they want to see everyone have a great time.

Like St. Amant, Dutchtown is also ranked in MaxPreps’ top-25 national poll. The Griffins are ranked 14th.

It’s been an amazing run for Dutchtown. They finished the regular season with a 30-3 record, which included a District 5-5A championship.

The Griffins earned the No. 3 seeding in the Class 5A playoffs.

Dutchtown rolled past Slidell in round one, and the Griffins won two close games against Ponchatoula in round two.

In the quarterfinals, the Griffins swept Central.

In game one, Nick Gisclair and Jace Bennett combined on the mound to give up just one earned run. In game two, Nathan Monceaux was the starter, and he limited the Wildcats to just one run as well.

Carter Hanberry scored the winning run in game one, and in the second game, he drove in two runs himself.

This is Dutchtown’s first appearance in the state tournament since 2010.

In Thursday’s semifinal game, the Griffins will face second-seeded West Monroe (30-3). The Rebels have also gone 5-0 in the postseason.

The Class 5A championship game will be played on Field 41 at McMurry Park on Saturday, at 6 p.m.