Both local high school softball teams are in action today in the second round of the LHSAA playoffs, with Natchitoches Central at home. The NCHS and St. Mary’s baseball teams got their playoff assignments Tuesday, both starting at home later this week.
The NCHS Lady Chiefs had a first-round bye in Non-Select Division I with their No. 5 seeding. Today at 5 o’clock, they will host No. 12 Sulphur in a second-round contest. Sulphur dumped Denham Springs 12-2 in the first round. The winner will travel to No. 4 West Monroe for a quarterfinal game, with the survivor there advancing to next week’s state tournament.
St. Mary’s Lady Tigers rolled 18-3 Monday in their Select Division IV first-rounder over St. Martin’s Episcopal. Today the 11th-seeded SMHS squad travels south to face No. 6 St. John in a 5:30 matchup with a state quarterfinal berth at stake.
In baseball, NCHS will host a state playoff game for the first time in school history, beginning Thursday evening at 6 against another District 1-5A team, Benton. Teams in Divisions I, II and III are playing three-game series in the first, second and third rounds this spring in a new playoff format. The Chiefs (24-9) will complete the first-round series at home Saturday, with the second game at 1 o’clock and the if-necessary third game at 3:30. Tickets will be $10.
St. Mary’s drew a 16 seed in the Select Division IV bracket, just enough to host a first-round game later this week against No. 17 St. Edmund’s. The game date and time had not been announced Tuesday night.
Photo by DUSTY GRIMES
