Five errors Saturday by the usually reliable Natchitoches Central defense proved decisive as visiting Dutchtown ended the Chiefs’ season with a 6-1 victory that gave the Griffins the edge in the best-of-three LHSAA Non-Select Division I playoff series at Chad Hargis Field.
Tenth-seeded Dutchtown (27-12) scored four unearned runs in the pivotal top of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie as NCHS committed three errors in the outburst. The Chiefs were unable to sustain any offense themselves, getting just three hits on the afternoon, two by Titus Williams.
NCHS opened the series Friday with a 5-1 triumph with Ross Lindsey earning the pitching victory. Williams delivered a squeeze bunt RBI and Yancy Spillman Jr. rapped a two-run single to get the Chiefs out to a 3-0 first inning lead. A pair of sacrifice flies by Dillon Braxton and Daygen Johnson later padded the NCHS advantage.
But in the nightcap, Dutchtown’s ace Cayden Hill threw a shutout to extend the series to Saturday’s winner-take all contest.
The seventh-seeded Chiefs (28-9) laid it all on the line Saturday in front of another overflow crowd, but despite relentless effort could not overcome the disastrous fifth inning.
