Avoyelles Parish high schools' baseball, softball teams playing hard

Late March games featured shutouts, runaways, nail-biters

Last week's high school baseball and softball action in Avoyelles Parish could have been entitled, “As you like it.”

Do you like blow-outs with one team demolishing their opponent? Do you like high-scoring nail-biters decided by a slim point? Or do you like competitive games that could go either way based on one bad pitch, one missed catch or one bad decision by a base runner?

Avoyelles’ five baseball-playing schools had a full menu to choose from in their late-March contests.

BOYS BASEBALL

Avoyelles Charter

After four innings of its game on March 25, Avoyelles Charter trailed Pine Prairie by a single run, 3-2. However, the Vikings broke loose in the 5th inning to run away with game and defeat the Panthers, 13-3.

The Vikings’ scoring streak began in the fifth when Noah Deshotel doubled to bring two base runners home.

The Vikings scored several more times in the inning and added a few more runs in the sixth before the game was called on the “10-run” rule.

Pitcher Steven Ducote went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead the Vikes’ offense while APCS was error-free in the field.

Ducote got the win, allowing three runs on five hits with eight strike-outs in five innings. Jackson Ragusa threw one inning in relief.

Joel Franks was the Panthers’ starting pitcher, allowing one run and four hits in four innings. Pine Prairie used three relief pitchers in the final innings, when the Vikings scored 11 unanswered points.

Overall, the Vikings had 14 hits. Ducote, Ragusa, Deshotel, Spencer Coco and Luke Rousseau had multiple hits.

Pine Prairie scattered six hits in the game with Jordan Ardoin and Kyler Carson with multiple hits.

On March 26, the Vikings gave up three runs in the first inning of its game against Glenmora, but recovered their composure and went on to defeat the Bobcats, 14-4.

The Vikings’ victory was secured by a 9-run effort in the third inning.

Batters contributing to the big inning included Brennan Cochran, Seth Rousseau, Trey Knoll, Jackson Ragusa, Luke Rousseau and Spencer Coco, all driving in runs in the inning.

Deshotel earned the win, giving up three runs and one hit while striking out four batters. He also led Avoyelles Charter with two hits in three at-bats.

Coco threw one inning in relief before the game was called on the “10-run” rule.

The Vikes ended the week with a much-closer game, beating the Oak Hill Rams 8-7, giving Charter a 10-2 overall record. The Vikings have not had a district game yet.

MUSTANGS VS. TIGERS

Avoyelles and Marksville met twice last week.

The Mustangs claimed a 10-4 victory on March 26, due in large part to six runs in the 1st inning.

When the two rivals met again on March 28, the Tigers upset the ‘Stangs, 4-2, on the strength of a four-run 4th inning.

That loss dropped Avoyelles to 8-7 overall and 2-2 in District 3-AAA.

On Friday, Marksville lost to Monterey, 11-5, leaving the Tigers 2-14 overall and 1-3 in district play.

Bunkie

The Bunkie Panthers were on a winning streak last week before University Academy avenged the 15-5 thumping it received on March 22 with a 5-4 win on March 27.

In between the two UA games, Bunkie edged Buckeye, 8-7, and downed Grant, 10-4.

It ended the week with a 4-0 shutout of Oak Hill on March 29. Bunkie is 11-7 overall and 0-1 in district.

St. Joseph

So far this season the St. Joseph Eagles are winless.

In its latest outings, St. Joe lost 14-1 to Avoyelles Charter on March 21, enjoyed a break between games and then returned to the diamond for a doubleheader on March 29 against Ville Platte.

The Eagles lost 14-2 in the first game and 8-0 in the nightcap.

St. Joe is 0-11-2 for the year.

GIRLS SOFTBALL

In recent softball action:

St. Joseph

The Lady Eagles faced District 6-C rival Reeves for the second time in March last Thursday, taking a 16-9 victory. St. Joe shut out the Lady Raiders, 15-0, on March 21.

The Lady Eagles had a busy weekend, dropping a 16-3 decision to Monterey on Friday but coming back strong Saturday with an 11-3 victory over Northwood and a 6-1 win against Port Allen.

After last week, the Lady Eagles were 6-10 overall and 2-0 in district.

Avoyelles Charter

The Lady Vikings had an up-and-down week, winning three and losing two games.

APCS began the week with a 12-0 blanking of Marksville on March 25. The next day it lost a tough 6-4 decision to District 4-AA rival Bunkie.

The Lady Vikes defeated district foe Rapides, 15-6, on March 28.

Charter defeated Westminster Academy, 14-8, Friday afternoon but fell to Grant, 8-5 in a Friday nightcap game.

After last week, Charter’s record was 12-10 overall and 2-4 in district.

Bunkie

The Lady Panthers savored their district win over Avoyelles Charter, but ran into trouble on March 28 when the Lady Eagles of Menard handed them a 6-2 defeat.

That left Bunkie at 13-9 overall and 2-4 in District 4-AA.

Marksville

The Lady Tigers had a bipolar week.

On Monday (March 25), the APCS Lady Vikings shut out Marksville, 12-0. The next day, the Lady Warhorses from Peabody felt the feline wrath of the Lady Tigers, 20-1.

On Thursday (March 28), it was a band of Vikings from Vidalia administering the shutout, 11-0.

On Friday the Lady Tigers were shut out by Logansport, 15-0.

The Lady Tigers had two games Saturday, losing to Tioga, 14-2 and to Quitman 13-3.

After the busy week, Marksville was 4-13 overall and 3-2 in District 3-AAA.

Avoyelles

Avoyelles lost a district contest to Jena, 8-2 on March 26.

The Lady Mustangs unleashed their frustration on an unfortunate Carencro team, 20-3, the next day.

On Thursday, Avoyelles lost a hard-fought contest to Opelousas, 13-12 and was beaten by Pitkin, 14-11.

On Saturday it beat two opponents, shutting out Simpson, 17-0 and defeating Port Allen, 13-7 to end the week at 9-11 overall and 2-4 in District 3-AAA.

AVOYELLES JOURNAL
BUNKIE RECORD
MARKSVILLE WEEKLY

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