Louisiana high school baseball state tournament roundup

Four champions were crowned Wednesday

Oak Grove Tigers / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ten Louisiana high school baseball state champions will be crowned this week at McMurry Park in Sulphur. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Division IV and Class B and C played single-game semifinal and finals. Division I-III will begin best-of-three series Thursday.

Here is a look at the four state championship winners from Wednesday.

Division IV nonselect: Oak Grove 10, Welsh 0

Louisiana Tech quarterback signee Jackson Bradley threw a six-hit shutout for the top-seeded Tigers, who won their fifth straight state title. Bradley doubled and drove in two runs for Oak Grove (18-12), which defeated No. 4 Mangham in the semifinals, 4-2.

First baseman Tanner Duff, who walked twice and scored four runs, hit a solo home run vs. No. 2 Welsh (23-11). The Tigers hit four doubles. Second baseman James Gregory, catcher Gaige Neal and third baseman Seth Ray each doubled and drove in two runs.

Ray and Duff combined on a five-hitter in the semifinals. Ray started and went four innings, allowing three hits with a run, walk and four strikeouts. Duff yielded two hits and one run with one walk and seven strikeouts over three innings.

Mangham took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first ahead of a two-run double by Duff in the bottom half.

LHSAA Network's Spencer Verrett interviewed Bradley's sister, 2027 basketball star Caroline Bradley, during the championship. She credited the school's culture and commitment to winning for the run of state titles in baseball and football. The Tigers have won eight football state titles, with four since 2019.

Division IV select: Vermilion Catholic 4, Ouachita Christian 1

Freshman pitcher Cole Albert, the Outstanding Player, threw his third complete game of the postseason. Ouachita Christian, which lost in the football championship to Vermilion Catholic, got nine hits but was limited to the single run in the second inning.

Albert walked one and struck out three. Shortstop Jonathan Dartez, who led the Eagles to the gridiron title at quarterback, was 3-for-3 with a stolen base and two RBIs. First baseman Jackson Trahan had two hits with a homer and two RBIs.

It was the first baseball state title for No. 2 Vermilion Catholic (25-7), which rallied to win in the semifinals vs. No. 11 Riverside Academy, 9-8. Relief pitcher Dominic Gautreaux got a double play with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to secure the victory.

No. 12-seeded Ouachita Christian (18-16) stunned undefeated No. 1 Covenant Christian in the semifinals, 12-7. The Eagles, who have won 10 state titles, finished as runner-up for seventh time.

After falling behind 1-0 to Covenant Christian, the Eagles scored eight straight runs. OCS hit five doubles. Shortstop Reed Smalling finished with four hits, a double and four RBIs.

Class B: Pitkin 9, Family Community 6

The top-seeded Tigers of coach J.C. Holt claimed their 14th state title, which trails only Hicks (15) and Jesuit (22), according to 14-0 Productions. It was the third crown in six years for Pitkin, which got three hits (triple) and three RBIs from freshman outfielder Gavin Holt. Outfielder Gage James was 4-for-4 with two RBIs.

Pitkin (23-7) defeated district rival No. 4 Hicks in the semifinals, 4-1. Dayne Martin, a 6-foot-2 second team all-state basketball player, pitched a three-hitter with one walk and six strikeouts. Holt had two hits. Pitkin defeated Hicks three times, winning 13-2 and 11-5 in the regular season.

No. 3 Family Community (23-13), which advanced to the championship with a 6-2 win over No. 2 Weston, got three hits in three at-bats in the final from Rylan Thomas. Dylan Dunn had two hits with a double for the Franklin Parish program.

Class C: Ebarb 8, Harrisonburg 3

The fourth-seeded Rebels knocked off No. 1 Family Christian and No. 2 Harrisonburg to win their first state title.

Ebarb (17-10) sophomore pitcher Drew Procell struck out six in six innings and produced three hits with six RBIs in the 18-8 semifinal win. He had two doubles and a triple. Freshman Cole Cartinez, who had three hits and scored three runs, pitched the last inning.

Cartinez got the start in the final, working four innings with four strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Cameron Gillie pitched three shutout innings in relief, surrendering one hit with no walks and two strikeouts. Second baseman Garrett Sepulvado totaled two hits and two runs out of the leadoff spot.

Harrisonburg (18-3), which committed eight errors, rallied from a 9-0 deficit to beat No. 3 Maurepas in the semifinals, 15-10. Relief pitcher Tate Tiffee threw six innings, allowing two runs with five strikeouts. He also had a hit, RBI and scored twice.

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