The annual Perry Pitre Ford baseball jamboree will be held this weekend at both Bobcat and Blue Jay fields.
The junior varsity/freshman jamboree will be held Friday, while the varsity squads will square off on Saturday.
At Eunice High, Teurlings Catholic will face Notre Dame in a freshman game at 4 p.m.
The two schools will play again at 5:30 p.m. in a junior varsity game.
Eunice will take on Ascension Episcopal at 7 p.m.
At St. Edmund, Mamou and Opelousas Catholic will face each other at 4 p.m., followed by Iota-Sacred Heart of Ville Platte at 5:30 p.m.
St. Edmund will take on Iota at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s action at Bobcat Field begins at 10 a.m. when Sscred Heart take on Iota.
The Bulldogs will then face Ascension Episcopal at 1:30 p.m.
Eunice will close out the jamboree against Sacred Heart at 1 p.m. and Ascension Episcopal at 2:30 p.m.
“We have a solid infield and a speedy outfield,” Eunice High head coach Scott Phillips said. “We have three guys battling for the starting catcher spot and quality pitchers.”
Phillips said he is excited about the season and watching what can happen.
“My son (Austin) is a senior and it is fun as a dad to coach him as well as these others are like my own kids as I have coached them since they were little dudes. Now we get to see what we get to reap from that.”
Phillips said the jamboree are important way to start the season and the support of the local businesses like Perry Pitre Ford help the two baseball programs prosper - we can’t make it without the local community support.
“The jamboree is a fund raiser for both schools,” he said. “It is like a mini tournament and we are looking forward to a great weekend and get ready for the season opener on Tuesday.”
At Blue Jay Field, Saturday’s schedule begins at 10 a.m. as Opelousas Catholic battles Pine Prairie.
Mamou and Opelousas Catholic will square off at 11:30 a.m, followed by St. Ed’s versus Pine Prairie at 1 p.m.
The Blue Jays close the jamboree against Mamou at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday’s games are three complete innings of competition.
“We are an experienced group,” second year Blue Jay head coach Barry Manuel said of his St. Edmund team. “We only lost one pitcher from last year’s team.
“I think we will have a good team,” the coach said. “We are mature and I am looking for good things to happen this season.”
Manuel said the jamboree is a good way to start the season against quality teams in Pine Prairie and Mamou.
“When you play bigger schools, it helps prepare you for what is ahead –working toward district and the playoffs.”
The Blue Jay coach said the jamboree will help see where his team is and what they need to work on.
“When need to come out at pitch one and be ready to go,” he said.