Tom Dodge
LONGVILLE – The No. 11 Bobcats were forced into a season defining moment Thursday night as No. 3 South Beauregard grabbed a 4-3 win over Eunice High in the opening game of the Class 3-A quarterfinal series.
The Bobcats had to win two games Friday night to advance to this week’s state semifinals at McMurry Park in Sulphur.
After two scoreless innings, the Knights grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third frame when Leland Broussard walked and scored off Chase Fisher’s single to left field.
Eunice tied the game in the top of the fourth as Luke Andrepont walked and scored when Jahiem Mitchell reached on an error.
South Beauregard moved ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Wyatt Beasley singled and scored on a hit by Briton Coleman.
The visting Bobcats rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth when Grant Fontenot and Phillips both walked and scored on a hit by Seth Deshotel.
Eunice had a chance to add to its lead in the top of the sixth when Dylan Darbonne reached on an error and Zach Suire singled but a double play ended the threat.
South Beauregard responded with two crucial runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to grab a 4-3 advantage.
After a strikeout to open the frame, three consecutive walks loaded the bases.
Broussard reached on an error to score Charles Keith and tie the game, 3-3.
A bases-loaded walk to Jessie Broussard allowed Coleman to score what ended up as the game-winning run.
Eunice threatened in the top of the seventh when Fontenot singled but could not advance past second base.
Fontenot started the game on the mound for the Bobcats and allowed two earned runs on five hits with five strikeout and five walks over 5.1 innings.
Luke Andrepont finished the sixth inning with one strikeout and one walk.
Avery Davis earned the complete game win for the Knights as he allowed two earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and five walks.
Fontenot finished 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored for the Bobcats.
Suire went 2-for-3, while Deshotel finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.
South Beauregard earned 7-5, 6-3 sweep over Eunice in the 2017 regional round of the playoffs.
The Bobcats advanced to the quarterfimals last season, falling 12-2, 12-3 to the eventual Class 3-A state champion Berwick.
Bulldogs split with Berwick
BERWICK – In a rematch of the 2018 Class 3-A baseball championship game, Iota and Berwick split the first two game of the state quarterfinal series.
The No. 5 Bulldogs won 10-1 in the opener, but No. 4 Berwick responded with a 13-3 mercy-rule victory.
Iota and Berwick were scheduled for the winner-take-all game Friday night to advance to this week’s state semifinals at McMurry Park in Sulphur.
Iota jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as Nicholas Duplechain reached on an error, Gavin Vidrine singled and both scored on a double by Kameron Aucoin.
The Bulldogs added a run in the top of the fourth when Aucoin doubled and scored on a hit by Trae Rambin.
Iota pushed ahead 5-0 in the top of the fifth begun when Andrew Ashby singled and Hunter Wriborg walked before Vidrine’s two RBI single.
The Bulldogs exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth frame bugun as Ashby singled and scored on a hit by Tyler Lejeune.
Wriborg singled and courtesy runner Zan Conner scored on a two-RBI hit by Vidrine.
Vidrine later scored on when Chaynery Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk.
After Berwick scored its only run in the bottom of the sixth off a Z. Hoffpauir home run, Iota answered with a run in the seventh when Ashby doubled and scored on a sacrifice by Duplechain.
Wriborg earned the complete game win as he allowed one earned run on six hits with two walks.
Vidrine went 3-for-5 with four RBI to lead the Bulldogs, while Ashby finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
Johnson, Wriborg, Aucoin and Rambin all had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Iota took an early lead in the second game when Johnson reached on an error and scored on a double by Wriborg.
Berwick tied the game in the top of the third and then pushed ahead 3-1 with two more runs in the fourth inning.
Iota closed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning when Aucoin singled and scored on a hit by Johnson.
The Panthers then exploded for 10 runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away.
Iota’s final run came in the bottom of the sixth when Johnson was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Ashby but the Panther defense held to record the mercy-rule win.
Berwick captured the title last season with a 7-1 win over Iota.