Tarpons among locals still alive in State Title hunt

Last Tuesday, the South Lafourche High School baseball team made history, winning their first-ever playoff game – a 10-0 mercy-rule triumph over Beau Chene.

On Friday, they did it again, winning another one.

On Saturday, they earned the hat trick – punching a ticket to the Quarterfinals of the Class 4A State Playoffs.

The Tarpons beat Riverdale in the Second Round of the Class 4A State Playoffs – one of the most action-packed, dramatic series in the state of Louisiana this past weekend.

The Tarpons won game one 2-1 on Friday, then lost game two on Saturday afternoon by the same score.

In a winner-take-all game three, South Lafourche won 9-8, scoring the winning run on a wild pitch, which plated pinch runner Jake Galjour.

With the wins, the Tarpons advanced to the Class 4A Quarterfinals – one of four locals still alive in postseason.

This is as far as the team has ever advanced in postseason – something that is not lost on the team, nor first-year coach Andrew Ravaglia, who said he’s proud of his team for competing and persevering.

“Any way you slice it, we just wanted a win today,” Ravaglia said just minutes after his team dog-piled atop Galjour for plating the winning run. “Our guys actually didn’t have the best series in games two and three, but they just found a way to get it done. I’ll never apologize for a win.”

It was a total team effort for South Lafourche in the series.

On Friday, the Tarpons fell behind 1-0, but never faltered, plating a run in the sixth inning, then a run in the seventh inning to get the win.

Senior Kasey Guidry was flawless on the mound, earning the complete-game win, while also getting a walk-off base hit to right field, which ended the game in a rally, which was also keyed by Jacob Danos and Austin Cantrelle reaching safely.

But on Saturday, things got tense.

The Rebels won game two of the series on the powerful left arm of foreign-exchange Rensuke Higashihama, who was filthy, posting a complete-game victory, while throwing just 91 pitches.

His effort outdid that of Tarpon ace Blake Ougel, who also pitched a complete game, but was beaten by two sacrifice flies.

In game three, Riverdale tried to ride the hot arm of Higashihama, opting to start him again, despite his workload and a 45-minute pause between games.

But the Tarpons quickly chased him, plating two runs in the first inning to take the lead.

But then a shootout broke loose.

After the Tarpons led 3-0, Riverdale battled back with three runs of their own to tie the game at 3-3 going to the bottom 3.

But for every punch Riverdale threw, the Tarpons had an answer. South Lafourche re-took the lead with a two-run third to go up 5-3.

After a scoreless fourth, Riverdale took the lead in the fifth with three more runs to go up 6-5, but then the Tarpons answered with three of their own to go up 8-6.

Then the Rebels struck again with two runs to tie the game at 8-all – a score which held until the bottom of the eighth inning when Galjour stole second base, then advanced to both third, then home on wild pitches, which sealed the game.

Tarpons pitcher Mark Pitre won the game on the mound, working a scoreless seventh inning. He picked up teammates Beau Callais and Austin Cantrelle who worked the earlier innings.

With the win, South Lafourche will move on to host No. 5 West Ouachita in the Quarterfinals.

Their last result had local ties.

They beat No. 21 South Terrebonne in the second round, sweeping a series with a 6-5, then 8-2 win.

The losses end the Gators’ season with a 16-17 record – the second time in three years that the team makes it to the round of 16.

ELSEWHERE IN THE AREA

This was a baseball-filled weekend for local teams.

In Class 5A, both Central Lafourche and H.L. Bourgeois advanced to the round of 16 with first-round wins.

But neither team had any luck in the three-game series.

The Trojans were swept by No. 1 Zachary, dropping games 12-2, then 13-2.

The Braves also fell in consecutive games, losing to No. 19 St. Amant 6-5, then 12-0.

In Division II, the results were mixed, as E.D. White moved on to the quarterfinals, but Vandebilt fell.

The Cardinals had an easy go, sweeping No. 9 Loyola Prep with consecutive wins – first a 2-0 game, then 9-1.

E.D. White will take on No. 1 University Lab next week with the winner going to the State Tournament in Sulphur.

Vandebilt nearly joined E.D. White in the quarterfinals.

The Terriers lost their first game to St. Charles Catholic, then won game two of the series 7-6 to force a decisive game three. In that game, the Terriers battled, but fell short, dropping a heartbreaking 6-5 game in nine innings, ending the team’s season.

In Division IV, two locals are still competing for a title.

One is CCA, which beat Central Catholic in three games, rallying from an 0-1 hole to win two-straight games to take the series.

The Lions will travel and face No. 1 St. John in the quarterfinals for a spot in Sulphur.

On the bottom of the bracket, Houma Christian is also still alive. They swept Vermilion Catholic this past weekend to earn their way to the quarterfinals.

They will take on No. 5 Opelousas Catholic this weekend.

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