Loreauville’s Madi Freyou folllows through after hitting a double against Catholic High Thursday. 

The prep softball playoffs may still be a month away, but there was definitely a playoff atmosphere at Catholic High Thursday night as the Lady Panthers played host to areh-rival Loreauville in a the District 7-2A opener for both teams.

With a loud, raucous crowd and high emotions from the players, the two rivals battled back-and-forth before LHS scored six runs in the top of the seventh to rally from a run down and beat the Lady Panthers in the first of two meetings this season.

“It was a good fight between two teams,” said LHS coach Jude Dugas, whose team improved to 5-2 overall and 1-0 in district. “We went into the seventh inning down a run and we scored six, most of that with one out. That was just a good win for us.”

It was also a great way to open district play for LHS before playing host to Delcambre in two weeks.

“It was a big win to open district play,” said Dugas.

Loreauville took the early lead with a run in the top of the second inning before Catholic High roared back with four runs in the bottom of the frame.

LHS got two runs back in the toop of the third and took a 5-4 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth before Catholic High came back and re-took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

But it was the big six run seventh that put the Lady Tigers over the top in the game as CHS couldn’t respond in the bottom of the inning and fell to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in district.

Kelci Louviere had the big night for Loreauville with four hits, including two doubles and a homerun and knocked in three RBI.

Madi Freyou, Camryn Angelle and Hannah Towers each had two hits in the win while Kate Landry blasted a solo home run for the Lady Tigers in the win.

Landry got the win in relief as she went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, neither earned, on two hits and three strikeouts.

Towers started the game and went 1 2/3 innings and allowed four runs, three earned on five hits.

For CHS, Peyton Smith had a hit, scored two runs and had an RBI, Elise Brown had two RBI, Jordan Mire had a hit, scored a run and had an RBI, Michelle Sapienza had a hit and scored a run and Karli Guillotte had a hit and an RBI in the loss.

Loreauville heads to Delcambre’s tournament for a game today with Erath and two games Saturday against Cecilia and St. Martiville.

Catholic High plays host to Vermilion Catholic Saturday.

In other softball games Thurssday, New Iberia Senior High dropped an 11-1 District 3-5A contest to Barbe; Centerville dropped a 17-0 District 7-A game to Lafayette Christian and Delcambre beat Breaux Bridge 14-4 in a non-district game.

There was no immediate report on Highland Baptist’s game with Hanson or Westgate’s game with Teurlings.

Baseball

New Iberia 9, South Beauregard 2

EUNICE — Dustin Menard threw a complete game and allowed two runs on one hit as New Iberia Senior High beat South Beauregard 9-2 in the Eunice High Tournament Thursday.

Chipper Menard had two doubles and three RBI, Dustin Menard added two hits, including a double, and two RBI and Trace Conley had two hits for the Jackets, who improved to 6-5 overall and play host to Ouachita Christian tonight and then close out the tournament against Church Point at Ascension Episcopal Saturday.

In other prep baseball games Thursday, Westgate lost to West Ouachita 19-0 as part of the Eunice Tournament; Catholic High lost 2-0 to Notre Dame as part of the Teurlings Tournament; Franklin beat Gueydan 18-8 in a non-district game; Hanson lost to St. Charles 13-0 as part of the Chalmette Tournament and there was no report on Erath’s game with Covenant Christian.