District battles start

Published 4:30 am Monday, March 18, 2019

With the exception of ESA, which started district play last week, and Erath, which starts in a week, Teche Area  baseball teams start district play this week with some teams getting the district bye Tuesday and starting their district play Thursday.

New Iberia Senior High (11-8), coming off of two wins over cross-town rival Westgate in a three-way tournament with Patterson this weekend, opens District 3-5A play Tuesday at home against one of the top teams in the state in Class 5A – Sam Houston.

The Broncos are 18-2 overall this year and are either the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the Class 5A power rankings, depending on which ranking services you check.

Sam Houston started out with 16 straight wins but have gone 2-2 over its last four games, including a 2-1 loss to West Ouachita in its last game Saturday.

NISH has gone 4-2 over its last six games after putting together a five game win streak that started back on March 4.

Westgate (0-13) also opens District 4-4A play Tuesday at home against St. Thomas More (11-7).

The Tigers have struggled so far this spring and haven’t won a game yet although they have come close with a one run loss to Patterson, and a pair of two-run losses to Comeaux and Patterson.

STM comes into the game on a bit of a hot streak with four wins in its last five games.

Also in Class 4A, St. Martinville Senior High (5-5) has one final non-district game, today at Northwest High, before opening District 5-4A play Tuesday at Livonia (1-6).

The Tigers have been up and down this year, starting the season with two losses before coming back with three wins, then three losses and finally evening their record with two straight wins, including a 11-1 win over Franklin Wednesday.

Livonia hasn’t won a game since beating The Church Academy in the season opener in Feb.

In Class 3A, Erath (11-3) still has a week before starting District 8-3A play. The Bobcats opened the season with seven straight wins, but have gone 4-3 since then. 

In Class 2A, Catholic High (2-14) opened the season with two wins in its first three games but hasn’t won a game since. The Panthers have been close to getting another win with two runs losses to Notre Dame, Parkview Baptist and Teurlings and a one run loss to Catholic High of Baton Rouge.

CHS plays host to St. Louis today and Opelousas Catholic Thursday before playing Jeanerette in the district opener Saturday.

Jeanerette (0-4) was scheduled to open District 7-2A play Saturday at home against West St. Mary (0-1) but that game was postponed due to a wet field to today at 5 p.m.

Defending Class 2A state champion Loreauville (5-7) started off the season with a loss to Breaux Bridge, then reeled off five straight wins. Currently though, the Tigers have lost six straight and open district play Tuesday at home against Jeanerette before playing JHS again Thursday at Jeanerette.

West St. Mary (0-1) has only played one game so far this year, a 12-11 loss to rival Franklin in a non-district game last week.

Franklin (3-5) enters district play off of two straight wins and the Hornets open district play at WSM.

In Class A, Highland Baptist (6-7) enters District 7-A play off of three straight losses and the Bears open district at Lafayette Christian (5-9) Tuesday.

Hanson (3-8) has lost six straight and travels to Gueydan (3-1) Wednesday to start district play.

Centerville (4-0) opens District 7-A play Tuesday at Vermilion Catholic (12-2).

Finally in District 6-B, ESA (1-6, 1-1) opened district play last week and split a pair of games against Fairview (won 8-0 Tuesday, lost 6-5 Thursday) before dropping a 10-3 loss to Patterson Friday.

The Falcons play host to district rival Bell City Tuesday before going to the Bruins Thursday.