Area Prep Baseball Playoff Report for Thursday, May 1
A pair of area teams face tall tasks against the number one seeds in their respective classes as LHSAA state quarterfinal action opens this evening.
In Select Division I, No. 8 seed John Curtis Christian (24-12) travels to Grizzly Field to battle defending state champion and top seed Catholic of Baton Rouge (31-5) in game one of a best-of-three quarterfinal series this evening at 5 p.m.
The Bears, who were named national champions a year ago, have six state titles to their credit.
Catholic has won 14 of their last 15 games and swept No. 16 Lafayette in the regional round.
The Patriots have won nine state championships.
John Curtis has won eight straight games, including a two-game sweep of District 9-5A rival and No. 9 seed Archbishop Rummel in the regional round.
Catholic has eliminated John Curtis in the last three Division I playoffs.
Last year, the Bears shut out the Patriots 5-0 in the championship game.
In 2023, Catholic shut out John Curtis 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
In 2022, the Bears defeated the Patriots 4-1 in the title game.
Jeff Curtis likes the way his team is playing with a full deck.
“It is a talented team but we have a lot of football players that play,” Curtis said. “At least four are key players. Starting two weeks early kind of impeded a little of our progress early in the season as we could not do as much as we wanted to. We got off to a bit of a slow start.”
The Patriots got a boost from basketball as well.
“Xavier Brown gave us a lift coming out of basketball,” Curtis said. “He has been very good for us. The pieces to the puzzle are coming together and we are playing better baseball now.”
While the Patriots have had issues, like most opponents, creating offense and runs against Catholic, the offense has come together of late.
“I think a lot of our offense starts with Nate Alario and his ability to get on base and create runs,” Curtis said. “Kolston Martinez has really come alive for us at the plate and on the mound. They have been big for us.
“We moved Jeffrey Curtis to the four-hole and our offensive production has gotten better and taken pressure off others. Connor Micheu has been steady. Bryce Hebert has done it on the mound and at the plate. It has been spread around.”
The challenge beginning tonight is clear.
“Catholic has been the gold standard of Division I Select baseball,” Curtis said. “We have competed against them three times most recently, once in a three-game series. We know we will have to play very good baseball in a hostile environment. We have to play as well as we can to give ourselves an opportunity to advance.”
The Bears are the latest in a string of tough opponents for the Patriots.
“They are like a lot of teams in our league that are really good,” Curtis said. “They will not beat themselves. It will come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes.”
The Patriots are running toward the challenge.
“Our kids are used to winning and playing in these types of environments,” Curtis said. “They are not shying away from it. We are looking forward to the opportunity. We feel we belong here.”
In Non-Select Division I, No. 8 seed Northshore travels to No. 1 Live Oak tonight in game one at 6 p.m.
The Panthers (31-6), who won a state title in 2009, defeated No. 9 Walker two games to one in the regional round.
The Eagles (28-5) swept No. 16 Denham Springs in the regional round. Live Oak is in search of its first state championship.
Carson Malasovich has been superb for the Panthers. Malasovich is 10-0 on the mound with a 1.11 ERA and he is hitting .375. Connor Smith is batting .378 with 27 RBI and Brody Dukes is hitting .308.
Area Prep Baseball Playoff Schedule for Thursday, May 1
Select Division I
(8) John Curtis Christian at (1) Catholic (BR), 5 p.m.
(11) Ponchatoula vs. (3) Brother Martin, 6:30 p.m. Kirsch-Rooney LIVE ON CRESCENTCITYSPORTS.COM
Select Division II
(8) Archbishop Shaw at (1) Teurlings Catholic, 4 p.m.
(5) Vandebilt Catholic at (4) Buckeye, 7 p.m.
(6) Archbishop Hannan at (3) Loyola Prep, 6 p.m.
(7) E.D. White Catholic at (2) St. Charles Catholic, 4:30 p.m.
Select Division III
(6) Episcopal at (3) Pope John Paul II, 5 p.m.
Select Division IV
(16) St. Martin’s Episcopal at (1) Covenant Christian, 7 p.m.
Non-Select Division I
(8) Northshore at (1) Live Oak, 6 p.m.
Non-Select Division II
(6) Rayne at (3) Lutcher, 6 p.m.
Class B
(11) Anacoco at (6) Holden, 6 p.m.
Playoff Brackets