Four teams of Jackson Parish All-Stars in the age divisions of 6U, 7U, 8U and 9U travled all over northwest Louisiana this Thursday thru Saturday.
Diamond Youth Baseball District 4 Tournament play began on Thursday, with representatives from Jackson Parish in the 6U, 7U, 8U, and 9U divisions traveling throughout north Louisiana to compete. By the end of play on Saturday, only the 9U All-Stars remained in competition, with a championship game appearance in Bossier City still to come against Shreveport at 7:30 pm on Sunday. The JP8U team won one and lost two, while both the local 6U and 7U All-Stars lost two games each.
Jackson Parish 9U All-Stars
Playing against teams from much larger population bases, the Jackson Parish 9U All-Stars proved that it isn’t the size of the team in the battle that matters but the size of the battle in the team that counts as after losing to Minden in the opening game of the District 4 Tournament played in Bossier City, JP9U took down teams from Ruston and Union Parish to advance to the championship game against Shreveport on Sunday.
Led by Manager Nick Sampey and coaches Brent Carpener and Darion Hudson, team members are Kaden Blewer, Cole Burton, Calop Carpenter, Davis Hudson, Rafe Lewter, Kase Mathews, Reed McMillan, Levi Norred, Brennon Otwell, Rowan Sampey, Anderson Smiley, and Lucas Womack.
Minden 22 JP9U 2 (Game One): The District 4 tournament had an ominous beginning for the locals as Minden’s pitching allowed only a double by Rafe Lewter over four innings and scored 13 in the top of the fourth inning to put the game away in the “run rule” shortened game. Levi Norred got an RBI, and both Davis Hudson and Calop Carpenter scored runs.
Jackson Parish 14 Ruston 0 (Game Two): Talk about role reversals! In game two of the District 4 Tournament, it was Jackson Parish that posted 13 runs in their final at-bat. Adding to the tremendous turnaround effort was Reed McMillan, pitching a no-hitter to shut down the Ruston bats, needing only 39 pitches over the three innings of play.
A star is born! What makes the fantastic mound performance even more incredible is that it was the first time in his young career that McMillan had ever started a game on the mound. McMillan was given the opportunity on a hunch by manager Nick Sampey after seeing him throw from his usual position of center field in practices.
“I watched him throwing the ball from the outfield in our practices and noticed that he had a real good zip on the ball and his throws back to the infield always seemed right on target,” said Sampey. “We brought him in to pitch in the first game in relief, and he got roughed up pretty good, but to his credit, he came back with a gem the next game.”
Jackson Parish blew a 1-0 game wide open at the top of the third inning when the first eight batters all got on base. The big rally started with Lucas Womack getting a walk and scoring on a double by Rowan Sampey. Consecutive walks to Kaden Blewer, Davis Hudson, and Calop Carpenter forced a pitching change, but it made no difference as Levin Norred drew yet another walk and both Anderson Smiley and Rafe Lewter singled to give JP9U a 6-0 lead before the first out was made. The offensive onslaught continued with two outs, with Brennon Otwell, McMillan, Womack, and Sampey all drawing consecutive walks that set up a Kaden Blewer double and a single by Hudson to plate the final two runs of the inning that ended only when Sampey was thrown out at home attempting to score yet another run.
Jackson Parish 13 Union Parish 9 (Game Three): After spotting Union Parish a 2-1 lead, Jackson Parish exploded for six runs in the second inning and added three more in both the third and fourth innings, which led to the victory that propelled Jackson Parish to the championship game of the District 4 Tournament. What makes the rally even more impressive is that it was done with only one hit, that being a single by Kaden Blewer after Anderson Smiley, Rafe Lewter, Clay Burton, and Reed McMillan all got free passes and both Kase Mathews and Rowan Sampey reached base on errors. JP9U added three more in their next at bat to up the lead to 10-5 when Calop Carpenter and Lewter hit singles, Levi Norred drew a walk and Burton reached on an error. The locals brought out the “big bats” in the final inning to put the game away as Blewer blasted a home run that scored Sampey and Calop Carpenter followed with a triple that plated Hudson, who had singled before him.
Jackson Parish 8U All-Stars
Under the guidance of Manager Raimy Hall and coaches Daniel Laffitte, Jonathan Thomas and Matt Whitman, the team of Krewe Blalock, Matthew Buchan, Uriah Hall, Duke Henderson, Jaxon Johnson, Samuel Jones, Kolton Lafitte, Pistol McCurdy, Emmett Thomas, Jax Thomas, Ryker Whitman and Myles Wiggins, won their first game and then dropped their last two in the “coach pitch” competition.
JP8U 9 Benton 1 (Game One): Ryker Whitman, Kolton Laffitte, Emmett Thomas, Jax Thomas, and Duke Henderson all got clutch two-out hits, and both Uriah Hall and Krewe Blalock reached on errors as JP8U scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to blow open the first round game.
Ruston 12 JP8U 4 (Game Two): Duke Henderson and Jaxon Johnson hit singles, and both Samuel Jones and Matthew Buchan followed with doubles to open the first at bat for Jackson Parish. Myles Wiggins then reached on an error, and Pistol McCurdy hit a single as JP8U scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, but that only cut the deficit to 7-4 as Ruston had scored 7 in their opening at bat en route to the victory.
Minden 5 JP8U 4 (Game Three): Showing tremendous heart and grit, JP8U made a courageous rally from a 5-0 deficit by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth and adding a run in both the 5th and 6th innings but came up just short with the tying run on second base in an elimination game. Jaxon Johnson (2B), Samuel Jones and Mathew Buchan all got two hits each to lead the locals who got a tournament best 12 hits in the contest. Duke Henderson, Myles Wiggins (2B), Krewe Blalock, Ryker Whitman, Kolton Laffitte and Jax Thomas all got a hit apiece.
Jackson Parish 7U All-Stars
The team of Thiago Dominguez-Jackson, Silas Hall, Easton Harvey, Ashton Hebert, Jackson Long, Coheh McMillan, Lincoln McNaughton, Brax Neatherland, Dawson Otwell, Parker Pardue, Krew Siddon, and Lex Walsworth, under the tutelage of manager Kyle McNaughton and coaches Ryan Hall, Robert Harvey, and Jacob Otwell, lost their first two games of the District 4 “coach pitch” tournament in Minden.
Ruston 19 JP7U 0(Game One): Lex Walsworth and Thiago Dominguez-Jackson opened the bottom of the first inning with singles but that would be the only hits that JP7U would get on the night that saw Ruston explode for seven runs in both the first and fourth innings.
Benton 12 JP7U 4 (Game Two): Like game one, Lex Walsworth and Thiago Dominguez-Jackson opened the contest by hitting singles. This time around, Lincoln McNaughton and Cohen McMillan would sandwich additional singles around a Krew Siddon double to give JP8U a quick 2-0 lead. After Benton came back to take a 3-2 lead, the locals scored another pair of runs in the top of the second when Parker Pardue smashed a home run, and Dawson Otwell hit a triple and scored, but once again Benton would take the lead and then put the game away with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Jackson Parish 6U All-Stars
Managed by Da’Renta Gilbet with the assistance of coaches Alexis Johnson, Jessie Martin, and Jonothan Ross, the team, consisting of Tadden Barker, L’Master Dill, Mason Franks, Dredyn Gilbert, Fletcher Greer, Bradley Howard, Alex Martin, Ryne Mauthe, Asher McNeal, Tanner Ross, Colton Wiliamson, and Walker Wimberly, got the opportunity to enjoy their very first All-Star experience. Unfortunately, it didn’t last as long as hoped for, as the locals dropped both of the games played in Bossier City.
Benton 21 JP6U 1(Game One): L’Master Dill smashed a triple and scored when Dredyn Gilbert singled him home, but that was all the offense the locals could muster in the “coach pitch” tournament. Mason Franks would also gather a hit in the contest.
Ruston 15 JP6U 0 (Game Two): The bats stayed at home once again for JP6U who once again managed only three hits in the contest that saw Ruston score multiple times over the three innings to win the “run rule” shortened contest. Ryan Mauthe, L’Master Dill and Alex Martin all hit singles for the locals who were eliminated after the two games.