Softball, baseball tournaments return to Sulphur
Published 6:00 pm Friday, April 26, 2019
An estimated 30,000 people are expected to visit Southwest Louisiana over the next few weeks for the annual Allstate Sugar Bowl Louisiana High School Athletic Association state softball and baseball tournaments.
Sulphur Parks and Recreation will be hosting the softball tournament for the 19th straight year today and Saturday at Frasch Park.
The baseball tournament will return to Sulphur’s McMurry Park for its sixth year May 8-11.
Both events will feature the top high school teams in seven classes and five divisions from across the state vying for championship titles.
“It speaks volumes about our area and the people of this area that we’ve been able to host this (softball) tournament for 19 years,” Sulphur Mayor Mike Danahay said. “We’re excited about it and we hope it all goes well.”
Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said the tournaments are “the highlight of the spring season.”
{{tncms-inline account=”CrystalAmPress” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The LHSAA state baseball and softball tournaments are “the highlight of the spring season,” says <a href="https://twitter.com/LakeCharlesCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LakeCharlesCity</a> Mayor Nic Hunter. <a href="https://t.co/kSREF3gQks">pic.twitter.com/kSREF3gQks</a></p>&mdash; Crystal Stevenson (@CrystalAmPress) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrystalAmPress/status/1121493210206035968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2019</a></blockquote>” id=”1121493210206035968″ type=”twitter”}}
“I would encourage local businesses to welcome these teams,” Hunter said. “Anytime we have outsiders visiting our area, we want to show them what hospitality is. That’s just in our nature, that’s not anything foreign for us to do here in Southwest Louisiana.”
William Precht with the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau said the events — and in particular the softball tournament — are an economic stimulant for the local economy, bringing in millions of dollars with an estimated attendance of 30,000 people.
“Hotels across Calcasieu Parish sell out for the weekend making this event a win-win situation for not only Sulphur but all of Calcasieu Parish,” he said.
LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine said Lake Charles and Sulphur “have set the bar when it comes to hosting these events.”
“Everyone in the state knows about what goes on down here,” he said. “It’s incredible the time and energy you put in. The state softball championships continue to be one of our most attended and festive events each year on the LHSAA calendar.”
Admission to both tournaments is $13 per day per person. For softball tournament schedule times, see Page B?
