Warren Arceneaux
Rodrick Anderson

In this edition of the Triple Play, staff writers Rodrick Anderson and Warren Arceneaux preview the regional round of the baseball playoffs.

What is the best large schools matchup?

WA: Westlake at West Feliciana. The Rams have won five straight and have a dynamic leadoff hitter in Brady Pedersen, who drove in and scored a pair of runs in the an opening-round win over Church Point. The Rams pressure opponents into mistakes with their speed and aggressiveness.

RA: DeRidder at South Terrebonne. Both teams have been hot as of late with identical four-game win streaks. DeRidder pitcher Dawson Hebert threw a no-hitter in the first round of the playoffs, and Ashton Broussard has eight hits, four runs and four doubles in his last four games.

What is the best small schools matchup?

WA: Bunkie at Kinder. The Yellow Jackets have scored 76 runs over their last seven games, winning six times. Bunkie scored 33 runs in its last four games.

RA: East Beauregard at Montgomery. After splitting a pair of regular-season games, the Trojans and Tigers get a third go. East Beauregard is looking for its first playoff win since 2014 and beat the Tigers at their place 10-6 on Feb. 25, while the Tigers won on the Trojans’ home field 9-2 earlier this month.

Name a player to watch.

WA: Singer’s Tate Hess threw a two-hitter, striking out 12, and had two hits and a stolen base in Singer’s 2-1 bi-district win over Oak Hill.

RA: DeQuincy senior Hadley Cooley was one of three area pitchers who tossed no-hitters in the first round, including Barbe’s Jack Walker and DeRidder’s Dawson Hebert. Cooley struck out 13 with a lone walk keeping him from a perfect game.

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Area high school baseball

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