Over the last several years, 3-3A has been one of the strongest baseball districts in the state.

Other than the COVID-shortened season in 2020, the district has sent at least one team to the state tournament in Sulphur each season since 2019, and won three state championships. It will look to keep that streak going after three of five teams earned top-five seeds and a first-round bye after the Louisiana High School Athletic Association released the playoff pairings on Tuesday.

“Every day that you show up, it’s a playoff-caliber team that you’re playing, and not just the first-round team,” Westlake head coach Blake Reed said. “Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, and the talent and coaching are always top-notch in our district.”

Defending Non-select Division III South Beauregard is the No. 3 seed. St. Louis Catholic, a runner-up in Select Division II last season, is the No. 5 seed in Select Division III. The Saints beat the Golden Knights in the district tournament championship game.

At No. 4 in Non-select Division III, the Rams earned the program’s highest seed since power ratings began, although Reed said his team was hoping for a higher seed.

“The goal was to get a bye and then make a run at it, and they are not content right now,” he said. “I’m hoping that brings a little chip on their shoulder, but they’re excited.”

Westlake lost in the quarterfinals the last two seasons. The Rams started the season 16-3 but lost seven of their last 13 to close out the regular season.

“We’ve hit some bumps as of late — injuries and some other stuff, but we’re kind of finding our way back to what we did towards the beginning of the year,” Reed said. “Once you start playoffs, it’s like a new life gets breathed into you.

“We’ve just got some guys finding a way to get it done, and we’ve got a good senior group that works hard. They beat down the cages every night. I’ve never had a group that collectively worked as hard as they do.”

Barbe and Welsh drew the area’s highest seed. The Non-select Division I No. 2 Bucs carry a 24-game win streak into the playoffs, while the Greyhounds are the two seed in Non-select Division IV, and DeQuincy is the three seed.

Select and Non-select Division I, II and III will play best-of-three series in all five rounds of the playoffs with first-round series running today through Saturday.

Division IV select and non-select and Class B and C will play single-elimination games each round and will not open the playoffs until next week.

Local prep baseball pairings

Baseball

Bi-district round

Best-of-3 series

Non-select

Division I

No. 20 Sulphur at No. 13 Covington, 6 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

No. 22 St. Amant at No. 11 Sam Houston, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 4 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Thursday (if necessary)

Division II

No. 20 Jennings at No. 13 South Terrebonne, 4 p.m. Thursday, Noon Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

No. 18 DeRidder at No. 15 Breaux Bridge, 6 p.m. Thursday, Noon Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

Select

Division II

No. 17 Lake Charles College Prep at No. 16 Tara, 4 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

No. 18 McDonogh #35 at No. 15 Leesville, 3 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday (if necessary)

Single elimination

Non-select

Division IV

No. 17 Merryville at No. 16 Lake Arthur

No. 24 East Beauregard at No. 9 Montgomery

No. 18 Oberlin at No. 15 Franklin

Class B

No. 20 Fairview at No. 13 Stanley, 5 p.m. April 24

Class C

No. 20 Singer at No. 13 Northside Christian

No. 18 Starks at No. 15 Reeves, 5:30 p.m. April 24

 

Regional round

Best-of-3 series

Non-select

Division I

No. 15 Central-Baton Rouge/No. 18 Destrehan winner at No. 2 Barbe

Division II

No. 12 Pearl River/No. 21 Plaquemine winner at No. 5 Iowa

Division III

No. 9 French Settlement/No. 24 North Webster winner at No. 8 Kinder

No. 13 Lakeside/No. 20 Crowley winner at No. 4 Westlake

No. 14 Loreauville/No. 19 Port Allen winner at No. 3 South Beauregard

Select

Division III

No. 12 Holy Savior Menard at No. 5 St. Louis Catholic

No. 11 Rosepine at No. 6 Episcopal

Single elimination

Non-select

Division IV

No. 12 East Iberville/No. 21 Lakeview winner at No. 5 Oakdale

No. 14 LaSalle/No. 19 Homer winner at No. 3 DeQuincy

No. 11 Logansport/No. 22 South Plaquemines winner at No. 6 Vinton

No. 10 Delcambre/No. 23 West St. John winner at No. 7 Grand Lake

No. 15 Franklin/No. 18 Oberlin winner at No. 2 Welsh

Class B

No. 10 Lacassine at No. 7 Elizabeth

Class C

No. 12 Simpson at No. 5 Hackberry