Over the last four years, the St. Louis Catholic baseball team has been one of the top programs in Southwest Louisiana. The Saints want to keep that tradition going, but they had to battle through some early season inexperience as they built a new team nearly from scratch.

“We started off the year with a really tough schedule against a lot of quality opponents and didn’t really have a lot of experience,” St. Louis head Connor Lloyd said. “We got thrown into the fire early and the good thing about that is our weaknesses were exposed. We were able to work on those throughout the year.”

After taking their lumps, the Saints will open the playoffs today in the Select Division III regional round as the No. 5 seed. They will host No. 12 Holy Savior Menard in a best-of-three series. The first game is at 6 p.m. today at McMurry Park in Sulphur.

With one starter — Trace Moreau — back from last year’s run to the final, the season started rough, but the
Saints (14-18) finished the regular season strong, winning eight of 12 with three one-run losses.

“Here, as of late, we started to play with a little bit of confidence and kind of hit a stride,” Lloyd said. “We started to swing it better and who to go to in a pinch.

“I think that comes with a little bit of experience and trust in each other. We’ve been working on building that team dynamic throughout the year and putting together our best lineup.”

St. Louis won a state title in 2021, lost in the final last year in extra innings and played in the semifinals in 2022 and 2023.

Recently Moreau has led the pitching staff. He has thrown six or more innings in five of his last six starts with a 2.40 earned run average.

Lloyd said senior center fielder Quincy Chaisson and junior Konnor Boudreaux have come up with quality at-bats when needed. Chaisson’s sacrifice bunt scored the tying run in the Saints’ 5-4 nine-inning win over South Beauregard in the District 3-3A tournament championship game. He also had a walk-off RBI single against Lacassine.

“If we can do that and put pressure on the defense, then I think we’ll be able to score enough runs to come out on top,” Lloyd said.

Broncos vs. Rebels

It seems inevitable that Sam Houston and West Monroe meet in the playoffs. For a fourth consecutive season, the teams will meet in the postseason. This time it is in the regional round. The No. 6 Rebels (26-7) and defending Non-select Division I state champs will host the best-of-three series starting at 6 p.m. today.

In the last two seasons, the Rebels have bested the Broncos (29-7) in the semifinals, 7-1 last season, and 4-3 in 2023. In 2022, West Monroe swept a quarterfinal series in Monroe 5-4, 4-3.

Streaking Bucs

No. 2 Barbe (30-4) will put its 24-game win streak on the line when it opens a best-of-three regional series at home against No. 15 Central-Baton Rouge (23-11) at 6 p.m. today.

The Bucs haven’t lost since Feb. 22 when they suffered a 4-2 setback to Zachary. The pitching staff, led by Jairus Miller and Lawton Littleton, has allowed 17 runs during the streak.

Going for three

With their highest seed since power ratings began in 2008, the Westlake Rams look to win a third consecutive regional playoffs series and reach the quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history.

The Rams (22-10) open their Non-select Division III series at home at 6 p.m. today against No. 13 Lakeside (20-14).

Schedule

Baseball

Bi-district playoffs

Single elimination

Non-select

Division IV

No. 17 Merryville at No. 16 Lake Arthur, 5 p.m. Wednesday

No. 24 East Beauregard at No. 9 Montgomery

Class B

No. 20 Fairview at No. 13 Stanley, 5 p.m. Thursday

Class C

No. 20 Singer at No. 13 Northlake Christian, 6 p.m. Thursday

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

Regional round

Best-of-3 series

Non-select

Division I

No. 15 Central-Baton Rouge at No. 2 Barbe, 6 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday (if necessary)

No. 11 Sam Houston at No. 6 West Monroe, 6 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Friday (if necessary)

No. 20 Sulphur at No. 4 Haughton, 6 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday, 3 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

Division II

No. 12 Pearl River at No. 5 Iowa, 5 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

Division III

No. 9 French Settlement at No. 8 Kinder, 6 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

No. 13 Lakeside at No. 4 Westlake, 6 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Friday (if necessary)

No. 14 Loreauville at No. 3 South Beauregard, 6 p.m. Friday, Noon Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

Select

Division II

No. 17 Lake Charles College Prep at No. 1 Teurlings Catholic, 4 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday (if necessary)

No. 15 Leesville at No. 2 St. Charles, 4:30 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday (if necessary)

Division III

No. 12 Holy Savior Menard at No. 5 St. Louis Catholic, 6 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Friday (if necessary)

No. 11 Rosepine at No. 6 Episcopal, 6 p.m. Thursday, 3:30 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Friday (if necessary)