MAMOU -- The Ville Platte Dixie Youth Major All-Stars took one step closer to their eventual goal of making it to the World Series come August as they took down all comers in the District 7 Tournament this past weekend.
The All-Stars not only went undefeated in district play, but also outscored their opponents 46-9. Ville Platte now advances on to the South Regional Tournament to be held in Morgan City beginning on July 11. Brackets have not been posted as of press time.
After dismantling South Beauregard 12-1 last Thursday in the opening game, the All-Stars were rained out of Friday’s play. Because of the rain, Ville Platte had to come back on Saturday and play two games.
Undeterred by that fact, the All-Stars rolled past Oakdale 8-3 in a game that began at 9 a.m. In that game, Ville Platte picked up a single run in the top of the first, but Oakdale matched that in the bottom half of the inning.
The All-Stars put up two more runs in the top of the second and held Oakdale scoreless to go up 3-1. Ville Platte followed that by adding a single run in the fourth, three runs in the fifth and a solo run in the sixth. Oakdale’s final two runs came in the third inning.
Ville Platte continued play on Saturday with a 1:30 afternoon contest against Mamou. Not wanting to spoil their unbeaten streak, the All-Stars slashed Mamou pitching for 13 runs on nine hits as they blanked their cross-parish rivals. The game lasted only three-and-one-half innings, as Ville Platte pitching held Mamou to no hits and five total base runners.
That win set up a contest with another parish foe, Pine Prairie, on Sunday afternoon. The Ville Platte bats continued to stay on fire, as the All-Stars picked up seven hits in an 8-2 win.
Ville Platte owned a 1-0 lead after one inning of play and expanded that lead to 7-0 when the last pitch had been thrown in the third inning. Pine Prairie scored a single run in the fifth. However, the All-Stars got that run back in the sixth inning. Pine Prairie’s last run came in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With the victory over Pine Prairie, the All-Stars now had to face Oakdale once more in the championship game on Monday. This game was a tad bit tighter than the previous one between the two teams. Nevertheless, Ville Platte found a way to squeeze out a 5-3 win and take home the title.
In that game, Oakdale struck first with a single run in the top of the first. Ville Platte countered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Oakdale tied the game up in the top of the second, but that tie did not last long as Ville Platte tacked on a solo run in the bottom half of the inning.
Ville Platte’s last run came in the top of the fifth.
Image
TRACEY JAGNEAUX Sports Edito