DeQuincy blanks Vinton in quarterfinals

American Press

09-05-2025

Carson Rainwater pitched a three-hit shutout Thursday as the No. 3 DeQuincy Tiger run-ruled No. 6 Vinton 10-0 in five innings in the Non-select Division IV quarterfinals at DeQuincy High School. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)
DeQUINCY – The last time senior Carson Rainwater faced rival Vinton, he took a loss. Given a chance at redemption, he wanted the ball in his hands again. Rainwater pitched his second shutout of the postseason to knock out the Lions 10-0 in five innings and send the Tigers to the semifinals for the third consecutive season.
Rainwater held the No. 6 Lions to three hits while striking out five batters and walking two.
'Rainwater is great,' DeQuincy head coach Brady Carlson said. 'He is the leader.
'And the last time he faced Vinton, he took the loss. He said please pitch me, please pitch me, because Turner (Rodriguez) got the win last time. I was like, all right, you're the senior. You got it, and he did it.'
In two postseason games, Rainwater has pitched 12 scoreless innings with 16 strikeouts and three walks.
The No. 3 Tigers (24-11) will face No. 2 Welsh on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Non-select Division IV semifinals at McMurry in Sulphur. DeQuincy lost to Oak Grove in the semifinals in 2024 and the finals in 2023.
'Hopefully, we can keep advancing,' Carlson said. 'It's going to be exciting. They've got a great program, too.'
The Tigers scored five runs in the first two innings to cement their grip on the momentum in the rivalry game. Andrew Dowden hit an RBI single in the first inning, and Rodriguez drove in a pair of runs in the second inning. Vinton errors contributed to the other two runs.
'We've been hitting the ball really well all year,' Carlson said. 'They do a great job over there (Vinton).
'It's a big rivalry, so we were really excited about playing. A little bit nervous because that pitcher (Gage Guidry) they have is so good, but our guys really come out swinging, and they do a great job.'
DeQuincy added four more runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by Nolan Schrader's two-run double.
Playing in its first quarterfinal game since 2001, Vinton (17-12) loaded the bases in the fourth inning on a walk and hits by Gage Guidry and Kortlin Kyle. But the Tigers got the second out on a force at third, and Rainwater closed the inning on a strikeout.