02-05-2025
State softball tournament postponed
Thunderstorms roled through Southwest Louisiana Friday afternoon and forced the Louisiana High School Athletic Association to postpone most of the softball state tourament semifinal final games back a day. The championship games will be played on Sunday. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)
The threat of severe weather forced the Louisiana High School Athletic Association to postpone the majority of Friday's state softball semifinal games at North Frasch Park in Sulphur to today and push the finals to Sunday.
All coaches of teams that were scheduled to play at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday unanimously voted to postpone the tournament to Saturday and Sunday, according to the LHSAA. The remaining semifinal games will be played at noon and 3 p.m. today. The championship games will be on Sunday at noon and 3 p.m.
The LHSAA said the top concern was safety with potential for ample lightning, which would have led to multiple starts and stops to games.
Non-select Division I No. 1 Sam Houston (28-2) arrived shortly before the announcement to postpone the tournament was made. The Broncos were getting ready for their semifinal game against three-time defending state champion No. 4 St. Amant (23-9). That game will be played today at 3 p.m. The winner will take on the winner out of No. 3 Dutchtown (24-9) and No. 7 Walker (22-8) in the finals on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Sam Houston head coach Beth Domingue said the delay is just a minor bump in the road and that her team will be ready to play today no matter what.
'It is what it is,' Sam Houston head coach Beth Domingue said. 'Me and the girls were excited to play.
'Whatever day it is and whatever the conditions, we will play. We can do it again tomorrow. Let's do it. It is all the buildup to the game, but that is fine. I am glad they are not putting it on Monday.'
Sam Houston lost to St. Amant in the quarterfinals last year 9-8, and in the finals in 2023, 4-0. The Broncos beat the Gators 12-1 in the regular season.
All of Friday's noon games finished before the first round of thunderstorms moved into the area, delaying the rest of the semifinals. The decision to postpone was made shortly before 4 p.m.
Friday's Scores
Semifinals
Non-select
Division III
No. 5 Doyle 13, No. 1 Kaplan 3, 5 inns.
No. 3 Jena 3, No. 2 Pine Prairie 2
Select
Division III
No. 1 Calvary Baptist 1, No. 4 Parkview Baptist 0
No. 2 D'Arbonne Woods 13, No. 3 Notre Dame 11
Class B
No. 1 Quitman 4, No. 4 Grace Christian 0
No. 2 Stanley 3, No. 6 Zwolle 2
