Baseball, softball playoff fields will have local flavor

    When the state playoffs roll around in a few weeks, the majority of local Catholic schools will be well represented on the baseball and softball diamonds.
    Power rankings as of March 26 have Jesuit, Brother Martin, St. Paul’s, Archbishop Rummel, Holy Cross and St. Charles Catholic hosting first round baseball games with Archbishop Shaw, St. Augustine, Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Hannan opening on the road.
    On the ladies’ side, Mount Carmel, St. Scholastica, Academy of Our Lady, St Charles Catholic and defending Class 1A champion Archbishop Hannan appear to be first-round hosts , with possibly Archbishop Chapelle, De La Salle and the winner of the Cabrini-Ursuline series also at home.
    Competition in the state’s five largest baseball classes is loaded with talent. And here’s a look at the top eight teams to beat.
    Class 5A – 1. Barbe (18-4), 2. Zachary (14-6), 3. Jesuit (15-4), 4. Brother Martin (14-4), 5. Haughton (15-3), 6. St. Paul’s (12-5), 7. West Monroe (13-6), 8. Sam Houston (15-5).
    Underrated are John Ehret (15-3) with a 5-3 win over Jesuit at Ryan Field and Rummel (13-6), whose record reflects its difficult early schedule.
    Class 4A – 1. St. Thomas More (14-3), 2. St. Louis (13-5), 3. Holy Cross (13-6), 4. Minden (12-4), 5. Grant (10-2), 6. West Ouachita ( 11-8), 7. Belle Chasse (10-7), 8. South Terrebonne (14-6).
    Shaw (9-11) is ranked 19th in power rating and St. Augustine (7-6) is No. 23.
    Class 3A – 1. Parkview Baptist (13-6), 2. Livonia (14-2), 3. E.D. White (13-5), 4. Berwick (14-5), 5. St. Charles Catholic (12-6-1), 6. Eunice (14-4), 7. Rayville (11-4), 8. Brusly (11-7).
    At No. 33, De La Salle  (4-8) is sitting on the bubble, but can qualify for the playoffs by winning its district, which includes three opponents with losing records.
    Class 2A – 1. Evangel (11-5), 2. Newman (12-3), 3. Dunham (16-3), 4. St. Thomas Aquinas (12-4-1), 5. Riverside (10-7), 6. Curtis (12-7-1), 7. DeQuincy (14-3), 8. North Webster (14-4).
    Pope John Paul (8-10) is the current No. 28 seed.
    Class 1A Top 3 – 1. Ouachita Christian (13-3), 2. Vermilion Catholic (14-4), 3. Sacred Heart Ville Platte (13-3).
    Hannan (7-11) is the No. 23 seed as of now.

Softball teams to beat
    Clarion Herald Top 8:    
    Class 5A – 1. Fontainebleau (16-1), 2. St. Amant (16-1), 3. Hahnville (18-2), 4. Northshore (12-3), 5. Natchitoches Central (17-1), 6. St. Joseph’s (16-2), 7. Dutchtown (14-4), 8. Barbe (13-3).
    Mount Carmel (13-7), St. Scholastica 11-6), Chapelle (11-7) and Dominican (8-8) should qualify.
    Class 4A – 1. Alexandria (15-3), 2. Neville (16-4), 3. St. Louis (12-5), 4. Belle Chasse (13-3), 5. Academy of Our Lady (13-7), 6. Vandebilt Catholic (12-6), 7.  St. Thomas More (12-6), 8. Northwood (17-6).
    Cabrini (6-8) and Ursuline (7-11) should become playoff eligible by the end of the season.
    Class 3A – 1. Iowa (15-2), 2. St. Charles Catholic (14-2), 3. Notre Dame (15-6), 4. Buckeye (16-2), 5. Brusly (19-4), 6. Farmerville (14-4), 7. North Vermilion (11-6), 8. Parkview Baptist (18-5).
    De La Salle (7-6) is unbeaten in six district games and, if the Lady Cavaliers win their series with St. Mary’s Academy, they will be district champions.
    Class 2A – 1. Evangel (16-4), 2. Sterlington (17-1), 3. Iota (13-3), 4. Riverside Academy (15-4), 5. Curtis (12-0), 6. Mamou (14-5), 7. Springfield (14-4), 8. Winnfield (11-6).
    The Academy of the Sacred Heart (4-9, 4-3 in district) is on the bubble.
    Class 1A – 1. Archbishop Hannan (11-4), 2. Opelousas Catholic (16-2), 3. South Cameron (15-3), 4. Hanson Memorial (13-2),  5. Oak Grove (14-4), 6. Block (14-6), 7. Cedar Creek (14-8), 8. Ascension Catholic (10-4).
    Hannan’s defeats came against four teams of higher classification, all of which have winning records. Among them is St. Charles Catholic, the No. 2 team in Class 2A by a 7-1 score.