MCA, Ursuline make Fast Pitch 56 field

When the LHSAA softball playoffs began last week, 11 teams from schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans were among the qualifiers.

But, after two rounds of play, just two remained to make the trip to Sulphur for the Fast Pitch 56 state championship tournament May 2-3.

District 9-5A champion and 2013 Class 5A runner-up Mount Carmel survived bi-district and regional round games to advance to the final three rounds in Sulphur, as did District 9-4A co-champion Ursuline.

Mount Carmel, a No. 4 seed, defeated Central, 3-1, and Haughton, 6-0, to earn a berth in the quarterfinal round in which the Cubs were to face No. 5 Denham Springs at 6 p.m. on May 2.

Ursuline, a No. 8 seed, which shared its district title with No. 1 seed Cabrini, advanced by beating Northwood of Shreveport, 9-4, and Plaquemine, 6-0. The Lions were set to meet No. 17 West Ouachita May 2 at 4 p.m. West Ouachita upset top-ranked Cabrini, 2-0, in the regional round.

Also advancing to the regional round, but losing one game short of the state tournament were Archbishop Chapelle, St. Scholastica, St. Charles Catholic, Archbishop Hannan and Pope John Paul II.