The Bossier Phillies opened defense of their American Legion Baseball state tournament title with a 13-3 victory over the Opelousas-based St. Landry Bank Indians Saturday at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium in New Orleans.
The Phillies will face the Crowley Millers, an 11-1 winner over the Carencro Aces, in the winners’ bracket semifinals of the eight-team double-elimination tournament at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Bossier got off to a fast start against St. Landry and led 10-0 after three innings. After the Indians cut the lead to 10-3, the Phillies ended the game via the 10-run rule with three in the bottom of the sixth,
Bossier had 10 hits. Former Benton standout Hudson Brignac, who will be a sophomore at Northwestern State, went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Brock Laird, a first-team All-District 1-5A selection at Natchitoches Central who signed with Southeastern, went 2-for-3 with a triple, double and RBI.
Jackson Jones, a first-team All-District 1-5A selection last season, had a triple and two RBI. Jones is headed to Louisiana Tech.
Benton rising senior Cole Snell, a first-team Class 5A All-State selection last season, had a double and two RBI.
Griffin Sibley and Case Jorden both had a single and an RBI. Sibley was a first-team All-District selection who is continuing his career at Southeastern Iowa Community College. Jorden, a rising senior at Benton, recently committed to Southern Arkansas.
Dillon Braxton and Ty Boozer also had singles. Braxton, a second-team All-District selection at Natchitoches Central, is headed to Grambling State. Boozer, a Pleasant Grove, Texas, standout, is bound for Houston-Victoria.
Easton Sanders, a 2025 Glenbrook graduate who is continuing his career at Louisiana Tech, drew three walks and scored three runs.
Gavin Brint, the Pitcher of the Year in District 1-4A last season, got the win. He allowed one hit in three innings.
Last year, Bossier advanced to the American Legion World Series after winning the state tournament and Mid-South Regional.
Eleven players have returned from that team.