The Benton Tigers are headed to the state tournament.
Benton, the No. 13 seed, defeated No. 5 St. Amant 1-0 in the decisive Gsme 3 of their best-of-3 series in the quarterfinals of the non-select Division I playoffs Saturday afternoon at St. Amant.
The victory came just after the Gators forced the Game 3 with a 4-1 victory in Game 2. The Tigers won Game 1 4-2 Friday night.
Benton (31-10) will face No. 1 seed and defending state champion Barbe (33-6) in the semifinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Sulphur’s McMurry Park, home of the Ochsner LHSAA Baseball State Tournament. St. Amant closed its season 27-12.
Benton will be making its first appearance in the state tournament since moving up to Class 5A in 2020. The Tigers’ last appearance was in 2019, their final season in Class 4A.
Game 3 Saturday was a pitchers’ duel.
Benton’s Tanner Webb, who came up big in relief in the Game 1 victory, pitched a three-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks.
St. Amant’s Chase Kelley also allowed just three hits. He had no strikeouts and walked three.
The Tigers scored the game’s lone run in the top of the third.
Leadoff batter Hayden Millen drew a walk and advanced to second on Case Jorden’s sacrifice bunt. Hudson Brignac was hit by a pitch.
Millen and Brignac advanced a base on Bryson Pierce’s flyout to left field. That brought Kade Bryant to the plate with two outs. With the count at one strike and two balls, a balk was called on Kelley, bringing Millen home.
St. Amant didn’t get a runner past second in the game. The Gators had runners at first and second in the sixth but Webb ended the threat with a strikeout.
Webb sat the Gators down in order in the sixth and seventh.
Game 2 was tied at 1 after six innings. St. Amant scored three in the top of the seventh.
Pierce had three of the Tigers’ five hits. He went 3-for-3. Caleb Frey had an RBI single.