The Benton Tigers avenged their only district loss and claimed the District 1-5A championship Saturday afternoon at Benton.
Two days after falling to Natchitoches Central, the Tigers defeated the Chiefs 6-3.
Benton (31-3, 15-1) finished one game ahead of Haughton (27-6, 14-2). The Bucs defeated Airline 10-1 Saturday at Haughton. Natchitoches Central (25-7, 12-4) finished third. Airline (18-14, 9-7) and Captain Shreve (22-11, 9-7) tied for fourth.
In the other 1-5A game involving a parish team, Parkway fell to Byrd 5-0 at the Yellow Jackets’ LSUS field.
At Benton, Thomas Allen pitched a complete game. He scattered seven hits, struck out 10 and walked one.
Seven Tigers combined for eight hits. Cole Snell went 2-for-3 with a double.
Benton trailed 2-1 after three innings. The Tigers took the lead for good with two in the fourth. They tacked on two more in the fifth.
The Chiefs got within one in the top of the sixth but Benton answered with its final run in the bottom of the inning.
Colton Birdsong and Brody Turnipseed started the Tigers’ rally in the fifth by drawing back-to-back walks with one out. Birdsong stole third and scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
After Kannon Greer reached on an error, Case Jorden singled to left field and Turnipseed scored the go-ahead run.
Snell led of Benton’s fifth with a single. He stole second and third then scored on a single by Jackson Jones. Jones stole second and scored on a single by Griffin Sibley, putting the Tigers on top 5-2.
Natchitoches Central pitcher Adam Guillet hit a home run in the top of the sixth.
Turnipseed and Greer led off the bottom of the inning with consecutive walks. Hayden Millen drew a walk with one out. Snell brought home Turnipseed with a sacrifice fly.
The Chiefs put a runner on base with two outs due to an error. But Allen induced a flyout to end the game.
The game was the final one of the regular season for Benton. According to GeauxPreps.com, the Tigers are No. 4 in the non-select Division I power rankings. They will receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs and host a second-round series.
Haughton is No. 6 in the power rankings with one game left. The Bucs will also receive a bye and host a second-round series.
Haughton led Airline 2-1 after two innings the scored seven in the third.
Christian Turner went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI. Drake Cooper went 2-for-3. Seth Jorstad went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Seth Breen, Justin Adkison and Maddox Willams had two RBI apiece.
Adkison pitched a complete game. He gave up six hits, struck out six and walked two.
Airline’s Bo Carter went 2-for-2. According to GeauxPreps.com, the Vikings are No. 26 in the power rankings. The top 24 after Monday’s games make the playoffs. Airline has road games scheduled at Downsville and Cedar Creek Monday.
At LSUS, Trent Howard went 2-for-3. Gabe Armond went 2-for-4 with a triple.
Byrd scored all five runs in the first two innings. Garrett Clute allowed just two hits in four innings of relief.
Parkway (12-17, 6-10) closes the regular season Monday at Alexandria. The Panthers are No. 31 in the power rankings.