The District 1-5A race tightened Thursday.
The Benton Tigers suffered their first district loss, falling to Natchitoches Central 9-6 in Natchitoches. The Haughton Bucs defeated Airline 3-1 at Airline.
Benton (29-3, 14-1) leads Haughton (25-6, 13-2) by one game. Both have one district game left against the same opponents they faced Thursday.
Haughton hosts Airline (17-3, 9-6) and Benton hosts Natchitoches Central (24-6, 11-3) Saturday at 1. The Tigers have clinched at least a share of the title. If the Bucs win and the Tigers lose, Haughton and Benton will finish tied for first.
In another District 1-5A game Thursday, Parkway edged Byrd 4-3 in eight innings.
At Airline, Seth Jorstad pitched a one-hitter with five strikeouts and two walks.
Haughton scored single runs in the first, third and sixth for a 3-0 lead. Airline scored a run with one out in the bottom of the seventh but Jorstad induced a groundout and flyout to end the game.
Jorstad also went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Christian Turner had a triple and scored two runs. JP Cormier went 2-for-4. Drake Cooper had an RBI-single in the sixth to give the Bucs the 3-0 lead.
Haughton hosts Caldwell Parish Friday at 5:30.
At Natchitoches Central, the Chiefs led 5-2 after two innings. The Tigers fought back and tied it with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth. But Natchitoches Central scored three in the bottom of the fifth.
Benton cut the lead to two with a run in the top of the sixth but that was as close as they would get.
The Tigers had five hits. Cole Snell had a double and Kade Bryant had two RBI.
Natchitoches Central’s Dillon Braxton, Titus Williams and Brock Laird had three hits apiece. The Chiefs finished with 14.
Natchitoches Central starter Harper Marcotte went six innings for the win.
Benton visits Jena Friday at 4.
At Parkway, the Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the second to tie it at 4. Colby Donaldson led off with a double. Corey Paeth, running for Donaldson, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Abel Thetford.
Parkway won it in the bottom of the ninth. Donaldson singled with one out. Paeth, again running for Donaldson, advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Thetford was intentionally walked. Gabe Armond scored Paeth with a single to right field.
Thetford pitched 6 2/3 innings. He allowed five hits, struck out eight and walked three. Donaldson didn’t give up a hit in 2 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out two and walked one.
Parkway (11-15, 6-8) and Byrd (12-21, 4-11) are scheduled to complete the series Saturday at Byrd’s LSUS field at 1.