With best-of-three series, the early rounds of the baseball playoffs resemble the football season. There is almost a week between series.
The wait is over, though, for Parkway, Haughton and Benton. All three begin second-round series on the road Friday night.
The No. 9 seed Panthers (23-8) face No. 8 St. Amant (25-9) at 6. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 1. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for at 4.
The No. 10 seed Bucs (24-11) travel to Monroe to take on No. 7 Neville (23-10) at 7. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at 1. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for 4.
The No. 20 seed Tigers (21-15) travel to Moss Bluff to play No. 4 Sam Houston (27-4) at 6. Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday at noon. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled for 3.
Parkway swept No. 24 Chalmette 3-0 and 2-1 in the first round. St. Amant had a bye.
St. Amant, the 2022 Class 5A runner-up, finished tied for first with Live Oak in District 5-5A.
The Gators won 14 of their last 17 regular-season games.
Haughton swept No. 23 Covington 10-0 and 8-7 in the first round. Neville had a bye.
Neville won District 2-4A with a 6-0 mark. The Tigers went 12-1 over their last 13 games, losing only to Byrd 10-9 in the regular-season finale.
Neville lost in the second round of the 4A playoffs last season.
District 1-5A champion Benton swept No. 13 Natchitoches Central 3-1 and 5-4 in the first round. Sam Houston had a bye.
Sam Houston finished third behind Barbe and Sulphur in District 3-5A at 12-4. The Broncos handed Barbe its lone district loss 4-2.
Sam Houston lost to state champion West Monroe in the quarterfinals of the 5A playoffs last season.
Pitcher/shortstop Sam Ardoin is a Texas signee.
