Photograph: Opelousas Catholic vs Southside – 2023 Baseball (Photograph by Mike Curley)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
It’s never considered a liability for a playoff baseball team to possess substantive pitching and defense.
That combination of mound presence and fielding, says Opelousas Catholic head baseball coach Justin Boyd has helped the Vikings advance as the No. 4 seed in the Division IV Select playoffs.
Boyd thinks those attributes could help OCS again beginning Friday when the Vikings host 13th-seeded St. Frederick in a second-round playoff contest with a 4 p.m. start at Gene Mills Memorial Field.
“It’s been a good year, but we have a team right now that is not satisfied with that. I think that we have pitched well and played good defense has really helped. Our hitting at times has been consistent. We need the hitting to help us in the playoffs,” Boyd said.
OCS (22-9) received a first-round playoff bye and the Vikings enter the postseason with five straight wins.
St. Frederick is 2-6 in the last eight games. St. Frederick defeated Slaughter Community Charter 10-0 to advance to the second round.
The OCS-St. Frederick winner meets No. 5 Catholic-Pointe Coupee. CHPC defeated Central Catholic 8-1 in a first round game.
Central Catholic defeated the Vikings 1-0 on April 1.
Boyd has a group of experienced pitchers that include seniors Alex Breaux, Carson Doucet and Brody Dupuis. Junior Taylor Hollier has also provided depth.
The pitchers this season have been throwing to senior catcher John Michael Jarrell.
Boyd said that other key starters include centerfielder Mark Collins, shortstop Jordan Luna, third baseman Roland Bergeron and second baseman Beckett Boyd.
