Blue Jays head to state tourney

VILLE PLATTE – The third time was the charm for the Blue Jays.
After falling 6-2 and 7-4 the first two times St. Edmund faced District 5-1A rival Sacred Heart of Ville Platte, the Blue Jays won the one that counted the most with a 4-2 win last Saturday.
With the victory the No. 10 Blue Jays (20-8) advance to the Class 1-A semifinals for the first time since 2010.
“Our kids wanted to show that we were a better baseball team than we showed the first two time we played them,” St. Edmund head coach Scott Richard said. “We came out ready to play and capitalized on a couple of their mistakes.
“It is hard to beat a team three times,” Richard said. “The pressure was all on them, not us.”
St. Edmund will play Friday at 5 p.m.on Field 37 at McMurry Park in Sulphur against No. 6 Central Catholic of Morgan City (26-3), who grabbed a 2-1, 10-inning win over No. 14 Ascension Catholic.
“We need to make the routine play on defense and not strike out on offense,” Richard said of the playoff run. “The key for us is to put the ball in play and put the pressure on the other team.”
Blue Jay senior Drew Brown threw a four-hitter and struck out eight for his third straight playoff win.
“He is a senior and he wants the ball,” the coach said of his ace. “He throws strikes and we play defense behind him.”
The Blue Jay jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Sacred Heart, begun when Ross LaFleur reached on an error and William Chachere singled to right field.
Drew Brown singled in LaFleur, while Chachere scored on a Trojan throwing error.
No. 2 Sacred Heart (26-5) closed the gap to 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Caleb Soileau reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice by Jacob LaFleur. St. Edmund held the slim lead until the top of the fifth when the Blue Jays added two insurance runs .
Ross LaFleur (2-for-4) doubled and scored on a sacrifice by Drew Brown to give the Jays a 3-1 advantage.
Chachere (2-for-3, sac) advanced on a bunt single and scored on Drake Brunet’s RBI.
The Trojans rallied in the bottom of the seventh when Jacob LaFleur singled, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball.
LaFleur scored on a sacrifice by Evan Mire and Sam Tate reached on an error to keep the threat alive.
But Brown struck out Phillip Vidrine for the final out and the Blue Jay celebration began.
The season was the return to program for Richard, who helped build the Blue Jay baseball legacy.
As a player, Richard and the Blue Jays won the 1980 title with a 2-0 win over Central Catholic of Morgan City.
In 1982, St. Edmund finished second to St. Frederick in a 6-5 loss in the finals.
The Blue Jays captured the 1983 championship with a 6-0 win over St. Frederick.
As a coach, Richard helped lead the Blue Jays to the 1988 title over Ascension Catholic (9-1) and again in 1991 over Ascension Catholic (8-4).
Richard and St. Edmund won their fifth state title in 1996 against St. John. He earned two state coach of the year honors.
The Blue Jays’ sixth title came in 1998 with a victory over Central Catholic of Morgan City led by head coach Tad Richard.
St. Edmund finished state runners-up in 2001 in a 2-1 loss to Oak Grove under head coach Scott Rider.
“We have some good, talented players and this has been fun,” Richard said of the season. “This is what it is all about seeing the Blue Jays win.”