Bobcats fall in playoff opener

STONEWALL – Lefthander Matt Ramsey kept the bats of the Eunice High Bobcats in check for six innings as he led the North DeSoto High Griffins to a 3-1 victory here Tuesday evening in the Bi-District round of the Class 4A state playoffs.
In his six-inning stint, Ramsey scattered only three hits, allowed no runs, and posted eight strikeouts.
Bobcat starter Christian Lejeune, also a lefty, kept his team close through five innings.
Lejeune rebounded from a shaky first inning, in which he allowed one run, to shutout the Griffins over the next four innings.
Lejeune allowed seven hits and one run with seven strikeouts.
The Griffins took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With one out, Ramsey singled to left field. Alex Boone followed with a single to put runners at first and second.
After striking out cleanup hitter Brad Thomas, Lejeune issued two walks, forcing in a run on the second walk. Lejeune retired Jake Thomas to end the inning.
The Bobcats’ Alex Sonnier drove a double down the right-field line with one out to give the Cats a scoring threat in the second inning.
But after advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Sonnier was stranded as Ramsey the next two batters.
Ramsey would retire the next ten batters he faced, until Eunice shortstop
Cade Richard reached base on a walk in the sixth. Bobcat catcher Gunner Fontenot doubled down the left-field line, sending Richard to third with one out.
But Ramsey induced a one-hopper back to the mound to throw out Richard, then retired the side by getting Jordan Comeaux to fly out to left field.
After reaching the 100-pitch mark, Lejeune was relieved by Caleb Taylor in the top of the sixth.
Jake Thomas opened the inning with a single and Taylor struck out the next batter, but Noah Creech reached on an error to put runners at second and third. A perfect safety squeeze bunt brought in one runner, and the other scored on a single by Ramsey to put the Griffiins up 3-0.
The Cats battled back in the top of the seventh against reliever Alex Boone.
Wes Hebert reached safely when hit by a pitch to start the inning. Sonnier doubled to put runners at second and third with none out.
Lejeune’s groundout scored Hebert to cut the lead to 3-1, but Boone retired the final two batters on grounders to end the game.