St. Amant Baseball Falls Short in Division I Quarterfinals Against Benton

In a hard-fought Division I nonselect quarterfinal matchup, the St. Amant baseball team fell just short against Benton, despite a valiant effort to overcome a series of fielding errors. The Gators, seeded fifth, battled until the very end but ultimately succumbed to a 4-2 loss to the 13th-seeded Tigers.

The game was marred by defensive miscues from St. Amant, particularly in the third inning when three errors allowed Benton to jump out to an early 3-0 lead on unearned runs. Despite the setbacks, the Gators continued to fight back, with pitcher Layne Swanson delivering a strong performance on the mound, allowing only one earned run over six innings.

Offensively, St. Amant struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, managing just one hit in the final three innings of the game. Benton’s left-handed pitcher, Cade Bryant, proved to be a formidable opponent, recording four strikeouts and limiting the Gators to four hits.

Head coach Brandon Bravata acknowledged the impact of the team’s errors, emphasizing the importance of playing clean baseball in the playoffs. Despite the disappointing outcome, Bravata credited Benton for executing when it mattered most.

With Game 2 of the series set for Saturday, St. Amant faces a must-win situation to keep their season alive and advance to the semifinals of the LHSAA state tournament in Sulphur. The Gators will need to regroup and come out strong in the doubleheader to secure a spot in the next round. The team’s resilience and determination will be put to the test as they look to bounce back and extend their playoff run.