Party like it’s 2012?
That is the story for East Ascension and the Gonzales community, now that the LHSAA has released its baseball playoff pairings.
The No. 16 Spartans (18-14) will host a playoff game for the first time in 12 years on Friday night.
East Ascension welcomes 17th-seeded Sulphur (23-11) for a Division I nonselect best-of-three bidistrict playoff series that begins at 6 p.m. Friday at Ambeau Field.
“My phone has been blowing up since the pairings came out,” East Ascension coach Kade Keowen said. “I know Gonzales is excited and I am so happy for these kids. Seeing the smiles on their faces has made my day.
“We missed the playoffs the last two years, so not a single player on this team has ever dressed for a playoff game. Going from 5-26 last year to 18 wins this year has been a journey. This is a great opportunity.”
East Ascension’s story is one of many that unfolded Tuesday when the LHSAA released playoff pairings for five nonselect and five select divisions.
Game two for Sulphur-East Ascension is set for 11 a.m. Saturday with an if-necessary game to follow at 2 p.m.
“We have eight seniors this year, and all of them play or contribute in some way,” Keowen said. “They’re having fun.”
Sophomore Hudson Browning leads the Spartans with a .363 average with 13 doubles and 20 RBIs. Junior center fielder Caden Gautreaux is at .329 with 19 stolen bases in 20 tries.
Seniors Cort Delatte and Owen Soniat have combined to pitch more than 100 innings and each has an ERA below 2.40.
The matchup will provide a reunion of sorts for Keowen, who was a teammate of first-year Sulphur coach Thomas Tillery at LSU-Eunice.
They’re No. 1
Division I select Catholic High (32-2) and Division II nonselect Lutcher (25-7) are the only area teams to claim a No. 1 seed in their respective brackets.
The top eight seeds on the nonselect side and the top 12 seeds on the select side all receive bidistrict or first-round playoff byes.
Other high seeds for area teams include No. 2 Parkview Baptist in Division III select, No. 3 Brusly in Division II nonselect, No. 3 French Settlement in Division III nonselect, No. 4 Dutchtown in Division I nonselect, No. 4 Family Christian in Division V select and No. 5 Doyle in Division III nonselect.