State Softball Championship Game Recap: Riverside captures coveted title

The dream season is over.

The dream was realized.

The lucky number is 21, which works well in a particular card game.

The Riverside Academy Rebels held all the cards Saturday.

The second-seeded Rebels finished it off with an impressive 5-0 victory over No. 1 Catholic-Pointe Coupee in the Select Division IV state championship game at Frasch Park in Sulphur for its first state championship in 21 years. Riverside last won in 2002.

Junior Amber Palermo pitched a complete game 3-hit shutout, striking out two while using just 85 pitches. Freshman catcher Olivia St. Pierre was 3 for 3 with a homer, double and single and drove in three runs. Emily Vicknair drove in a run. Corrin Cashio contributed a double for Riverside (21-9). Palermo earned Most Outstanding Player honors.

Scoreless into the fourth inning, Cashio doubled and Vicknair drove her home before St. Pierre belted a solo home run to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth inning, Anna Mistretta reached safely and scored on an error and St. Pierre drilled a 2-run double to make it 5-0. Palermo made the lead stand up in a terrific performance.

Lillian St. Germain had two hits for the Hornets (24-11), who were in the final for the third time in four years, having won the title in 2019.

In Division I Non-Select, powerful top seed St. Amant blanked No. 3 Sam Houston 4-0 for its second straight state title.

The Gators (32-2) broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth inning and added a run in the sixth inning.

Aralee Beene, Kami Gautreau, Brooke Rabalais and Mary Beth Zeller each contributed a hit and an RBI for St. Amant.

Senior Addison Jackson pitched a 5-hitter. She walked just one and struck out five.

In Non-Select Division II, top seed North DeSoto (35-2) fought off No. 2 Albany 7-4, continuing its dominance. It is the sixth state title in seven seasons for the Lady Griffins and the third straight.

Northwestern State commit Cameron Curtis, Peyton Miller, and Northwestern State commit Laney Johnson all homered. Johnson’s 3-run shot erased a 4-2 deficit and was the game-winning blow. Miller hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.

Aly Delafield was the winning pitcher and drove in a run with a groundout while Brilee Ford took the loss for the Hornets. Ford drove in all four runs for Albany (26-4) with a three-run homer and a solo shot which put Albany up 4-2.

Johnson had two hits and earned the game’s Most Outstanding Player award.

In Non-Select Division III, No. 2 Kaplan shut out No. 1 Sterlington 4-0 for the championship as the Pirates avenged a pair of quarterfinal losses to the Panthers the previous two seasons.

Kennedy Marceaux homered and doubled to power Kaplan and was named the Most Outstanding Player.

Marceaux provided the only run Kaplan needed, leading off the contest with a home run to make it 1-0. Marceaux doubled in the third inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jessa Lopez to make it 2-0. Abigale Ford later homered and drove in the final two runs for Kaplan.

Briley LeBouef pitched a shutout, scattering seven hits. LeBouef walked just one and struck out four.

It is the first state title for the Pirates (27-8) since 2016.

In Non-Select Division IV, No. 4 French Settlement captured the title with a 3-1 victory over No. 2 Montgomery.

Eighth-grader Malloy Miles captured Most Outstanding Player honors, pitching a 4-hitter, walked two and struck out nine to get the win.

The Lions (24-10) took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI singles by Ava Acosta and Brooke Dupuy. Ramsie McMorris had an RBI single in the seventh inning.

It is the first state title for French Settlement since 1999.

In Non-Select Division V, No. 4 Converse outlasted No. 2 Quitman 2-1 in nine innings to take its first state championship.

Avery Prine went all the way to get the win as the Most Outstanding Player. Prine was dominant, allowing just three hits and she struck out 17. Abby Friday provided the game-winner with an RBI single in the ninth inning. Maci Morgan each drove in a run for the Lady Cats (25-7).

In Select Division I, top seed St. Thomas More downed No. 2 Tioga 7-3 for its first state championship since 2014.

Tied 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Shyanne Irvin belted a 2-run homer which proved to be the difference. Irvin had two hits and four RBI as she earned Most Outstanding Player honors. Kennedy Stutes added two hits and two RBI.

Ava Prejean was the winning pitcher, going five innings, allowing three runs on three hits for the Cougars (36-3).

Christina Lambert took the loss for the Indians.

In Select Division II, top seed Buckeye won its second straight state championship, defeating No. 2 Vandebilt Catholic 4-1.

Olivia Henry pitched a complete game 5-hitter, allowing just a run on five hits with five strikeouts to earn Most Outstanding Player honors.

Mississippi College commit Maddie Sinclair had a sacrifice fly in the first inning to give the Lady Panthers (25-9) a 1-0 lead before Adysen Mitchell belted a 2-run homer in the fifth inning to make it 3-0. Sidney St. Pe added an RBI single in the sixth inning. Hays Rutledge had a solo homer to provide the lone run for the Terriers.

In Select Division III, top seed Calvary Baptist (26-10) captured its third straight state championship, crushing No. 6 D’Arbonne Woods 13-3 in a game shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

Arkansas commit Ramsey Walker was 3 for 4 with three RBI and three runs scored as the Most Outstanding Player. Junior DJ Lynch was 4 for 4 and scored four runs. Freshman Kynzee Anderson was the winning pitcher. Tavia Leadon had two hits, including a home run.

In Select Division V, No. 1 seed Claiborne Christian defeated No. 3 St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville 4-1 to win the title, their third championship in the last four state tournament competitions and its fourth in six tournaments.

Anna Miller was the Most Outstanding Player, pitching a 3-hitter, walking two and struck out 11. Allie Wainwright had two hits, including a home run for the Crusaders. Madelyn Dupuis took the loss for St. Joseph’s.

LHSAA State Softball Championship Game Results from Saturday, April 29 at Frasch Park

Non-Select Division I

(1) St. Amant 4, (3) Sam Houston 0

Non-Select Division II

(1) North DeSoto 7, (2) Albany 4

Non-Select Division III

(2) Kaplan 4, (1) Sterlington 0

Non-Select Division IV

(4) French Settlement 3, (2) Montgomery 1

Non-Select Division V

(4) Converse 2, (2) Quitman 1

Select Division I

(1) St. Thomas More 7, (2) Tioga 3

Select Division II

(1) Buckeye 4, (2) Vandebilt Catholic 1

Select Division III

(1) Calvary Baptist 13, (6) D’Arbonne Woods 3 (5 innings)

Select Division IV

(2) Riverside Academy 5, (1) Catholic-Pointe Coupee 0

Select Division V (1) Claiborne Christian 4, (3) St. Joseph’s-Plaucheville 1