Berwick will host St. Louis

Berwick may have had a tough regular season plagued with one-run losses, but going into the postseason, head coach Mike Thomas said he likes his team’s demeanor.
“Everybody’s got a pep in their step,” Thomas said. “It doesn’t look like everybody’s ready for this to be over, which is a good thing.”
Berwick, the No. 15 seed in the Class 3A playoffs, will get the chance to continue their season when it hosts No. 18 seed St. Louis Catholic Friday in a 5:30 p.m. contest.
While the Panthers finished the season with a 17-10 mark and a 6-2 record in District 9-3A play — good enough for a runner-up finish — the Panthers dropped five games this season by one run. Thomas said in a lot of those, they were winning going into the sixth inning.
“We could easily be 22-5 if it wasn’t for those few games where the ball didn’t bounce our way, but it’s water under the bridge,” Thomas said. “It is what it is. We just got to come out and play. It don’t really matter where you finish. You got to play everybody sooner or later.”
Thomas said he was proud of their effort this season and said he thought his squad had about an earned-run average of 2.00 and hit better than .300 as a team with a few players hitting at least .370.
“That’s pretty good,” Thomas said.
He said he likes his teams’ attitude and the way they are hitting the ball heading into the postseason.
“If our pitchers can consistently throw strikes, limit the walks and we can make the routine plays, I like our chances,” Thomas said. “I don’t care who we play.”
The Panthers also have showed they are capable of competing with elite competition, beating third-ranked E.D. White in District 9-3A play and playing a close game with John Curtis until the fifth inning in a 7-1 loss.
As for St. Louis, Thomas said he has heard they are a scrappy team
St. Louis enters Friday’s contest with a 14-18 overall mark and a 6-4 record in District 4-3A, good enough for third place.
Both teams have a common opponent in Catholic High-New Iberia, who St. Louis fell to twice, 5-0 and 8-6. Berwick beat Catholic High.
Admission to Friday’s game will be $5.