Matt Vines
STONEWALL – North DeSoto absorbed a gut punch in the opening game in the Kaplan series as the Pirates scored three runs in the first inning.
But the Griffins took total control, outscoring Kaplan 19-1 in the next 13 innings to win the first-round playoff series in Division II Non-Select.
North DeSoto won 9-4 on Thursday and 10-0 on Friday as the No. 9 Griffins closed out No. 24 Kaplan.
North DeSoto (22-7) will face No. 8 Rayne, who had a first-round bye. The series begins Thursday at 6 p.m. followed by a Friday 4 p.m. contest and an if-necessary game later Friday.
Rayne (22-9) earned the last first-round bye and hasn’t played a game since April 15, a 3-1 loss to Lafayette Christian.
Rayne finished second in District 3-4A to No. 5 seed Eunice.
North DeSoto has made the quarterfinals in each of the last three playoffs, including the semifinals in each of the past two years.
North DeSoto 9, Kaplan 4
Kaplan scored three first-inning runs on a pair of doubles and an error, but North DeSoto pitcher Caleb Roles took command from there.
Roles allowed just one more run in his remaining five innings, finishing with four runs allowed on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
The Griffins bats responded to Kaplan’s big first inning with a whopper of their own as they plated six runs.
After the first run scored on a passed ball, RBI singles from Reni Mason and Porter Doyal tied the score at 3-3.
Braden Jones tripled in an additional two runs with a Kaleb Carter RBI double accounting for the sixth run of the inning.
Eight of North DeSoto’s nine hitters recorded at least one hit with Doyal leading the way with a 2-for-3 effort.
Bryant LaCour, Doyal and Jones each drove in two runs.
North DeSoto 10, Kaplan 0 (six innings)
The Griffins got off to another quick start with three first-inning runs en route to the shutout.
A Kaplan error on the first play of the game set the tone for the blowout.
A Cole Cory RBI groundout, a Mason RBI single and Jones RBI walk built a 3-0 lead.
North DeSoto added two more runs in the third inning when Mason scored on a passed ball and Doyal drove in a run for a 5-0 edge.
LaCour scored on a passed ball before Doyal singled in two more runs for a commanding 8-0 lead.
Brayden Toothman and LaCour each recorded three hits with Doyal driving in a team-high three RBIs and LaCour adding another two.
Pitcher Trysten Hopper breezed through the Kaplan lineup with four hits allowed and seven strikeouts in six innings.