Written for the LSWA

A mixture of impressive individual performances, program history and dominance highlight the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s 2023 Class 2A All-State baseball and softball teams.

DeQuincy pitcher Reese Ashworth and Calvary Baptist infielder D.J. Lynch earned Outstanding Player honors in their respective sports, while Coach of the Year awards went to Wayne Stein of St. Charles Catholic and Garrett Coppels of Vinton.

The rare distinction of back-to-back Coach of the Year recognition goes to Stein in his final season leading the program, as he steps down to focus on his duties as athletic director and football coach.

He helped lead the Comets to their second straight Division-III Select state championship — and third title since 2019, with no playoffs held in 2020 and a runner-up finish in 2021.

St. Charles secured the No. 1 seed in the bracket with a 26-6-1 regular season against predominantly higher-classification opponents.

The six wins and one tie all came against Class 5A programs to reach at least the quarterfinals in their respective brackets.

And the Comets rolled through the postseason with a 6-1 record and 51-18 run differential with only quarterfinal foe University Lab claiming a game or sticking within four runs.

Ashworth meanwhile capped his prep career by leading DeQuincy to its first state championship appearance since 1981.

The LSU-Eunice signee compiled a 10-2 record, 0.964 ERA, 134 strikeouts and 26 walks in 87 innings pitched, including a no-hitter in the regionals and one-hitter in the semifinals.

He also led the Tigers at the plate with a .435 average, 10 homers, four triples, eight doubles, 38 RBIs and 39 runs scored, including five hits and three RBIs in the Division IV Non-Select title game.

On the softball side, Coppels coached Vinton to its first three playoff victories and the school’s first semifinal appearance in any sport since the 1950s.

The Lions had been 0-7 all-time in the softball playoffs until this spring’s run, which included an upset of top-seeded LaSalle in the quarterfinals.

Vinton finished with a 21-11 record after having fallen short of 10 wins the previous five seasons.

Lynch batted a whopping .528 with 19 homers, 45 RBIs and 61 runs scored while being walked 15 times to help lead her Cavaliers to their second straight crown.

Calvary Baptist finished the season 26-9 in-state against a slate of largely higher-classification schools with eight losses coming to Class 5A playoff teams and the other to dominant Class 4A champion North DeSoto.

The Cavaliers outscored their postseason opponents 53-4 in four games with Lynch as the biggest bat in a strong lineup.

LSWA 2023 CLASS 2A CHARTS

BASEBALL

P Andrew Prejean Menard Sr. 11-2

P Reese Ashworth DeQuincy Sr. 10-2

P Brandon Kragle St. Charles Jr. 8-1

P Brady St. Pierre St. Charles Jr. 9-0

C Grant Cohn Dunham Sr. .427

IF Ayden Authement St. Charles Sr. .378

IF Brodie Stuart Oak Grove So. .443

IF Jake Smith Rosepine Sr. .406

IF Grant Ducote Rosepine Sr. .436

OF Will Sanders Springfield Sr. .492

OF Aden Cline Rosepine Sr. .424

OF Parker LeBlanc Delcambre Sr. 427

UTL Michael Hotard St. Charles

UTL Jackson Legg Calvary Sr. 10-2

UTL Cooper Scott Menard Jr. 7-1

UTL Sam Bernard Notre Dame Sr. 8-2

UTL Aidan Mouton Notre Dame Sr. .417

OUTSTANDING PLAYER; REESE ASHWORTH, DEQUINCY

COACH OF THE YEAR: WAYNE STEIN, ST. CHARLES

Honorable mention

Tyler Hughes, Red River; E.J. Abshire, Ascension Episcopal;  Gage Hutson, Mangham; Garrett Walker, Grand Lake; Logan Sorrel, Dunham; Cade Bedgood, Calvary; Jon Jon Dick, Lakeside; JC Hendrickson, Many; Ben Wade, Menard; Andrew Abshire, Notre Dame; Hollan Stripling, D’Arbonne Woods; Tanner Duff, Oak Grove; Drake Aldredge, Menard; Drew Bourgeois, Dunham; Jackson Monica, St. Charles; Lane Almond, Mangham; Hunter Gillespie, Glenmora; Cameron Parks, Glenmora; Chase Cresson, Episcopal; Peyton Woodring, Ascension Episcopal; Seth Ray, Oak Grove; Blake Rodriguez, Pope John Paul II; Hadley Warner, Vinton; Sammy Maddox, DeQuincy, Jorge Pertuit, Houma Christian.

SOFTBALL

P Kynzee Anderson Calvary Fr. 22-9

P Bailee Royer Notre Dame Sr. 22-4

P Jaycie O’Connor Vinton Jr. 21-11

P Malloy Miles French Settlement 8^th 15-9

C Hailey Henry Houma Christian Jr. .424

IF Jadyn Yesso Houma Christian Jr. .529

IF DJ Lynch Calvary Jr. .528

IF Emily DeSelle Menard Jr. .487

IF Ramsey Walker Calvary Jr. .500

OF Sara Kate Booker Many Jr. .531
OF Keleigh Spell Notre Dame Jr. .557
OF Shelby Deason Rosepine Sr. .490
UTL Lexie Melin Loreauville So. .548
UTL Brooke Dupuy French Settlement Sr. .421
UTL Tavia Leadon Calvary Sr. .516
UTL Ashley Johnson Oak Grove Jr. .417
UTL Mia Ganote St. Charles Jr. .446

OUTSTANDING PLAYER: DJ LYNCH, CALVARY

COACH OF THE YEAR: GARRETT COPPELS, VINTON

Honorable mention

Kaylee Methvin, Menard; Sam Daniels, Port Barre; Briley Lovell, Houma Christian; Gabby Lafferty, DeQuincy; Jenna Marler, Rosepine; Adah Doucet. DeQuincy; Ashley Johnson, Oak Grove; Jolie Gray, Vinton; Madison Nelson Winnfield; Callie Maitre. Notre Dame; Adrienn Arnett, St. Charles; Kayla Bendic, Pope John Paul II; Baileigh Kellogg, DeQuincy; Macey Freed, Notre Dame;  Sawyer Shelton, Menard; Karlie Glascock, Oak Grove; Aubrey Thomas, Houma Christian; Kamryn Leone, Many; Gabby Boudreaux, Notre Dame; Brooke Karpinski, French Settlement; Claire McIlwain, Dunham; Barbra Ann White, Rosepine; Laynie Jones, D’Arbonne Woods; Joley Bennett, D’Arbonne Woods; Destiny Pierce, Houma Christian; Olivia Roan, D’Arbonne Woods.