After two battles in the regular season, District 3-5A rivals Barbe and Sulphur will get another shot at each other starting today in a best-of-three nonselect Division I regional baseball playoff series.

No. 17 Sulphur (25-11) had leads in both games but lost 10-7 on April 6 and 2-1 on April 12. The Tors were hoping they wouldn’t have to wait till next season for another chance.

“It is going to be exciting,” Sulphur head coach Thomas Tillery said. “It is an opportunity our boys wanted.

“I think (Barbe head coach) Glenn (Cecchini) can say the same thing, anybody could have won both of those games. We were on the short end of it. I even told our coaches I didn’t want to wait another year to play these guys again. I love playing them. They bring out the best in us, and it is always a good baseball game. I expect the same thing.”

It is the fifth time the teams have met in the postseason with No. 1 Barbe (29-5) winning each matchup, including in last year’s semifinals 5-1 on their way to their 12th state championship.

“They are a good program and a good team,” Cecchini said of the Tors. “For us, our goal is to win a state championship every year, and they are in our way. That is how we look at everyone.

“We expect it to be a war. Both games were really close. I always thought Sulphur was way better than a 17 seed. I think they are one of the top teams in the state, and I think Tillery has done a good job.”

Losing to the Bucs and two to No. 3 Sam Houston (28-4) was part of a four-game losing streak for the Tors, who were slowed by errors (16) and strikeouts (20). But Tillery said the Tors are in better shape after going on the road in the bi-district round and sweeping No. 16 East Ascension 2-1, 9-6. The Tors committed one error and struck out three times in the series.

“At East Ascension, we didn’t seem like we were pressing,” he said. “We were relaxed. Balls were hit to us and we picked it up and threw it across. I hope that is the same mentality we have this weekend. We just have to play clean. We can’t let the environment get to us or let the moment be too big for us. I really feel like we will give ourselves a chance if we can do that.”

Tillery said he will throw his ace, Slade Shove-Knox (5-2, 1.16 ERA), in Game 1, but hasn’t decided on a Game 2 starter.

The Bucs have enjoyed much success with lefties through the years, including Nick Bourgeois, Adam Goree, Tyler Booth, Wade Leblanc, Chris Denton, Gunner Leger and J.C. Vanek to name a few. Cecchini said he is not deviating from that and will start Diego Corrales in Game 1 and Lawton Littleton in Game 2.

“We have had a history of (lefties),” Cecchini said. “There have been so many good lefties.

“If you have two guys with the same skill sets and one is right-handed and one is left-handed, the lefty is better. (Corrales and Littleton) throw a lot of strikes and have good offspeed stuff. They compete hard and are very consistent. I like them both. They have breaking balls, changeups and a fastball that they can locate on either side of the plate. Anytime you have a left-handed pitcher, you have an advantage.”

Elsewhere

After a first-round bye, No. 3 Sam Houston hosts No. 14 Walker (25-10) in Game 1 at 6 p.m. today. Game 2 is at 6 p.m. Friday and Game 3 at noon Saturday, if necessary.

The Broncos are on a 10-game win streak, averaging 10.7 runs per game during that time.

Three area teams in nonselect Division III are hosting a regional series, including No. 1 South Beauregard (25-3). The Golden Knights start their series at 6 p.m. Friday against District 3-3A rival No. 17 Kinder (13-20). South Beauregard has won 10 consecutive games, including a 10-4 win over Kinder on March 27.

No. 7 Westlake (21-11) looks to repeat the success of its quarterfinal run last season by hosting in the regional round for the first time since 2009. The Rams open their series with No. 10 Jena (22-9) on at 6 p.m. Friday.

No. 8 Rosepine (14-11) starts its three-game series with No. 9 Loreauville (19-12) at 6 p.m. Friday.

Select Division I No. 1 St. Louis Catholic (20-10) played a doubleheader Wednesday night against No. 17 New Orleans Military & Maritime (9-8).