It has been 20 years since Lake Arthur started its baseball program, but the Tigers have their first playoff win.

In their first-ever home playoff game, the No. 12 Tigers beat No. 21 South Plaquemines 4-2 Tuesday to improve to 17-10.

“We started off (the season) very well and a bunch of kids actually believing we could do something,” Lake Arthur head coach Bretton Lilley said. “We have had some talent in the past, but mentall y they were not prepared to take it to the next level. 

“They have come together. They are selfless. We have had more followers this season than other years. People are calling wanting to know when the next game is. The bleachers were packed for the playoff game.”

It was the third time the Tigers played a postseason game. They will travel to No. 5 Loreauville for a best-of-three regional series.

Leading 2-0 in the fifth inning, Lake Arthur got an RBI double from Hunter Chretien and Addison Landry scored on a suicide squeeze by Dax Duhon to provide the Tigers with enough cushion to hold off the Hurricanes.

Peyton Thibodeaux pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts and two walks.

Lilley said a mixture of strong senior leadership from Chretien (.342, 25 runs, 20 RBIs, 8 doubles) and Grant Armand (.262, 28 runs, 21 RBIs) and contributing underclassmen, including sophomores Jarron Whitman (.467, 36 runs, 38 RBIs, 13 doubles, 4 HRs), Tristan Doucet (.400, 41 runs, 28 RBIs, 8 doubles, 20 SBs) and Landry (.411, 23 runs, 25 RBIs, 7 doubles), has been a key factor in the Tigers’ success.

SWINGING AWAY: Area athletes found success on the tennis courts and golf course this week.

Leading the way were the Sam Houston doubles team of Antonio Silva-Sierra and Tom Hall, who won the Division II state championship.

Silva-Sierra and Hall rallied after losing the first set to defeat a team from E.D. White 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the finals, played at Louisiana-Monroe.  

In golf, the Sulphur and Lacassine girls teams won their regional tournaments. Sulphur’s Brooke Tyree and Lacassine’s Carly Whittington won individual titles. 

MOVING UP: A handful of area athletes signed letters of intent this week to compete collegiately.

A trio of St. Louis Saints are moving on, with sprinter/middle distance runner Bailey Fruge signing with McNeese State, soccer player Avery Caraway inking with LSU-Eunice and swimmer Issac Etherton signing with Milligan College in Tennessee. 

Also heading to LSU-Eunice is Washington-Marion basketball player Jaylin Walker. He will join Lake Charles College Prep’s Paul Williams at LSU-E, which will begin play in men’s basketball next season.

Kinder pitcher Raul Barrera signed to play baseball at LSU-Alexandria. Barerra helped the Yellow Jackets reach the state tournament last year and earn the No. 1 seed in this year’s playoffs.