Prep Basbeall Louisiana Game of the Week (Week 4): Sam Houston vs. Barbe and Natchitoches Central vs. Benton

March 13, 2024
Alex Armand
Louisiana Scouting Director

Week 3 of the 2024 high school baseball season has come and gone, as we are now almost at the halfway point of the season. Last week, we featured Catholic BR vs. Live Oak for our Week 3 Game of the Week, and while our streak of seeing extra-inning baseball ended, the two teams still delivered a really good game with the Bears topping the Eagles by a score of 4-1. There are several big-time matchups in the state this week, so choosing this week's Game of the Week was no easy task, which is why we've decided to spotlight two games this week. Our Week 4 Games of the Week will be feature district rivals #2 Sam Houston and #8 Barbe, as well as #3 Natchitoches Central and #8 Benton. Sam Houston has reeled off six straight wins, since losing to Hahnville in Week 1, to improve their overall record to 10-1. The Bucs have had an "up and down" season so far for their standards, but still own a 13-4 overall record heading into district play this week. The Chiefs have had a terrific start to the season and currently own an 11-1 overall record, while the Tigers have been pretty dominant this season as well with a 12-2 overall record. Both of these district matchups are sure to be intense with playoff-like atmospheres, so be sure to follow us, across all of our social media platforms for our Week 4 Games of the Week between Sam Houston and Barbe, as well as Natchitoches Central and Benton!

Sam Houston HS vs. Barbe HS

-Date: Thursday March 14, 2024 & Saturday March 16, 2024

-Time: 6 PM (03/14/24) | 1 PM (03/16/24)

-Location: Barbe (03/14/24) | Sam Houston (03/16/24)

-Sam Houston HS (2024 Record): 10-1

-Head Coach: Chad Hebert

-Barbe HS (2024 Record): 13-4

-Head Coach: Glenn Cecchini

-Key Players (Sam Houston): 2024 MIF/RHP Griffin Hebert (UL-Lafayette signee), 2024 LHP Nik Toups (Southeastern Louisiana signee), 2024 OF Dylan Bell (LSU-Eunice signee), 2024 OF Reese Bailey, 2024 1B/OF Grant Mathieu, 2025 OF Phillip O'Neal, 2025 OF/LHP Cole Flanagan (UL-Lafayette commit), 2025 C Connor Walker, 2025 INF/RHP Ashton Bultron, 2025 INF/RHP Wyatt Harvey, 2025 INF Haden Peshoff, 2025 RHP Maddox Ardoin, 2025 RHP Landon Gentry, 2025 OF Cooper Smith, 2026 LHP Luke Pitre, 2026 INF/RHP Carson Christ, 2027 RHP/INF Owen Galley, 2027 RHP Brytn Gardner

-Key Players (Barbe): 2024 LHP/OF Diego Corrales, 2024 MIF Owen Galt (UL-Lafayette signee), 2024 OF/MIF Kasen Bellard (UL-Lafayette signee), 2024 1B Gabe Guidry, 2024 OF Collin Harris, 2024 RHP Drake Pousson, 2025 3B Brit Vick, 2025 OF Cameron Stutes, 2025 LHP Jairus Miller, 2025 OF Dane Dixon, 2025 C Presley Courville (Texas A&M commit), 2026 RHP/OF J.D. Alexander, 2026 RHP Drew Galt, 2026 UTIL/RHP Haden Heath, 2026 C/INF Myles Ledoux, 2026 MIF/RHP Ja'Derryian Washington, 2027 OF Jordin Griffin, 2027 LHP/OF Lawton Littleton, 2027 RHP Jelandon Gray

GAME PREVIEW (Sam Houston vs. Barbe)

Sam Houston and Barbe will meet for Game 1 of their two-game district series on Thursday March 14, 2024 at Barbe with Game 2 being held on Saturday March 16, 2024 at Sam Houston. The Broncos and Bucs have one of the more heated and intense rivalries, across all of Louisiana, and the two teams have split their district games each of the last three seasons. Sam Houston currently owns a 10-1 overall record and have won six straight games since losing to Hahnville in Week 1. The Broncos are led on the mound by senior RHP Griffin Hebert (Louisiana-Lafayette) and senior LHP Nik Toups (Southeastern Louisiana). Both Hebert and Toups can run their FB's into the low-90's with Hebert's best secondary offering being a sweeping SL and Toups's a late-fading CH. They've also pitched in plenty of big games over the course of their careers, as Hebert defeated nationally-ranked Trinity Christian Academy this season and Toups beat the Bucs last season, after coming in relief and throwing four scoreless innings pitched. Freshmen Owen Galley and Brytn Gardner have also been really good on the mound so far this season with Galley in a starting role and Gardner coming out of the bullpen. Hebert is also a key part of the Broncos offense, as is sophomore Carson Christ, who's been hitting out of the leadoff spot for Sam Houston. Junior Connor Walker is one of the best defensive catchers in the state and has been swinging the bat well this season, as he already has a couple of HR's. Fellow junior Ashton Bultron hits in the middle of the order and came up with quite a few clutch hits last season. Senior Dylan Bell (LSU-Eunice) patrols centerfield and is another left-handed hitter with some power in the middle of the Broncos lineup. Barbe's pitching staff this season has been led by two southpaws in senior LHP Diego Corrales and freshman LHP Lawton Littleton. Both are strike-throwers with low-mid 80's FB's and can land their secondary offerings for strikes and swing & miss. Littleton is the state's top LHP in the 2027 class and already owns a perfect 5-0 record on the season. The Bucs offense is led by a trio of seniors in Corrales, Owen Galt (Louisiana-Lafayette), and Kasen Bellard (Louisiana-Lafayette). Galt and Bellard were both starters on last year's state title team that went 39-1 and both hit at the top of the Barbe order, along with Corrales. Junior OF Cameron Stutes has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Bucs and is a good-looking uncommitted junior outfielder with gap to gap type power. Freshman sensation Jordin Griffin, the state's top player in the 2027 class, has also made a name for himself this spring, as he's earned the starting centerfield job for the Bucs. Sam Houston Head Coach Chad Hebert coached under legendary Barbe Head Coach Glenn Cecchini for one season, back in 2006, so the two programs and coaches know each other extremely well. We expect a low-scoring and close game with the winning team being the one who makes the least amount of mistakes, in what will surely be an intense, playoff-like atmosphere.

SAM HOUSTON (HIGHLIGHTS)

+ 2024 Griffin Hebert

+ 2024 Nik Toups

+ 2024 Dylan Bell

+ 2027 Owen Galley

BARBE (HIGHLIGHTS)

+ 2024 Diego Corrales

+ 2024 Kasen Bellard

2024 Kasen Bellard (Barbe HS)

5’11” 175 lbs.

The @RaginCajunsBSB recruit led off the game last night with an oppo bomb and squared up this one in his last AB to RCF. Bellard hit .417 last season and is one of the Bucs key returners this spring. #BeSeen @prepbaseball pic.twitter.com/8nofzvkHI6
— Prep Baseball Louisiana (@PrepBaseballLA) December 20, 2023

+ 2024 Owen Galt

2024 SS Owen Galt (Barbe HS)

5’10” 170 lbs.

Jumps all over this 2-0 pitch for a pull-side single. The @RaginCajunsBSB recruit has definitely added more strength this off-season and is another returning starter for the Bucs. #BeSeen @prepbaseball pic.twitter.com/7HCJMjl17Y
— Prep Baseball Louisiana (@PrepBaseballLA) December 14, 2023

+ 2027 Jordin Griffin

+ 2027 Lawton Littleton

Natchitoches Central HS vs. Benton HS

-Date: Thursday March 14, 2024 & Saturday March 16, 2024

-Time: 5 PM (03/14/24) | 1 PM (03/16/24)

-Location: Benton (03/14/24) | Natchitoches Central (03/16/24)

-Natchitoches Central HS (2024 Record): 11-1

-Head Coach: Joshua Kaufman

-Benton HS (2024 Record): 12-3

-Head Coach: Dane Peavy

-Key Players (Natchitoches Central): 2025 OF/C Dillon Braxton, 2025 SS Brock Laird (Southeastern Louisiana commit), 2025 LHP/1B Adam Guillet (Louisiana Tech commit), 2025 LHP Ross Lindsey (Alabama commit), 2025 OF Kyron Payne, 2025 OF Titus Williams, 2026 MIF Owen Smith

-Key Players (Benton): 2024 LHP/OF Bryson Pierce (Louisiana Tech signee), 2024 MIF Hudson Brignac (Northwestern State signee), 2024 OF Cody Wilhite, 2024 RHP Brooks Prewitt, 2024 OF Blake Warner, 2025 LHP/OF Kade Bryant, 2025 RHP/1B Jax Prewitt, 2025 UTIL/RHP Colton Birdsong, 2025 C Griffin Sibley (Louisiana-Monroe commit), 2025 LHP/OF Jackson Jones, 2025 RHP Thomas Allen, 2025 RHP Tanner Webb, 2026 INF Case Jorden

GAME PREVIEW (Natchitoches Central vs. Benton)

Natchitoches Central and Benton will meet for Game 1 of their two-game district series on Thursday March 14, 2024 at Benton with Game 2 being held on Saturday March 16, 2024 at Natchitoches Central. The Chiefs and Tigers are currently both ranked in the Top 5 of our Power 25 Rankings at #3 and #4 respectively. Natchitoches Central currently owns a 11-1 overall record with their lone loss coming last weekend against Alexandria Senior High by a score of 3-0. The Chiefs are led on the mound by junior LHP Ross Lindsey (Alabama) who was a member of our Future Games team last summer. The Alabama recruit features a mid-upper 80's FB to go along with a low-80's CUT, SL, and CH, and he can locate to all quadrants. Natchitoches Central also has another talented southpaw in junior Adam Guillet (Louisiana Tech), who can run his FB up to 90 mph. Sophomore Owen Smith is an athletic right-hander with aptitude for spin. Smith also doubles as the everyday second baseman for the Chiefs when he's not on the mound. Joining him in the middle-infield is another former Future Gamer in junior Brock Laird (Southeastern Louisiana). Laird is a twitchy athlete with a solid glove and present bat speed with gap to gap power. Juniors Dillon Braxton, Titus Williams, and Kyron Payne are three other major contributors to the Chiefs offense. Benton currently owns a 12-3 overall record and were coming off four straight wins last week, before losing last night against Calvary Baptist. The Tigers have one of the deeper pitching staffs in the state with the likes of senior LHP Bryson Pierce (Louisiana Tech) and a quartet of juniors in LHP Jackson Jones (Louisiana Tech), RHP Thomas Allen ('23 Future Gamer), RHP Tanner Webb, and LHP Kade Bryant. Pierce, Jones, and Bryant all play an important role in the offense, in addition to their duties on the mound. Junior C Griffin Sibley (Louisiana-Monroe) is the battery-mate for the staff and is now a two-year starter behind the plate for Benton. Senior SS Hudson Brignac (Northwestern State) is the captain of the infield and the table-setter at the top of the Tigers order. Benton has won the District 1-5A title the last three seasons, but Natchitoches Central has been knocking on the door over the last couple of years and seem to be close to really taking that next step forward as a program. Fans can expect to see some really good pitching in this series with the likes of four Division I recruits between the two teams in Bryson Pierce, Jackson Jones, Adam Guillet, and Ross Lindsey. In addition to those four, you have guys like Thomas Allen, Tanner Webb, and Kade Bryant who are also on track to pitch at the next level. The Chiefs and Tigers matchup is shaping up to be one of the better games in the northern part of the state this season, and it's one that we're certainly looking forward to covering.