The Hicks Pirates will go for their 16th state title today on Field #40 at McMurry Park in Sulphur, Louisiana. First pitch for the Division V Non-Select title game against Quitman High is 11 a.m.
#3 Hicks and #5 Quitman deserve each other. Quitman beat #1 and defending state champ Pitkin in the semifinals 1-0. Hicks lost both games in district 4-B play to Pitkin this season. Hicks topped #2 Weston in the semifinals 5-1. Weston bested Quitman twice in district 1-B this season.
Hicks got a BYE in the first round of the playoffs then defeated #14 Converse, 8-0, #6 Elizabeth, 5-2 and #2 Weston, 5-1. The Pirates won 7 of the last 10 regular season games to finish the season 16-8. They have won 8 in a row, counting playoffs.
Pirates coach, Gary Williams, took senior pitcher Hayden Doyle out after 7 and 2/3 innings against Weston. He kept a close eye on the pitch count and will have Doyle for limited use. He has several young arms to go to if Doyle cannot go deep into the game. The Pirates play six sophomores a lot, and they have gained great experience this season.
Quitman is a senior-laden team (6) with only two juniors and three sophomores who have seen extensive playing time for the Wolverines. Coach Joe Lockhart’s squad was 15-10 in the regular season and defeated #12 Doyline,4-3, #4 Stanley, 8-1, and #1 Pitkin, 1-0 on the way to the title game. Quitman is 3-2 in their last five games. Lockhart said, “I love the aggressiveness of Hicks; they hit the ball and get on base. You had better play good defense against them.” Lockhart told the VPJ he really had not decided on a starting pitcher for the game.
The Division V Non-Select state title game time is 11 a.m. today. The game can be heard locally on 105.7/KVVP-FM and 93.5/KJAE-FM.