Look to Tame the Tornadoes
The LaSalle Tigers baseball team opened the postseason with a commanding 11–1 victory over West St. John, ending the game in just five innings thanks to an explosive offense and lockdown pitching.
The #9 Tigers played their first-round playoff game against #24 West St. John Thursday, April 23, in Olla. From the very first pitch, the Tigers played like a group that had no intention of letting their season end anytime soon. LaSalle’s bats came alive early, stringing together timely hits, aggressive baserunning, and disciplined at‑bats that kept pressure on the Rams all afternoon.
On the mound, the Tigers allowed almost nothing, holding West St. John to a single run and never letting momentum slip.
Starting pitcher Luke Lasiter was dominant on the hill, as the right-handed freshman rang up 11 strikeouts in the victory. Lasiter gave up one hit and one run over five innings while walking two.
A passed ball put West St. John on the board in the top of the first but that was all they would get in the game. The Tigers then captured the lead, 4-1, in the bottom of the first after Lane Burnham hit a sacrifice fly, Tuff Street singled, Brodie Kirkland singled down the right field line, and West St John committed an error, each scoring one run.
The boys added one run in the second. Burnham singled down the left field line, making the score 5-1. After that, the lead continued to grow into a 10-run victory in five innings. Final score: LaSalle 11 – West St. John 1.
The Tigers collected 12 hits in the game. Jessey Stowe went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the team in hits. Burnham and Mason Lee each drove in three runs. Street collected two hits in two at bats, and Stowe, alongside Hunter Boyd, each stole multiple bases on the day. LaSalle stole seven bases total in the game.
This was the kind of performance that sends a message: LaSalle is here to make noise. The reward for their dominant first‑round win? A tough away matchup against the #8 Haynesville Golden Tornado this Thursday, April 30, at 6:00 p.m. These two teams have history and recent history at that. In their previous meeting played in Olla on February 21, LaSalle defeated the Tornados 10–4, showcasing the grit that carried them through the first round. But postseason baseball is a different animal, and playing on the road raises the stakes.
Haynesville’s home crowd will show up in the attempt to defend their turf. The Tigers will need every ounce of energy, focus, and resilience to punch their ticket to the next round. This is where the community comes in. A postseason road game is never easy, and the boys feed off the energy of their supporters.
The Tigers are asking, and deserving, of a strong traveling support crowd to help tilt the atmosphere back in their favor. If you can make the trip, be there in Haynesville Thursday at 6:00 p.m. as the Tigers look to advance to the quarterfinal round.
A win against Haynesville will see them play the winner of the #1 Welsh and #16 Franklin game next week.
LaSalle has the talent. They have the momentum. Now they just need the community there! Go Tigers!
