Peake BMW (Brother Martin) edged Retif Oil (Jesuit) Wednesday 4-2 to take the championship of the American Legion Southeast Regional State Tournament held at Athletic Park in Ponchatoula. The five-day double elimination tournament featured eight teams.

Both Peake BMW (21-6) and Retif Oil (20-4) earned berths and now advance to the legion state tournament to be held in Crowley beginning July 24.

Peake BMW reliever Logan Riddell put down a bases-loaded rally in the seventh and shut out Retif Oil in the final two innings to help secure the victory.

Capital One Bank (Fontainebleau High) is pictured during the American Legion Southeast Regional State Tournament held in Ponchatoula. Capital One Bank entered the tournament as the Sixth District East West Division champions and finished 1-2 over the weekend. Pictured from left, first row: Logan Peterson, Tanner Watson, Dalton LaFrance, David Fiegel and Dru Richard; second row: Henry (Adam) Hines, Anthony LaGuardia, Ryan Casassa, Andrew Patin, Harrison Little and Andrew Brown; third row: coach Brian Babin, James Cousin, Jacob Palmisano, Matt Ernst, Shane Mullin, Klay Galloway and head coach Elmo (Mo) Altazan. Not pictured are Addision Melancon and Will Ward. (Staff Photos by Mike Pervel) (Use arrows above to view more photos)

Trailing by just two runs, Retif loaded the bases against Peake starter Corey Thomas with nobody out in the top of the seventh.

But Riddell entered the game and struck out the first batter, got the second to pop up and the third to ground out to end the rally. He struck out three batters and allowed only two hits over the next two innings to seal the victory for Peake BMW.

Riddell finished quieting Retif’s usually hot bats that Thomas started. The big lefthander pitched the first six innings, allowing only one earned run and scattering six hits while striking out three and walking two to pick up the title victory.

Down 2-1, Peake BMW scored its go-ahead runs in the bottom of the fifth. Mason Montney walked and advanced to third when pitcher Richard Dempsey threw wild to first on a bunt by Johnny Thomas.

Joel Gonzalez then drove Montney home with a ground out to second to tie the game before a single by Joel Toups plated Thomas for a 3-2 lead.

One inning later, Montney’s sacrifice fly brought home Taylor Novotny for the final two-run cushion.

Peake BMW coach Mark Wisniewski said his team played hard throughout the tournament.

“We didn’t hit the ball as well as we had in previous games, but we had some timely hitting when we needed it,” coach Wisniewski said.

“Corey (Thomas) threw very well for seven innings before he got a little tired. Logan (Riddell) did a phenomenal job to not give up any runs coming with the bases loaded and nobody out,” Wisniewski added.

Retif Oil defeated Nationwide Restoration (Archbishop Rummel) 11-1 on Wednesday to advance to the championship game. Retif Oil’s Stephen Lukinovich tossed a four-hitter and sparkled at the plate with four hits to propel Retif Oil into the championship game with Peake BMW. Lukinovich struck out five and walked one in the game, which was delayed one-hour due to a lightening delay in the first inning.

Retif Oil banged out 14 hits and raced out to a quick 5-0 first inning lead. Cory Guidry, Chad Guidry and Briggs Barrios delivered consecutive singles off of Nationwide Restoration starter and loser Gavin Fayard. Barrios singled in the first run before the game was delayed by lightening. When the game resumed Lukinovich singled in a run. Josh Faciane collected an RBI single and Bubby Riley delivered a two-run triple. Cory Guidry, who went 3-3, tallied four runs for Retif.

Nationwide tallied its lone run in the fifth when Ray Veit walked and scored on a double by pinch hitter Albert Hotfelter.

Switching locations, in the American Legion Southwest Regional State Tournament, Gauthier & Amedee (Gonzales) defeated Pelican Waste (Belle Chasse) 12-7 on Wednesday.

Both teams qualify for the state tournament July 24-29 in Crowley.

The teams played after press time yesterday to decide the regional winner at Baton Rouge’s Pete Goldsby Field since it was Pelican Waste’s first loss of the tournament.

The game began at Goldsby Field, but was moved to Brusly High School in the bottom of the first due to rain

Gauthier & Amedee’s Matt Willis went 3-4 with three runs batted, while Bradly Day posted three hits, including a two-run double. Britt Gautreaux tallied two singles.

Micah Gautreau, the winning pitcher, went seven innings, allowing seven runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.

Gauthier & Amedee captured the victory despite committing eight errors.

Pelican Waste’s Nick Flair went 3-4 with a double and an RBI. Austin Barrois, Brock LeBlanc, Keith Hedrick and Gavin Culpepper all singled.

Pelican Waste committed four errors.

In Tuesday’s action, Gauthier & Amedee knocked off Otto Candies (Hahnville) 10-1.

Jake Bordelon pitched eight innings and gave up five hits in the victory. Willis was 3-5 with two RBIs, while Lee Elisar and Matt Bonadona each produced two hits and a pair of RBIs. Otto Candies’ Dillon Boudreaux finished 2-5, Cody Farrell was 2-2 with a triple and Tyler Cooper posted a triple.

In the other game Tuesday, Pelican Waste topped Plaquemine Post 167 (St. John) 7-1.

LeBlanc tallied two hits and scored, while Flair was 2-5 with a run. Culpepper posted a pair of hits, two RBIs and a run. Matt Roichenau added two hits and a run batted in.

Post 167’s Landon Landry was 2-4, while Shea Ourso doubled and scored and Logan Lejeune drove in a run.

Rick Settoon also contributed to this article.