By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

The American Legion Second District playoff matchups were set on Thursday, made official by Destrehan-based Valero St. Charles’ dominant 18-3 victory over Hahnville-based Otto Candies in a tiebreaker.

Each team entered the game with a 9-1 record in Second District West play, forcing a final regular season game between the two to determine the top seed.

The teams were scheduled to begin a double elimination playoff tournament on Friday, with the top two teams advancing to the Southwest Regional in Gonzales.

Top seeded Valero was scheduled to begin against No. 4 Bell Office Machines (East Jefferson), while No. 2 Otto Candies was to face No. 3 Townsend Homes (St. Charles).

Valero (24-2, 9-1) opened up the game on Thursday with an 11-run first inning, and coasted the rest of the way.

Otto Candies (16-8, 9-1) was stuck within a rock and a hard place, having played games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in order to make up rain outs. That likely served to stretch out the team’s pitching.

It came three days after Otto Candies handed Valero only its second loss of the summer, and first in district play in a game at Destrehan Monday. Otto Candies scored four runs in the top of the fourth, giving them a 5-1 lead.

While Valero had come back from a number of deficits to win this summer, there would be no such heroics on Monday.

Justin Zoglio (5-2) picked up the win for Otto Candies. Josh Rochelle (3-1) took the loss.

Giuseppe Crovetto hit a home run while John Gomez, and Jared Harrell each collected two hits for Otto Candies.

For Valero, Trey Watkins hit a solo home run to go along with two hits.