Hahnville’s season comes to end with 4-2 loss to Rummel

But Tigers return 20 of 25 players next season

Hahnville shortstop Cody Farrell chases down a Rummel baserunner during the second inning of the Tigers quarterfinal game against the Raiders. Hahnville would lose the game, 4-2, snapping their 18-game winning streak and ending their season.

The Hahnville baseball team’s 18-game win streak finally came to an end in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A state tournament with a 4-2 loss to Archbishop Rummel.

The Raiders took an early lead in the first inning as centerfielder Scott Hale walked to start the frame, advanced the bases on a sacrifice bunt and a deep fly ball to left before scoring on a two-out single off the bat of Spencer Veit.

In the third, Rummel extended their lead to 4-0. Following a leadoff double by third baseman Zachary Schmidt and a single by shortstop Raymond Veit, first baseman Justin Sinibaldi made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to left. Spencer Veit followed with an RBI-double to chase Hahnville starter Jake Cologne from the game, and Hannan capped the four-run frame with an RBI-single to center.

With LSU commitment Mitch Sewald cruising through the first three innings on the mound for Rummel, it appeared that the Tigers were out of the game at that point. However, Hahnville showed signs of life in the fourth.

Michael Ford singled to left to get Hahnville started and Connor Lorio reached on a fielder’s choice to third. Tyler Lamers pushed the first Hahnville run across the plate after hitting a fielder’s choice and Easton Melancon skied a sacrifice fly that brought in Lorio.

But that was as close as the Tigers would get.

"You’re always disappointed with a loss, but I think we played hard and didn’t give up," Hahnville head coach Kade Rogers said. "It’s easy when you go down 4-0 to say its over, but we didn’t and in the seventh inning we got the tying run to the plate."

Rogers said the Tigers caught some breaks during their 18-game winning streak, but the things that had been going their way for the last half of the season didn’t materialize against Rummel.

"I couldn’t’ be prouder of the guys and the way they played," Rogers said. "We faced a great pitcher and we didn’t back down. Facing a guy that signed with LSU, we weren’t in awe or overmatched."

Sewald tossed a complete game for Rummel, giving up two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out six. Cologne, one of Hahnville’s five seniors, got the loss after giving up five hits and four runs in 2.1 innings. Cologne struck out two and walked three.

Ford, Tyler Simmons and Ty Cologne were the only Tigers to record hits in the game. Melancon and Lamers finished with Hahnville’s two RBI.

Despite the loss though, Rogers said he is extremely pleased with how his squad played throughout the season. This was the first time Hahnville had advanced to the state tournament since 2006.

"This was a special year because of the group of kids we had," he said. "These 25 kids bought into the process that we had been trying to instill for a couple of years now and it was truly all about them.

"They played for each other and played as one. They played like champions throughout the entire year and truly cared for each other."

The loss to Rummel marked Rogers’ last game as head coach of the Tigers. He took a job as the school district’s safety coordinator. But Rogers believes that the Tigers, who return 20 of their 25 players, will be just as good next year.

"There is no doubt in my mind that we can have the same kind of success," he said. "We do have some key losses, but I am expecting this team to succeed no matter who the next coach is. Special things are happening around here."