Hot-hitting Lady Tigers pounce on Thibodaux in 12-0 playoff win

Bruce McDonald

The Hahnville Tigers celebrate their 12-0 win over Thibodaux on Tuesday. (Bottom left) Hahnville ace Lauren Candies had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning.

The Hahnville Lady Tigers have caught fire at just the right time as the team used a shutout pitching effort from Lauren Candies and hot hitting from the rest of the squad to pick up a 12-0 win over Thibodaux in a bi-district playoff.

The Lady Tigers will now travel to face Covington on Friday, April 24.

Thibodaux did threaten in the first inning when Kayla Bland reached first base on a throwing error. Bland then stole second to get into scoring position. Unfortunately for Thibodaux, it was to be the last time they would have a runner reach second.

Candies struck out Alyssa Martinez, then forced Sadie Daigle to ground out to end the frame.

In the bottom of the first, the Lady Tigers took a 3-0 lead after Courtney Dutreix, Summer Melancon and Elise deBruler all scored on a hit by Amye Barre, a sacrifice fly by Hope Mair and a fielder’s choice by Destiny Nicholas.

In the top of the second, all three Thibodaux batters grounded out, and Hahnville picked up another run in the bottom of the frame when deBuler doulbed to left center field and Dutreix bunted to third base, which scored deBruler.

Candies struck out the side to start the third and Hahnville exploded from the plate in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.

Alexandra Friloux, Nicholas, Taylor Webre, Dutreix, Melancon, Barre, Mair and Abby Boutte all scored in the frame to stretch the Lady Tigers lead to 12-0. Overall, 13 batters were sent to the plate in the inning.

In the fourth inning, Thibodaux finally managed to get a runner on base after Martinez reached on an error. But when Martinez tried to steal second, she was thrown out.

Candies then struck out Bland and Daigle to end the top of the fourth.

Hahnville didn’t score in their half of the fourth, but Candies had a no-hitter going into the top of the fifth inning. However, Rhea Stone hit a fly ball to left field that dropped for a hit. Candies rebounded by striking out Tiara Young, getting Lauren Adams to fly out, then forcing Beth Barrilleaux to ground out to end the game.

Overall, Thibodaux finished with only one hit while recording two errors. Hahnville had 16 hits and two errors.

"We relied on pitching and defense all year long, but Thibodaux was a scary 19 win team, " Hahnville head coach Kenny Vial said.

The fifth seeded Lady Tigers will now travel to play No. 21 seed Covington, who defeated 12th-seeded Terrebonne 4-1 in 12 innings on Tuesday.

The Hahnville Lady Tigers entered the Louisiana High School Athletic Association softball playoffs by finishing the season with  28 wins and 5 losses. They finished District  6-5A with a 6-4 record, which gave them a third place finish.