Tigers drop fourth straight with 9-5 loss to St. Amant

April 21, 2011 at 10:15 am  | Mobile Reader | Print 

Jonathan Menard/Herald-Guide

Hahnville senior Tyler Cooper knocks a single through short. The Tigers started the year hot, but have struggled to a 5-7 district record.

The Tigers have now suffered four-straight losses.
“The kids are playing hard and we are practicing hard, but we have just run into some bad luck,” Hahnville head coach Kade Rogers said.

Rogers said that the Tigers will make the playoffs because of their success early in the season, which included 10-straight wins to start the year.

“We set ourselves up early and we are going to be in the playoffs and have a nice seed, but we want to be playing well when the playoffs start and that’s what we’re focusing on now,” Rogers said.

Though the Tigers have struggled in district play, they did come close to handing Dutchtown their first district loss last Saturday.

However, the Griffins' Troy Lewis crushed a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to give his team a 5-4 victory.

With the win, the Griffins improved to 11-0 in district play.

Dutchtown took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after a single by right fielder Matt Willis brought in Collin Delaune.

Hahnville took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth.

Tyler Simmons led off the frame by guiding a single through second and third, and one out later, Easton Melancon tripled to bring in Simmons. Cody Farrell then knocked a single to bring in Melancon and give the Tigers the lead.

Hahnville increased the advantage in the sixth, by scoring two more runs on a Simmons’ single that scored Tyler Cooper and DeVaughn Colly.

But that cushion didn't prove to be enough. Hahnville pitcher Adam Dufrene, who was magnificent in the first six frames, gave up a leadoff double to Eric Babin in the seventh. Dutchtown pinch hitter Lucas Shipman then singled to center, which scored pinch runner Grant McCrory.

One out later, Lewis jacked a three-run homer that gave the Griffins their 15th straight win.

While the Tigers went toe-to-toe with the Griffins on Saturday, Dutchtown blew past them in the first game of the doubleheader last Thursday.

In that game, Lewis once again proved to be the deciding factor. From the mound, Lewis (5-0) struck out 11 batters and allowed only four hits in helping his team to an 8-0 win.

The Griffins pounded out 13 hits in the victory and took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Willis led off the frame with a double and was brought home by a single from Babin.

Robbie Podorsky hit a fielder's choice to bring in the final run of the inning.

The Griffins stretched the lead to 4-0 in the third on a two-run double by Willis, but the Tigers had a chance to get back into the game in the fifth.

Melancon was hit by a pitch to start the frame, and Lewis issued a walk to Cameron Toups.

With two men on, Lewis buckled down, getting consecutive strike outs and a fly ball to end the Tiger rally.

After Dutchtown increased their lead to 7-0 in the sixth, Hahnville once again got two runners on. Jared Vial and Farrell both singled to start the bottom half of the inning, but Lewis struck out the next three batters.

The Tigers will finish up a doubleheader against St. Amant at home at 4 p.m. on April 21 before beginning a doubleheader with East St. John, who is currently winless in district play.

Hahnville will host East St. John on April 25 at 4 p.m. and will travel to East St. John on April 27 for a 4 p.m. game.