April 2, 2005

Lady Tigers fall to Central

By Eric LeBlanc
Sports Editor
(Photo by ERIC LEBLANC)

The Hahnville Lady Tigers and Central Lafourche Lady Trojans were tied for the district lead coming into Thursday afternoon's game. But the Lady Tigers met the same fate as when the two teams faced off earlier this season in Raceland: a Central Lafourche victory.

Leading the Lady Tiger offense were catcher Meghan Vial who drove in both runs and left fielder Leah Clowers who was two for three with two doubles.

The game started out rough for the Lady Tigers. The Lady Trojans jumped on starter Chelsey Flores and scored three runs in the first inning on three hits. Flores escaped more damage by striking out the last batter of the inning. She continued her streak as she struck out the first two batters in the second inning as well.

In the bottom of the second, the Lady Tigers rallied. Third baseman Ariel Romero led off the inning with a walk and made it into scoring position on a Clowers double. Then with two outs, Vial doubled off the left field wall and drove in Romero and Clowers to bring the Lady Tigers within one at 3-2.

But Central Lafourche would extend their lead in the top of the third after two doubles produced a 4-2 lead. The Lady Tigers threatened in the bottom of the third when center fielder Dara Fontenot doubled with two outs. But a strikeout ended the inning.

Flores and reliever Brandi Tregre held the Lady Trojans scoreless in the fourth. In the bottom of the inning a Clowers double helped the Lady Tigers threaten again, but again a strikeout ended the inning.

The fifth inning put the Lady Tigers even further behind as two hits, three walks and an error produced three more runs and a 7-2 Central lead. The sixth and seventh innings provided three more Lady Trojan runs on five hits and an error.

The Lady Tigers reached second one more time after right fielder Karla Troxler stole second after she reached base on a fielder's choice. But the girls would collect only one more hit in the game, a seventh inning single from first baseman Michelle Eusea. But in the end, the Lady Trojans came away with the win and the district lead.

With the loss, the Lady Tigers fall to 20-7 overall and 10-2 in district. Hahnville will next face Terrebonne at 11 a.m. today in Houma.

Eric LeBlanc can be reached at EricL@heraldguide.com or at (985) 758-2795, ext. 219.