May 18, 2005

Destrehan finishes second in state

Wildcats defeat Captain Shreve, Rummel before falling to Jesuit in final

By Eric LeBlanc
Sports Editor
(Photos by ERIC LEBLANC)

The surroundings were quite familiar to the Wildcats and so were the stakes. Destrehan had played at Zephyr Field in the state tournament last year and were making their fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament. The Wildcats battled through Gators and Raiders in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, but fell to the Jesuit Blue Jays in the championship game.

Jones conquers West in rain-delayed pitcher’s duel

The matchup was perhaps the best in the entire tournament. Two of the nation’s best high school left-handed pitchers were going to battle it out in the quarterfinals. Destrehan’s Beau Jones and Captain Shreve’s Shawn West did not disappoint as they kept the game scoreless for eight innings. But West folded in the top of the ninth as the Wildcats took a 5-0 victory over the Gators.

Jones pitched nine innings of three-hit baseball while striking out 15 in arguably the best pitching performance of the tournament. He faced just two batters over the minimum as he picked off one of the batters that had gotten a hit.

Leading the offense were first baseman Lynn Matherne who was two for four with a home run and three RBIs and left fielder Brandon Stevens who had a two-run single.

Destrehan had a chance to score in the top of the second. After Stevens reached on an error, he stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Matherne later walked and stole second, but two strikeouts ended the inning.

The Wildcats had two baserunners in the third inning as well when shortstop Kyle Gardere walked and Jones singled. But a lineout ended the inning.

Jones struck out the side in the bottom of the third and had struck out five batters in a row before giving up a single in the bottom of the fourth. And at the end of the fourth is where a two and a half hour rain delay almost washed out a great pitcher’s duel.

But the two pitchers just pressed pause and resumed right where they left off when the rain stopped.

West had some trouble in the top of the fifth after Gardere doubled and stole third. But he struck out two batters to end the threat.

Jones had no such trouble. He retired the first two batters and after the third batter singled, he promptly picked him off to end the inning.

The biggest threat Destrehan faced in the game was a two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth. But Jones struck out the last batter of the inning to preserve the scoreless tie.

The Wildcats almost scored again in the top of the seventh when two singles by designated hitter Kyle Shnowski and Gardere put two runners on base. But West escaped the jam with a strikeout.

Jones then retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, the Wildcats had runner at first and second with two out after Matherne and center fielder Travis Wethers had back-to-back singles, but West struck out the next batter to escape trouble again.

Jones struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to give the Wildcats the final chance they needed. And the offense would finally get to West in the ninth as second baseman Stephen Fischer singled and stole second. Then, with two outs, the Gators intentionally walked Jones to get to Stevens. And Stevens made them pay as he singled and drove in Fischer and Jones’ courtesy runner Travis Brignac. Third baseman Alex Boudreaux then walked and Matherne launched a shot over the right field wall for a three-run home run and a 5-0 Wildcat lead.

Jones then struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth and a flyout ended it to move the Wildcats to the semifinals.

Seven-run third, catapults Wildcats over Raiders in semis

After a nine-inning pitchers’ duel to start the tournament, the Wildcats’ semi-final matchup against the Rummel Raiders was anything but. After falling behind 5-0 in the second, the Wildcats came back to score seven in the third and never gave up the lead afterwards in a 10-8 win.

The Wildcat offense was led by third baseman Alex Boudreaux and right fielder Travis Wethers who were both three for four with three RBIs each. And on the mound, Brandon Stevens came on in relief in the third and held Rummel to three runs the rest of the game while striking out seven.

The Wildcats fell behind in the first after a two-run home run. They then fell behind even further in the second as three Raider hits brought home three more runs.

But the Wildcat offense exploded in the top of the third. Second baseman Kyle Gardere and shortstop Tyrone Wethers led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Then catcher Jacob Long singled to drive in Gardere. Center fielder Beau Jones then walked. On the walk, Long’s courtesy runner Demaris Johnson took off for second. The Rummel catcher then threw down, not realizing that the batter had walked. Wethers took advantage of that and scored from third to close the lead to three runs. Stevens then singled to load the bases and Boudreaux cleared them with a three-run double that tied the game. Two batters later, Travis Wethers tripled and drove in Boudreaux to give the Wildcats the lead. Designated hitter Kyle Shnowski then singled, driving in Wethers to put Destrehan up 7-5.

The Raiders scored again in the bottom of the fourth on two hits to cut the Wildcat lead to one.

But the Wildcats struck back in the fifth when Travis Wethers singled, stole second and scored on Tyrone Wethers’ single.

The Wildcats took a 10-6 lead in the sixth. After one out, Stevens was hit by a pitch, and Matherne was intentionally walked. Travis Wethers then singled, bringing in Stevens’ courtesy runner Trey Watkins and Matherne after both had stolen a base.

The Raiders rallied back in the bottom of the inning after Luling resident Robbie Broach tripled to lead off a two-run inning. But Stevens escaped further damage with a flyout and a groundout the end the inning. Stevens then struck out the side in between a single and an error in the seventh to claim a 10-8 victory and to bring the Wildcats into the finals.

Wildcats fall short in championship

The Destrehan Wildcats had defeated the Jesuit Blue Jays twice this season. But a season sweep was not in the cards as the Blue Jays took an early lead and never gave it up for an 8-2 victory.

Center fielder Beau Jones drove in both runs while shortstop Tyrone Wethers scored both runs in the game to lead the offense. Relief pitcher Lynn Matherne came on the pitch the last two and two-thirds innings, and after a double, settled down and held the Blue Jays scoreless from the fifth inning on.

The Wildcats struck first in the top of the first as Jones drove in Tyrone Wethers with a sacrifice fly.

But Jesuit quickly rebounded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.

The Wildcats had two baserunners in the top of the second after Matherne reached on an error and designated hitter Kyle Shnowski walked. But a flyout ended the threat.

Jesuit scored again in the second, but the Wildcats retaliated in the top of the third. Tyrone Wethers led off with a single. He then stole second and took third when the throw went into center field. Catcher Jacob Long then walked and Jones brought in Wethers when he grounded into a double play.

But the one-run Jesuit lead was short lived as they scored another run in the bottom of the inning on a triple and a double.

However, the fourth inning was what did the Wildcats in. Four hits and two walks created four more Jesuit runs and an 8-2 Blue Jay lead.

The Wildcats would then get one more baserunner the rest of the game. Matherne was just as dominating to the Blue Jay bats in the final two innings as well, facing the minimum. Supporting Matherne were great catches by third baseman Alex Boudreaux and Jones.

The Wildcats accepted the State Runner-Up trophy in a ceremony immediately following the game. This marks the second time that the Wildcats have finished second in the state in three years.

With the loss, the Wildcats finish the season with a 25-10 overall record and the state runner-up trophy. Graduating seniors include Alex Boudreaux, Beau Jones, Jacob Long, Brandon Stevens, Travis Wethers and Tyrone Wethers.

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