In the sixth inning of Friday’s second round Game 2 matchup between Hahnville and Northshore, Gavin Powell legged out a ground ball for a base hit – the second time this month HHS starting pitcher Koa Romero saw a no-hit bid broken up late.
For Romero – and Hahnville – that was about the only thing that could have gone a bit better.
Romero’s 1-hitter and home run helped lift the Tigers to a 7-0 series-clinching victory at home in the LHSAA Division I non-select playoffs, Hahnville advancing to the state quarterfinals via a sweep of the Panthers.
“We had the run support early … we trust Koa to get on the mound and be a bulldog. At the plate, just staying with our approach and knowing our guy’s on the mound,” said Hahnville head baseball coach Jared Vial. “With him and with (pitcher Matt) Plaisance, it’s a good situation to have each go out and start (in the series). To have Koa on the mound and be one win away from advancing, it’s what he envisioned and hoped for coming in.”
The No. 5 seeded Tigers (30-6) have won 20 in a row and will travel to No. 4 seed Zachary (26-8) for a quarterfinal best-of-three series that will begin Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Game 2 is set for Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, will be played Saturday at 1 p.m. Zachary swept No. 13 Ruston in Round 2 to advance, winning games 6-3 and 4-0.
Romero went 2-for-2 at the plate with the home run, two RBIs and a run scored. On the mound, he struck out eight over a complete game one-hitter.
“I was looking forward to it. I was hoping we’d win Game 1 and have the chance to close it out today. It means everything to me,” Romero said. “(At the plate) we didn’t miss mistakes.”
The junior LSU commitment is eager for the Tigers’ first quarterfinal in his time with the team.
“It feels great. It’s good to keep on playing with all my best friends,” said Romero.
Landen Teague went 2-for-4 for Hahnville with two RBIs and a run scored. Eli Landry went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Brayden Fontenot and Bennett Naquin each drove in runs. Landry and Fontenot each doubled, while Teague tripled. Noah Martin stole a base for the Tigers.
Jacob Neely took the loss on the mound for Northshore (25-11). He went five innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits and six walks. He struck out two.
Hahnville leaped out early, scoring five runs in the top of the first to take control immediately.
Then the Tigers turned the keys over to Romero to work with the lead – and Hahnville felt quite alright with that idea.
Kaleb Guarisco drew a one-out walk in the top of the first to get the Tigers started. He’d get home on the bat of Romero, who drove a ball over the centerfield wall to make it 2-0.
Teague and Luke Heiden singled and Jaxon Hanks walked to load the bases for Naquin, whose RBI single made it 3-0. A two-out Landry single pushed the lead to four, and Fontenot drew a walk to force Hanks home and make it 5-0.
In the top of the fourth inning, Fontenot doubled and Romero was intentionally walked, setting up Teague, who tripled home both baserunners to make it 7-0.
Teague proved clutch over the two day series. He finished the series a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBIs following intentional walks of Romero.
The series began as a battle of teams with long active win streaks. Hahnville extended what was an 18-game streak to 20. Northshore entered on an 11-game win streak.
“That team made a deep run last year with the guys that they have,” said Vial. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Jay Hodges over there. He runs a really good ship … we’re not satisfied. This is just step by step of what’s in front of you. We handled step 2, and it’s on to step 3.”
For Vial, the series represented a milestone, the first playoff series win for him as Tigers’ head coach.
“(The quarterfinals are) new territory for us. But as much as that’s the case, we’re prepared for it. We preach every day, one day, one pitch at a time. Everybody locked in. And that’s what they are, locked in,” Vial said.
