Mistakes cost Tigers in 9-2 loss to St. Amant
Going into Tuesday’s game against Dutchtown, Destrehan baseball coach Marty Luquet said he didn’t think Griffin pitcher Dillon Day could pitch any better than he did during a 2-0 win against the Wildcats earlier this season.
Luquet was right, but unfortunately for Destrehan, Day pitched just as well Tuesday.
Day hurled a two-hit shutout as the Wildcats fell to Dutchtown, 2-0. Destrehan will be looking for a measure of revenge today as they host the Griffins at 4 p.m. in each team’s final regular season game. If Destrehan wins, it will force a one-game playoff Saturday for the 6-5A district title. Both teams are headed to the bi-district playoff round on May 7.
“It is the kind of situation that you want to be in,” Luquet said about settling the district title on the field. “We like our spot. We just have to play well.”
Senior Joshua Rochelle (8-3) took the loss for Destrehan (20-11-1, 12-2 6-5A), allowing six hits while striking out five and walking two.
The only Wildcat hits came from seniors Shaine Babineaux and Andrew Suffrin, who led off the first and fifth innings respectively.
Despite the two district losses to Dutchtown, the Wildcats have won 17 of their last 19 games and are ranked No. 6 by the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association. Luquet said his team’s success is simple.
“Someone has come up big every game, and it has been someone different every game. Our pitching has been outstanding, and it has kept us in every game,” he said.
“We have gotten a lot of two-out hits to drive in runs, and if you are doing that, you are going to be successful.”
Tuesday’s loss came on the heels of series sweeping wins against East Ascension.
During senior day Saturday, sophomore Zachary Schexnaydre belted a grand slam home run in the fourth while senior Hunter Tyree pitched a complete game four-hitter to help the Wildcats to a 6-3 victory.
Destrehan scored five in the fourth before the Spartans responded with three runs on three hits in the fifth. The Wildcats added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when junior Sam Carriere doubled and scored on a throwing error.
Last Thursday, the Wildcats jumped out to a 9-0 lead before holding on for a 10-6 road win against East Ascension.
Rochelle, who had two doubles, no-hit the Spartans through five innings while the Wildcats scored in five of the first six innings. The Spartans scored six runs in the sixth, only two of which were earned, and Tyree pitched a perfect seventh to end the game.
Besides hitting the ball better, Luquet said it is the little things that matter heading into the playoffs.
“For us, we are working on a lot of little things,” Luquet said. “It is moving on throws, running the bases a little bit better and hustling out of the box. It is the little things that determine if you win or lose in the playoffs.”
Hahnville Baseball
The Tigers went into Tuesday’s home finale against St. Amant needing to sweep the Gators to secure a third-place finish in the 6-5A, but mistake after mistake cost Hahnville dearly.
When it was all over, the Tigers committed six errors as the Gators cruised to a 9-2 victory. Coupled with fourth-place East Ascension’s 10-9 lost to East St. John Tuesday, the Tigers (16-16, 6-8 6-5A) remain in third place (with slim playoff hopes still alive) and will end their regular season today at St. Amant.
“When you commit six errors in a game, you can’t expect to win,” head coach Kade Rogers said. “We need to learn how to play under pressure because right now, we can’t seem to handle it.”
The Tigers committed three errors in the second inning alone but senior starter Ryan Waters allowed only a single run. In the bottom half of the inning, the Tigers used some aggressive base running to take the lead.
With one out, senior Buddy Trauth was hit by a pitch followed by a Seppe Crovetto single and two stolen bases to put runners on second and third with one out. Sophomore Austin Freeman belted an RBI single to tie the game, and senior Blaise Dempster’s bunt single plated the Tigers’ second and final run.
St. Amant answered with unearned runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. The Gators posted a four spot in the sixth and another two in the seventh to set the final score.
Waters took the loss going 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, only two were earned, while striking out seven and walking one.
Tuesday’s loss came on the heels of two impressive wins against East St.
Saturday, senior Justin Zoglio got the win in five innings, giving up just one hit while the Hahnville offense scored six runs in the fourth to cruise to a 10-0 victory.
Senior Brandon Young led the offensive attack with a solo home run, two RBIs and two walks. Waters had two RBIs while sophomore Jared Harrell belted a three-run double in the fourth.
Last Thursday, the Tigers traveled to ESJ and scored 15 runs en route to a 15-2 victory.
Junior Britten Lanaux got the win going five innings while allowing two runs on six hits.
Offensively, Waters was 3-of-5 with three RBIs while Young was 2-of-3 with three walks and two RBIs. Senior John Gomez had three hits and two RBIs while Dempster was 3-of-5 with an RBI.
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