Destrehan wins series against Hahnville with 9-4 victory

Tigers get thrilling 9-8 win Thursday, but Wildcats capture series on Saturday

Though the Destrehan Wildcats came out on the losing end of a 9-8 thriller against Hahnville on Thursday, they regrouped in the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday by pounding out 16 hits in a 9-4 victory.

Thanks to a 9-5 win over Hahnville in March, that means the Wildcats captured a 2-1 series victory over their in-parish rival.

Destrehan wasted little time taking an early lead on Saturday, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Jesse Bryant was hit by Hahnville pitcher Adam Dufrene in the first at-bat of the game and Jace Weber moved him to second with a single to third. A double by Zach Schexnaydre brought in one run, and a following single by Ryan Burks gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

Destrehan picked up another run in the second on a single by Bryant, but the Tigers stormed back to tie the game in the third.

Wildcat ace Brandt Bourgeois walked Travis Faucheux to begin the Hahnville rally, and Mike Ford moved Faucheux to second on a line drive single to right field. Jared Vial reached on a fielder’s choice to third, and Cody Farrell drew a walk to load the bases.

Tyler Cooper lined a one-out single that brought in two runs and Tyler Simmons tied up the game with a single to left.
But that was as close as the Tigers would get.

Destrehan blew the game open in the fourth after Blake Hymel led off the frame with a double to center field. Hymel scored on a Hahnville error to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead and Schexnaydre blasted a single to center to give Destrehan a 5-3 advantage.

The Wildcats scored one more run in the frame on a single by Bourgeois.

Destrehan sealed the win in the sixth with a three-run home run by Brett Hebert.

Bryant and Schexnaydre both finished with two hits and two RBIs for Destrehan, while Burks and Bourgeois also drove in runs.

Bourgeois also picked up the win, striking out six and giving up six hits in seven innings.

Cooper led the Tigers from the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Simmons and Ford also drove in runs.

Dufrene picked up the loss, allowing 11 hits and six runs in three innings of work.

Though the Wildcats were in control for much of the game on Saturday, the two teams were locked in a back-and-forth battle in Hahnville’s 9-8 victory two days before.

Hahnville’s Farrell drew a walk in the top of the second, stole second and then reached third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

But after Hahnville pitcher Jake Cologne walked three straight batters in the bottom of the inning, Destrehan’s Brandt Bourgeois hit a grand slam over to put Destrehan on top 4-1.

The Tigers fought back in the third inning with Easton Melancon scoring on an error to cut into the lead. Ford and Vial then tied the score at 4-4 with a pair of RBI singles. The Tigers took back the lead with a sacrifice fly from Farrell that scored Vial.

Destrehan’s Burks led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run, and Bourgeios singled in Jarius Vinette, putting Destrehan back in front 6-5.

The Wildcats increased the lead to 8-5 after Weber knocked in two more runs.

In the seventh, Hahnville’s Cooper and Austin Melancon drove in runs with walks, and a fielder’s choice by Simmons scored Vial to tie the game at 8-8.

That’s when Hahnville sophomore Kyle Plaisance knocked a single to bring in what proved to be the winning run.

Because of testing, neither Hahnville nor Destrehan played on Tuesday. Both teams will return to action on Thursday. Destrehan will travel to East St. John on April 14 for a 4 p.m. game before returning to host ESJ on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Hahnville begins a doubleheader with district-leader Dutchtown when they host the Griffins on Thursday at 4 p.m. The Tigers will then travel to Dutchtown for a 12:30 p.m. game on Saturday.