Destrehan’s Jared Montz raised his hands to the sky as his teammates exploded out of their dugout to swallow him up in celebration.
This is what postseason baseball is all about.
Montz laced a walkoff RBI single with the bases loaded to break up a scoreless tie in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday, spurring his team onto the second round as host Destrehan edged visiting Denham Springs 1-0 in a first round Class 5A playoff game.
“We were just trying to survive and get to the next game,” a breathless Montz said just after his clutch hit. “We knew it was going to be tight, a pitcher’s battle. They threw their best guy, we threw ours. We got guys on (in the last inning). (Denham Springs pitcher Brock Batty) started struggling a little bit. I just did what I do and hit him the other way.
Destrehan coach Chris Mire wasn’t surprised that his senior came through.
“I’ve seen it so many times from him,” Mire said. “I told him, visualize yourself driving this ball to the right side, because that’s been his game since he’s been here. He did exactly what he’s supposed to do. It felt so good for me but I felt even better for him, because that’s a kid who works his butt off every day.”
The No. 12 seeded Wildcats advance to face No. 5 Jesuit Friday at 6 p.m. at John Ryan Stadium. Jesuit topped No. 28 Ouachita Parish 9-3 in the first round to advance.
There was no shortage of drama on a day where both starting pitchers were masterful. Right-hander Landon Marceaux earned the win, tossing a nine-inning complete game shutout. He allowed four hits, struck out 10 and walked none. Denham Springs’ left-hander Batty took the loss, going 8.2 innings while allowing five hits, striking out seven and walking six.
Had Batty retired Montz, both starters would have been forced from the game — LHSAA rules dictate a pitcher is capped at nine innings of work. But each would ultimately factor into the decision.
“Those are the types of game you want to be in,” said Marceaux with a grin. “I just tried to make pitches all night. I battled with everything I had. This is a huge win.
“Jared coming through like he did … it’s what this team is all about. We give everything we’ve got every game. We’re family. We’re brothers.”
Mire said Marceaux, an LSU commitment, was mentally prepared to give the tremendous performance he did to lift the District 7-5A champions to a first round win.
“He knows what’s at stake and he wanted to come out and really put the team on his back,” Mire said.
“He did that. Even when we left some guys out there early in the game, he was one of the main guys cheering in the dugout, looking for that run. He knew he only needed one run.”
Montz, Evan Keller, Brennan Cortez, Andrew Morrow and Miles Patureau earned Destrehan’s five hits, with Morrow, Cortez and Keller each doubling in the game.
Batty collected three of the four hits against Marceaux.
Destrehan (24-8) had one out in the bottom of the ninth when Brandon Robichaux reached on an error. Morrow flied out for the inning’s second out, then Patureau walked. Dane Simon reached on an error, setting up Montz to be the day’s hero.
Both teams made key defensive plays to stay alive throughout the course of the game. In the top of the 8th inning, Marceaux mistimed a chopper up the middle but was picked up by Brandon Wild, who scooped the ball and fired a throw to first to rob the Yellow Jackets for the first out of the frame.
In the bottom of the fifth, a potential run on a Patureau double was negated by a strong throw by Tristan Spedale that got Peter Carmichael out at home. In the fourth, a first and third situation with one out was defused on DHS catcher Andrew Morrow’s throw to second to pickoff Batty as he was attempting to steal second.
“We knew when we saw the draw (that it would be a tough game),” Mire said. “We scrimmaged them early in the year so we know what they’re all about . We had no errors today. Landon was spectacular. We got just enough hits to get the job done.”
Denham Springs finished the season with a record of 18-12.
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