The final game of Hahnville’s baseball season, a 7-6 loss in extra innings of game two of its best of three opening round series at Ruston, did not deliver the Tigers’ desired result.
But in many ways, said Tigers head coach Jared Vial, he was as proud as he’s been of his team all season.
Specifically, it was the fight his players showed in what was a wild, back and forth slugfest with several lead changes – and heavy haymakers landed by both teams, one after another.
“As weird as it sounds, we played our best game in that last playoff game,” Vial said. “It didn’t fall our way, but the fight we showed in that game is what we wanted to pull out of them all year.”
Koa Romero hit two home runs while Luke Eusea delivered another for the No. 21 seeded Tigers. Twice, 12th seeded Ruston took the lead on Hahnville and twice, the Tigers battled back to take the lead back for themselves. The third time Ruston did so, Hahnville fell just short, scoring once in the bottom of the seventh to draw within one but closing no further.
It was Ruston’s JP Moak who was the hero for his team – his solo home run in the top of the eighth inning was the eventual difference, breaking a 6-6 tie. Moak went 2-for-4, driving in three and scoring two.
Romero, Matthew Bedi and Austin Sanchez each collected two hits for Hahnville, with Romero driving in three and scoring twice, Bedi scoring a run and Sanchez earning an RBI.
Romero took the hill for Hahnville and went 6.2 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) with seven strikeouts and a walk. Landen Teague pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit.
Tyler Roach went 5.1 innings for Ruston, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits. He struck out two and walked two.
Ruston led 4-3 when Romero launched one out in the fifth inning, his second home run tying the game. An inning later, his teammate Eusea smashed one of his own to lift HHS ahead by one.
Dalen Powell tied the game in the top of the seventh when he scored on an error. Ruston reclaimed the lead on a Jake Simmons RBI single. Romero tied things up when his sacrifice fly plated Brayden Fontenot in the bottom half.
Hahnville’s backs were against the wall in game two after Ruston seized control of the series a day earlier with a 13-3 win in the series opener.
Bears leadoff batter Jackson Lee went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while teammate Dillon Williams was 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two RBIs to lead the Ruston offense.
Hahnville led 2-1 after an inning but could not slow the Ruston offense thereafter – Ruston scored nine of its 13 runs in the fourth and fifth innings to close things early by the 10-run rule.
Vial compared the first game to Hahnville’s first meeting with Destrehan this season, which was a 10-3 Wildcats win.
“That second game (against Ruston) was how we wanted to come out for the first game, really,” Vial said. “They’re a good team and they got up on us in that first game. Young team, playoffs, you make it bigger than what it is and give away some at bats, and things snowball … that second game, we showed fight. They’d throw a punch, we’d throw a punch. It’s a game where if one more thing goes your way, you win. We played well, but they’re an experienced team and it went in their favor.”
Hahnville began the season with a 7-8 record but battled through early injuries and inexperience to take off from there and finish 22-14.
Though disappointed by the loss, Vial said he’s excited for next year’s team, which returns the majority of its starters.
“We have almost everybody coming back. We have some young talent like Austin Sanchez, who stepped up and had his moments as a freshman,” Vial said. “It’s no fun to lose, but to show what we showed at the end, it definitely gives you an optimistic view going forward. A lot of young guys got a lot of experience this season.”
