In 2016, Hahnville seeks nothing less than a postseason breakthrough.
Could this Tigers team be the one to make that deep playoff run happen? The early returns are promising; a 5-0 start and a dominating effort at last week’s East Ascension tournament suggest this is a Hahnville squad that boasts great talent and an inclination to stick around weeks into May.
If this is the right mix for Hahnville, it could mean the team’s first venture to the state baseball tournament since a 2012 run to the quarterfinals. HHS fell in the first round in each of the past two seasons; 2013 saw a second round exit for Hahnville.
Coach David Baudry sees something special in this group of players. It comes down, he says, to team chemistry.
“There are no egos with these guys,” Baudry said. “This group is truly a team. They feed off one another, help each other, cheer for each other’s success. They really care for one another, and when you can say that about a group of players, that can carry you a long way.”
Hahnville outscored its four East Ascension tournament opponents 33-6 overall, a stat made more impressive when considering each of the four teams HHS faced entered the week with a record of .500 or better (their records combined for 11 wins and 7 losses in total. Hahnville followed that tourney up with a victory over Chalmette.
While those wins leave a positive impression, Baudry believes the next few weeks of pre-distict play will go far in determining the kind of seed the Tigers will have in the postseason. Friday sees Hahnville begin play at the Jesuit tournament, where it will compete against Brother Martin, Shaw, Jesuit and Mandeville. Then comes a swarm of games against Lutcher, Barbe, Evangel and St. Thomas More before a rematch with Jesuit.
All of those games will be contested before the third week of March begins.
“The next two weeks will tell the tale, I believe,” Baudry said. “We’ll have a good idea if we’re a top 10 seed or one that falls in the teens.”
The offensive lineup sees a strong contingent of returning players led by Waylon LeBlanc, Logan Billingsley and Pat Phelan.
“We’re vastly improved from where we were a year ago (offensively),” Baudry said. “We have more of an ability to steal bases and we put the ball in play. After five games, our run production has been very good.”
This team, however, will be largely keyed by its pitching staff. Baudry noted eight pitchers had earned time over the team’s 5-0 start. David Vial, Austin Perrin and Billingsley are expected to lead the rotation.
The Hahnville pitching staff has collectively tallied a 0.78 ERA through the first five games.
“We throw strikes,” Baudry said of the reason the staff has collectively found success. “Behind those guys, we’ve played very well defensively. We haven’t made costly errors, we’re striking out a lot of people and limiting walks. That’s usually a pretty good recipe for success.”
Hahnville bested Parkview Baptist 10-0, Dutchtown 8-3, St. Amant 5-1 and host East Ascension 10-2 in last week’s tournament.
Through five games, LeBlanc is hitting .429 with three RBIs and eight runs scored. Phelan is hitting .400 with six RBIs and five runs scored. Peyton Keller has posted a .294 average with four RBIs while Billingsley has a .279 average with four RBIs.
On the mound, Vial recorded a three hit shutout against Parkview Baptist. Perrin struck out 10 and allowed four hits while recording a win and a save over the 5-0 start. Billingsley earned the win against St. Amant, allowing four hits and striking out eight.
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