Mistakes haunt Hahnville, players are focused on future
The Hahnville softball team surprised many this season by going undefeated in district play and cruising to the state tournament in Sulphur last weekend, but it was a few uncharacteristic mistakes that ultimately ended the Lady Tiger’s run.
Third-seeded Hahnville fell to 27th-seeded and red hot Denham Springs 2-1 in eight innings, thanks to a one-out suicide squeeze in the final frame.
“We uncharacteristically made errors, and the biggest difference in the game and the key to what happen was that we struck out three times and they didn’t strike out once,” Hahnville head coach and 6-5A Coach of the Year Kenneth Vial said.
“In the end, it was a matter of execution. We made four errors, but two of the errors were effort plays by kids who were trying to make plays defensively.”
Two of those Hahnville strikeouts came with runners on third with only one out. In the first, the Lady Tigers stranded a runner at third following a one-out triple, and in the second, Hahnville wasted an early inning double.
The Yellow Jackets took the lead on a Katie Roux sacrifice fly following a Hahnville error and two Denham Springs singles.
Hahnville tied the score in the top of the fifth. Senior Mindy Gaubert singled followed by senior Jia Bridges, who reached safely on a fielder’s choice. Junior Lauren Candies hit into another fielder’s choice, but Bridges was called safe at second. Freshman Hope Mair followed with a double to score Bridges.
The Lady Tigers had a chance to take the lead in the seventh when Hahnville loaded the bases with one out. A strikeout and ground out later, the inning was over.
In the Denham Springs half of the eighth, the Yellow Jackets’ Megan Monk singled while Lauren Russel reached on an error, sending runners to second and third with one out. The following batter Lauren Gremillion tapped a ball in front of the plate, where Hahnville freshman catcher Amye Barre fielded it and appeared to have caught the Denham Springs runner off third base, but the umpire called interference on Hahnville sophomore and third baseman Elise Debruler. The call loaded the bases, setting up the successful suicide squeeze.
Offensively, the Lady Tigers managed five hits but left five runners in scoring position. Sophomore Taylor Webre went two-for-three while Gaubert was one-for-one. Candies allowed just one earned run on six hits.
“I thought we played well against a team that was very good,” Vial said, about the Yellow Jackets who started the season 3-12 but ended it in the state semifinals.
“They were just a team playing good at the right time, and that is what high school sports is all about.”
Looking back at the tournament, Vial said state champion St. Thomas More was the most complete team and deserved to win the title, but said he believes his team will be hungry next season despite losing three starters – Bridges, Gaubert and Jessica Cancienne – to graduation.
“We have some kids that were very close to playing this year so they will be in the mix next season. We’ll be okay. Now that the kids got to go to the tournament, felt and experienced it, they know what it takes,” he said.
“I thought from the beginning that we had to have the right attitude to be successful, and we did. The kids went after it in the right way. Going in, I didn’t have any goals on paper, but I thought we could get into the playoffs.”
Hahnville finishes the season with a 28-6-2 record including the title of undefeated 6-5A district champions, and the entire starting line-up was honored with All District selections.
Candies was named a first-team All District pitcher and the district’s Most Valuable Player. Four other Lady Tigers made first-team All District including infielders Debruler and freshman Courtney Dutreix, outfielder Cancienne and designated player Mair.
All District second-team honors went to freshman catcher Barre, infielders freshman Summer Melancon and Gaubert along with outfielders Webre and Bridges.
As for next season, Vial said the goal will remain the same.
“Our main goal was to get into the playoffs, and we reached that goal this season,” Vial said.
“That is going to be our goal next year. Once we get in the playoffs next season, this group of kids is going to want to go back to Sulphur. They know what it feels like to get there, and they already want to get back.”
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