The Destrehan Ladycats are in for a well-deserved treat next.
“They’re gonna have some crawfish,” said DHS softball head coach Craig Perrier. “We made a deal.”
The noted deal: the coaching staff asked the players what they wanted for a celebration if they were to finish off an undefeated district schedule. That’s exactly what the team did via their 11-1 victory over Terrebonne.
The players asked for crawfish – and that’s what they’ll have.
They also have yet another milestone earned for a program that’s been stacking those up,
After capturing the first outright district championship in the softball program’s history last season, Destrehan earned its first-ever repeat district crown – and, of course, its first-ever unbeaten district record.
Destrehan (20-5, 6-0) stormed through District 8-5A, outscoring its opponents 70-6 over its six district games.
Perrier spoke with pride about the success the players are achieving on the field these days. In 2023, his first year leading the program as head coach, the team won eight games. A season later, it tripled that number and won a playoff game. The next two years delivered district championships – and the Ladycats have high hopes to earn even more accolades, the team currently ranked 5th in power points in Division I non-select.
“At the beginning, we talked about this being a process. You take baby steps and you trust the process,” said Perrier of that first season. “You’ll probably lose to some teams you should beat and beat some teams you’re not supposed to, but you learn to compete for seven innings, to be team-oriented and to be able to deal with failure. And then it’s how you react to that.
“And just the way they respond to adversity, a bad ending, or bad at-bat, or a bad loss, they always respond the way you want to see. They want to be good. They want to get better. They want to learn.”
Jolie Lozano pitched a complete game at Terrebonne, allowing one unearned run on five hits while striking out four. She walked no batters on the way to the win. At the plate, she doubled twice and tripled on a day she went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Gracie Bourgeois doubled and tripled and did damage on the bases, stealing three bags. She went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Victoria Morrow stole two and Chloe Burford one.
The Wildcats are now done with district play, but added a significant non-district victory on Tuesday, 9-4, over a St. Charles Catholic team ranked fourth in Division II select power points.
Destrehan jumped ahead early, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Rylie Staton’s two-run single.
“(Staton’s) a real solid hitter who barrels it up a lot, and she delivered there for us to bring in two runs,” said Perrier.
But it was a five-run third inning that ultimately gave Destrehan control. Luci Cassagne singled home Victoria Morrow to make it 3-0. Ava Breazeale’s RBI single scored Staton to make it 4-0. Then Lozano singled up the middle to plate two more runs before Bourgeois followed up with her own RBI single to make it 7-0.
Staton went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Burford was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and Lozano was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Morrow went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lillian St. John doubled, going 1-for-3.
Lozano went five innings in the win, allowing one earned run (four total) on seven hits and a walk. She struck out three. Breazeale pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Destrehan stole eight bases in the win – Burford, Bourgeois and Karsen Trosclair each stole two. Lailah Nelson and Morrow each added another.
Perrier said he was a bit concerned with how the Wildcats might start the game – a matchup with Assumption last Thursday was cancelled, so it was a full week off for Destrehan.
“They came out fired up. We had a lot of energy,” Perrier said.
