Otto Candies’ state championship hopes came to an end last Wednesday with a 3-1 American Legion state tournament loss to Holy Cross-based Ponstein’s at Delgado’s Kirsch-Rooney Stadium. It was the fourth time in just over two weeks that the teams faced off against one another, with the teams squaring off three times at the Southeast Regional tournament. Hahnville-based Otto Candies won two of those, including the championship game, but this time Ponstein’s earned the victory behind the strong pitching performance of starter Trace Messina. Messina went the complete game, allowing one earned run on four hits in seven innings. He struck out four and walked none.
The game went seven innings instead of the usual nine because of weather delays and rescheduling. The loss was Otto Candies’ second of the double-elimination state tournament.
“We had some chances to push runs across and we didn’t hit in those situations,” Otto Candies coach David Baudry said.
Dane Wise took the loss for Otto Candies, allowing three earned runs on 11 hits and one walk. He struck out one. David Vial pitched one inning of hitless, scoreless relief.
Brennan Warren went 2-for-3 at the plate for Otto Candies, but the team struggled to get much else going offensively. Pat Phelan and Hunter LeBlanc earned the other hits.
It brought to an end another strong summer for coach David Baudry’s team, which finished Legion play with a record of 21-11-1. The Tigers qualified for the Legion state tournament — which requires a team to place at its district and regional tournaments — 4 times in the past 5 years.
“It gave us invaluable experience,” Baudry said. “Particularly, the depth we’ve established in our pitching rotation gives us a lot of reason for optimism.”
Hunter LeBlanc blistered summer play with a .412 batting average, 24 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 32 games. Austin Rice (2-3, 1.31 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 29 strikeouts) and Dane Wise (5-2, 1.72 Era, 1.17 WHIP, 42 strikeouts) paced the team’s pitching staff.
“We’ll take a couple of weeks off and then begin to refocus,” Baudry said. “I think this group has seen what it can accomplish collectively when they put the work in, and I think they’re pretty excited about that. Expectations will be higher for us next season. Our guys appear to be ready to take on that challenge.”
Pedal Valves won the Legion state championship, the Cardinals a team based from four different local schools. Three Destrehan players – Andrew Morrow, Jared Montz and Brandon Wild – helped spur Valves to the title this season.
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