Winners of eight straight, Destrehan is close to where it would like to be with the playoffs on the horizon – not to mention this week’s big showdown series with Hahnville.
DHS head baseball coach Chris Mire stops a bit short of saying the Wildcats are exactly where they want to be, however – there are still some rungs to climb.
“I wouldn’t say we’re playing as well as we possibly could, but we are cleaning some things up and we’re playing some winning baseball,” said Mire. “And that’s important right now. We’re trending in the right direction. I’d say we’re playing as we expect to be playing at this time of the year.”
This current Destrehan streak includes a perfect 5-for-5 mark in district games, which brings the Wildcats’ overall and district records to 21-9 and 5-0 – the latter mark means today’s game (April 7) between Destrehan and Hahnville will determine the District 8-5A championship. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
And playing for a district crown is exactly where the Wildcats want to be.
One way or the other, today’s game will see a significant win streak snapped. Hahnville has won 15 in a row entering the rivalry game. The teams will rematch Thursday, though that game will not be a district matchup as 8-5A plays just a single round.
A key non-district win in this stretch for Destrehan came against a Haynes team ranked 10th in Division II select.
The 14-7 road win for Destrehan saw the Wildcats score eight runs in an explosive third inning to take an 8-0 lead. Chase Mire’s two-run home run was the biggest blow landed, while Derek Lucas’s two-run single and RBI singles by Landyn Dugas and Larry Rodrigue fueled the scoring as well.
Destrehan also answered in a big way after Haynes posted a four-run 5th inning – DHS followed that with five runs in the top of the sixth to all but put things out of reach.
Lucas went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Mire went 1-for-2 with the home run, two RBIs and a run. Champ White was 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI. Dugas went 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run and RBI.
Chase Marcotte went five innings for the win on the mound. He allowed three earned runs (four total) on four hits and no walks, striking out two.
It was a different kind of win in the Wildcats’ district opener against Thibodaux, a 3-2 win at home.
Destrehan took a 3-1 lead on Chase Mire’s RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning. Thibodaux scored a run in the top of the sixth to draw within one, but Josh Muller, Dugas and the Destrehan defense closed the door for the victory.
“It was a nice win for us,” Chris Mire said. “We keep a quality at-bat chart, and the entire second time through our lineup, everyone had a plus on that chart. It was kind of a spot where you can see the potential of our lineup.”
Muller pitched 6.1 innings for the win, allowing two runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out two. Dugas pitched 0.2 innings of scoreless relief with a strikeout.
Marcotte homered in the win. Chase Mire, Lucas and Dugas each doubled – Dugas stole a base as well.
Muller, Chris Mire said, has combined with Marcotte and Chase Mire to lead the team’s rotation.
“Those guys each have sub-2.00 ERA’s,” Chris Mire said. “All three of those guys are going deep into games for us and really throwing strikes.”
Dugas has been heating up at the plate – and it’s earned him the leadoff spot in the batting order, where he’s setting the table for what’s been a hot offense.
That’s an exciting development for the Wildcats, and a notable one – Dugas is only in his freshman year.
“He’s kind of been the spark plug since moving to the top of our lineup … where we have (the batting order) now is kind of how we envisioned it at the beginning of the year. We like to get them settled in first as freshmen, et some at bats under their belt without putting too much pressure on them ,” Mire said. “He’s worked his way into that spot, and we thought he would.”
Larry Rodrigue brings a bit more experience, and the junior has been just as instrumental in the Wildcats’ offensive success. Ditto for Chase Mire, who out of the seventh spot is on a roll.
“(Rodrigue’s) been one of the biggest difference-makers right now for us,” Chris Mire said. “Larry’s starting to get himself into some good counts and taking advantage of the opportunities he’s had. And Chase, over the last 12 games or so has been getting those extra base hits and giving us some really good production in the bottom half of the lineup.”
Mire said the Wildcats have raised their game defensively of late as well. Cameron Hollis made some big plays in the win over Haynes, including a pair of diving catches in centerfield. Likewise, Jaden Sloan, Mire said, has been a difference-maker in the defensive infield.
DESTREHAN 1, ST. CHARLES 0 – DHS earned a big 1-0 win at home on Thursday over St. Charles Catholic (20-6), which is currently ranked second in Division II non-select power points.
It was Chase Marcotte’s day – he pitched a complete game, eight-inning shutout, allowing five hits and striking out seven.
But he also delivered big at the plate. Marcotte’s RBI double in the bottom of the eighth scored Muller, keeping the Wildcats’ winning streak alive.
