Bobcats shut out LaGrange, Wash-Marion in District 4-4A battles
By Jamie Anfenson-Comeau
The Eunice High Bobcats dealt a punishing 26-run shutout to the inexperienced Chargin’ Indians of Washington-Marion Tuesday night in their second District 4-4A battle of the season.
The Bobcats (11-8, 2-0) exploded for 12 runs in the bottom of the first inning, adding three more in the bottom of the second.
Coach Scott Phillips gave his younger players a chance to take the field as the Bobcats went on to add 11 more runs in the third inning.
“A game like this gives the younger players a chance to play,” Phillips said afterwards. “(Washington-Marion) got a few outs at-bat, but mostly we were just walking around the bases.”
“He’s got a real young team; you can see it on the field they’re a real young team,” Phillips added.
Despite their inexperience, Coach John Scott’s Indians kept fighting to the end of the five-inning mercy-rule game, keeping their spirits up even as the point gap widened.
Starter Chris McCoy (1-1) earned the win, giving up no hits, runs or walks while striking out four batters in the first three innings of play.
Relief pitcher Mitchell Fuselier gave up only one hit in the top of the fifth, when Desharick Guidry singled.
Fuselier also went four-for-four at bat with a double and five runs scored.
Jacque Frugé went two-for-two, with a double and three runs batted in.
The Bobcats continue district play today, traveling to DeRidder to face the Dragons at 6 p.m.
They play a rescheduled rainout against Sam Houston on April 2.
“You have two games like these, and then you have two bosses coming up, you’ve got to step up your game,” Phillips said of the upcoming competitions.
“With the holidays, everyone’s kind of lounging around, so we’ve got to get back to work and get ready to play.”
On Saturday, the Eunice High Bobcats picked up their first District 4-4A win with a 19-1 mercy-rule victory over the LaGrange Gators.
Eunice scored first in the top of the first inning, on Frugé’s sacrifice fly.
LaGrange tied the score in the second half on a double steal attempt, but the Gators were unable to score for the rest of the game.
Eunice quickly retook the lead in the next inning, when Miles Fontenot scored on Chris McCoy’s fielder’s choice. McCoy later scored on a wild pitch, and Stuart Turner singled to drive in one run.
In the top of the third, Turner nailed a three-run home run to help the Bobcats score six runs for the inning.
In the top of the fourth, the Bobcats loaded the bases and scored one run when Mitchell Fuselier was hit by a pitch, adding another on Austin Young’s sacrifice fly to give the Bobcats a 12-1 lead.
Eunice added seven insurance runs in the top of the fifth, loading the bases and then bringing runners home on singles from Jacob Fontenot, Fuselier, Ethan Moser, Alex Comeaux and Kendall Sam, as well as RBI walks from McCoy and Young.
Young (5-1) pitched the win, giving up one unearned run on two hits. Young walked only one batter while striking out seven in five innings of work.