Trojans eliminated from playoffs in 4-2 loss

As the old adage goes, it is hard to beat a team three times in a season. That adage became reality on Saturday, as the Sacred Heart Trojans lost 4-2 to the St. Ed’s Blue Jays in a LHSAA quarterfinal playoff game. The Trojans had already defeated St. Ed’s twice in district 5-1A play earlier this season. Sacred Heart finishes the season with an overall record of 26-4 and represented their district as champions.
Coming out of the gate, both teams sought to establish much needed momentum. The Blue Jays attacked early on offense, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Two base hits and an error attributed to the runs scored. St. Ed’s continued to threaten with one out and a runner at second. However, a perfect pick off play killed the Blue Jay inning. The third out was recorded on another pick off at first base after the batter reached on a hit by pitch.
Sacred Heart answered in the bottom half of the first inning, plating a single run. Keaton Tate led off with a single. A ground ball to the third baseman allowed Caleb Soileau to reach first, but induced the out at second base. An error by the shortstop, on a ground ball by Brandon Hudspeth, allowed Soileau to reach third base.
With runners at first and third, Jacob L. Lafleur hit a hard ground ball right at the third baseman. The Blue Jay fielder bobbled the ball and could only get Lafleur out a first base, which gave Soileau the opportunity to cross the plate. Jacob Dupre flied out to centerfield to end the inning, giving the Blue Jays the 2-1 lead.
The next two innings were a pitcher’s duel between Sacred Heart’s Phillip Vidrine and St. Edmund’s Drew Brown. Neither team was able to claim any type of continuous momentum. The only offense generated from either squad were singles by the Blue Jays in the second and third innings.
St. Ed’s threatened in the top of the fourth inning. With two out, the Blue Jays drew a walk and had a bad hop hit off of the face of Trojan shortstop Nick LaHaye. With that, St. Ed’s had runners on first and second. Vidrine induced the next batter to line out right back to him for the third out. Sacred Heart was sent down in order in the bottom half of the inning to keep the score in the Blue Jay’s favor 2-1.
St. Ed’s extended their lead in the top of the fifth inning by plating two more runs. A single and an error by centerfielder Evan Mire put the Blue Jay hitter at second base. A perfectly placed bunt right at LaHaye, who was playing deep in the hole at shortstop, wound up a base hit, placing runners at first and third. Brown drove in the runner at third with a sacrifice fly and also moved the runner at first down to second.
A base hit gave St. Ed’s runners at first and third for the second time in the inning. Drake Brunet then punched a ball just far enough toward second base to score the second run of the inning. However, a great play by Trojan second baseman Sam Tuminaro caught Brunet trying to get to third base. Vidrine snagged a line drive for the third out of the inning. The Blue Jays now held a 4-1 lead and maintained that lead as the Trojans could not answer in the bottom half of the inning.
A scoreless sixth from both teams left the score board unchanged. The Blue Jays were retired in order by Vidrine. Sacred Heart could only manage a lone runner, as Tuminaro reached base on a hit to the right side.
Soileau took to the mound in relief of Vidrine in the top of the seventh and promptly retired the St. Ed’s in order. Down to their last three outs, the Trojans were desperate for a spark. Sacred Heart seemed to get that spark when Lafleur single to start the bottom half of the seventh. Dupre struck out, but the ball got away from the Blue Jay catcher, allowing Lafleur to advance all the way to third base. Mire hit a long fly ball to right field to score Lafleur on the sacrifice. However, the Trojans were down to their last out. Tuminaro extended the inning when the St. Ed’s shortstop, Brunet, booted a ground ball. Vidrine could not continue the inning, as he went down on strikes to end the game.
Offensively, the Trojans were limited to only four hits on the day. Tate went two for three, while Lafleur and Tumiaro were both one for three.
Vidrine took the loss on the hill, throwing six complete innings. Vidrine allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out four. Soileau threw one inning of shut out ball in the his relief appearance.
After the game, a subdued Trojan coach Cody Vidrine weighed in on the game, the season and what it meant to be able to coach his son the last few years. “You can tell early on in a game if things are going your way,” said Vidrine. “The ball just wasn’t bouncing our way. They got some little dink hits here and there. Hats off to Brown, he threw a great game.”
“This has been one of the best group of kids to coach. This is a tough one to get over, but our program is moving in the right direction and we will get over it and move forward.”
“This makes us 26-5 and we made it to the final eight teams in the state and even though we really wanted to get back to Sulphur, I believe our season was still a very successful one,” continued Vidrine. “Even though our seniors have not had the outstanding athlete, but have really pulled together. They are true leaders in every since of the word and are going to be successful in anything they do in life.”
With his son graduating, Vidrine was asked how it was going to feel not being able to coach him next year. “I have been seeing him play for a long time and the last three years has been really special,” a saddened Vidrine lamented. “I come out to practice and see him there and next year when I come out he won’t be there. It will definitely be different. It’s going to be tough.”