Cecilia rallies past Crowley

CECILIA – Big innings were something the Crowley Gents had grown accustomed to in a three-game run leading up to Thursday’s non-district clash with powerhouse Cecilia.

During that stretch, the Gents had scored 54 runs in victories over Northwest, Bunkie and Rayne.

Thursday, however, it was the Bulldogs (20-4) who took advantage of the big inning.

Trailing 3-0 in the fifth inning, Class AAA’s third-ranked team reeled off four runs and held off the Gents in the final three innings to capture a 4-3 victory.

“We played well with the exception of one bad inning where they (Cecilia) scored all four of their runs,” said Crowley coach Christian Doughty, whose team fell to 11-9 on the season. “Again, we made a few mistakes that proved to be costly. Even though it was in one inning, we had a couple of walks and then we had an 0-2 pitch that was supposed to be way off the plate... It was left right over the middle and the guy hits a double and scores two runs. You know, you can’t win ballgames like that.”

The fateful fifth inning started with a one-out walk and was followed by a fly ball by Christian Ray. With two outs, Dexter Courville drew a walk before nine-hole hitter Gadge Norris drove in a run with a ground-rule double to left.

Following a meeting on the mound, Devin Broussard then drove an 0-2 fastball to the gap in left-centerfield for a double that plated two runs, tying the game at 3-3.

With Kale Savoie coming to the plate, the Gents went to the bullpen, replacing starting pitcher Taylor Bertrand with senior outfielder Beau Desselle.

Savoie then drove another 0-2 pitch to center, plating Broussard for what proved to be the winning run.

“The last three or four games, we have been falling behind early on and we have to battle back every game,” said Cecilia coach Jamie Calais. “We had a couple of good at bats in the fifth and that really led to a big inning.”

Following the big inning, Cecilia starter Sage Guidry settled in, retiring nine of the last 10 batters he faced. He gave up six hits in the first four innings but just one in the last three.

“We just didn’t step up to the plate tonight,” said Doughty. “I felt like we kind of reverted back to swinging at pitches up in the zone and popping the ball up. That’s what we’ve got to stay away from.

“I think we had a lack of focus and a lack of intensity today. That’s what separates the average team from the good teams. You’ve got to be able to play with some intensity consistently. Right now, that’s what we’re lacking.”

Crowley plated two runs in the first inning when Kyron Benoit’s hard grounder to short was misplayed, allowing Jake Trahan and Mike Doughty to score.

The Gents’ only other run crossed the plate in the third when Benoit singled and scored on an infield hit by Bertrand.

Bertrand suffered the loss for the Gents, giving up all four runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out one.

Desselle had two hits for the Gents while Doughty, Benoit, Bertrand, Tyler Dupuis and Nick Hoffpauir each had one hit.

The Gents will be in action again Tuesday when they play host to Church Point before taking on Notre Dame Thursday.

“We’re moving into a big week in district play,” said Doughty. “We have Church Point and Notre Dame this week and we feel like both of those games are must-wins. We want both of them.”