Millers down Oilers
By Tom Dodge
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and other times the games get rained out.
For the Eunice Junior Oilers Wednesday it seemed like they would see all three possibilities.
But their attempt at a comeback was cut short by the weather on Wednesday as the Crowley Millers held on for a 5-2 win.
“One thing about this team is we usually come back late in the game,” coach Jared Vige said. “We go down early as we are slow with the bats.
“We only got two hits and they both came in the fourth inning.
“Sometimes it seems like they wait until they are in a deficit to get passion for the game,” the coach said. “Maybe they are too laid back early in the game.”
Crowley (3-2) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Brian Broussard walked and scored on a RBI single by Tyler Dupuis.The Millers threatened to break the game open early when Chad Hoffpauir reached on a fielder’s choice, Dupuis recorded his RBI single and Blake Thibodeaux hit a one-bagger to load the bases.
But Eunice starter Zach Person regrouped to strike out Justin Deselle and Corde McCall to end the inning.
The Millers added two more runs in the top of the second as Crowley began to pull away from the Oilers.
Jarette Hebert walked and Taylor Bertrand belted a ground-rule double. The duo then scored on a two-RBI error on a mishandled hit off Broussard’s bat.
The Oilers (3-4) had their first scoring opportunity in the bottom of the second when Conner Cortina was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a passed ball but he was left stranded.
Eunice had another chance in the bottom of the third inning when Landen Marcantel was hit by a pitch and Tyler Fontenot reached on a fielder’s choice, but once again the Oilers could not get past second base.
Crowley increased their lead to 5-0 with two more runs in the top of the fourth as the Millers rapped out four hits in the inning.
Bertrand and Broussard recorded back-to-back singles before the Oiler defense stiffened.
But the two-out rally was capped off when Bertrand and Broussard scored on a single by Thibodeaux.
The Oilers mounted a late comeback in the bottom of the fourth innning to close the gap to 5-2.
Person slammed a triple and then scored on a hit by Alex Comeaux that was bobble by the Millers’ shortstop Hoffpauir.
Trent Vidrine singled to keep the rally going, but was left stranded at third when the inning was over.