Oilers outblast Jennings in thriller

By John Burson

Sports Writer

The Eunice Oilers and Jennings provided early fireworks Thursday night at the Bobcat Field as the two teams combined for 33 runs and 30 hits in American Legion District 7-East action.

In the end, the Oilers prevailed for a 17-16 victory when they scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, the final two scoring on a bases-loaded single off the bat of Kendall Sam.

The win kept the Oilers playoff hopes alive as they improved to 5-4 in district play. The loss dropped Jennings to 5-2.

Eunice concludes regular district play on Tuesday when they take on the Eunice Blue Jays in a 7 p.m. start at North Park.

Hitting topped pitching for the most part in the Jennings-Eunice contest. Five pitchers toed the mound for Jennings, while four hurlers worked for Eunice.

Austin Young picked up the win in relief for the Oilers. He relieved in the top of the seventh and retired the only two batters he faced after Jennings had scored six runs to erase a 14-10 Eunice lead.

But the Oilers took advantage of some control problems in the bottom of the inning as Tyler Fontenot and Stuart Turner drew walks to start the inning. Jacque Fruge singled to load the bases, and Brett Baldwin coaxed a walk to drive in a run.

Luke Ortego relieved for Jennings at that point and quickly got ahead of Sam with two strikes. But the Eunice outfielder lined the next pitch into left field to score the tying and winning runs.

The Oilers began the scoring in the first inning on Baldwin’s two-run double. Jennings tied the score in their second inning on Justin Broussard’s two-run double.

In the top of the third, Jennings banged out seven hits and took advantage of two Eunice errors to score eight runs for a 10-2 lead.

But the Oilers fought back to stay in the game by scoring four times in the bottom of the third. Kaleb Deshotel doubled and Fruge and Tyler Fontenot had singles in the inning to cut the lead to 10-6.

Turner came on in relief of Eunice starter Casey Charlie in the fourth and would shut out Jennings over the next three innings.

Meanwhile, the Oilers’ offense kept clicking, scoring two runs in the fourth and six in the sixth.

Baldwin, who finished the game with eight RBI, had a two-run single in the third, then added a two-run single in the sixth. Tyler Fontenot had a double in the sixth, while Deshotel added two singles and Ethan Moser had a single in the sixth. Eunice led 14-10 heading into the seventh.

Jennings wouldn’t go away, however. A tiring Turner hit the first batter in the seventh, then walked the next two batters. Base hits by Damond Meche and Kolby Ringuet cut the lead to 14-13 and Turner was relieved by Baldwin.

Justin Ringuet greeted Baldwin with a single, but the Eunice pitcher fanned the next batter for the first out. A hit batter and two run-scoring singles later, Young entered the game to retire the side.

That would lead to the heroic effort of the Oilers in the bottom of the inning.

Meche led the Jennings offense with four hits and two RBI.

Baldwin finished with three hits and eight RBI for the Oilers. Deshotel added three hits, while Tyler Fontenot and Fruge had two hits apiece.