World Series Bound!

BY: TRACEY JAGNEAUX
Sports Editor

For the second time in last two weekends, the Ville Platte Major all-stars have had to reach deep into their collective souls and grind out a must win, do or die, final game to achieve  their season long goal; a state championship.
Team Louisiana, as Ville Platte is now known, will travel to Lexington, South Carolina to participate in the World Series beginning on August 8. Louisiana will take on Arkansas in their first game. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (EST).
After taking game one from a highly talented Winnsboro all-star team in the best two out of three state championship series, Ville Platte stumbled to a loss in game two.
This set up a rubber-match game against Winnsboro for a chance to represent Louisiana at the Dixie Youth World Series.
And just like the regional tournament a week ago, Ville Platte showed the resiliency and determination that all champions have in order to defeat Winnsboro and take home the trophy and the title.
“To say that the team was excited is a great understatement,” stated Head Coach Stokie Fontenot. “It seemed like we had game two won and we were disappointed when that game slipped away from us. But coming back to win it in game three makes it even more special.”
“A state title is an enormous accomplishment,” Fontenot elaborated. “This team has worked extremely hard and have had to  overcome much adversity this season. The boys are really growing up before our eyes into young men. They  compete to the very end. I am extremely proud of them.”
Ville Platte went into game two with a ton of confidence after taking game one on Friday by the score of 15-5. Especially after mashing the ball for four home runs in the game.
“Offensively Coach Delaney Fontenot has done a great job with the boys at the plate,” said Fontenot.  “He has coached them to recognize the off speed pitches and also when its the right time to hit them. This has made us very disciplined at the plate, which allows to get into more hitter counts. Offense has historically been our deficiency, but this year it is one of our strengths. I give Coach Delaney all the credit for that.”
However, it wasn’t the Ville Platte bats that did the damage in game two. Winnsboro proved their offense was one to be reckoned with as they produce 11 runs in their last at bat to take the 11-6 win.
Ville Platte was up quickly in the contest, scoring runs in three of the first four innings to take the early 5-0 lead.
The Ville Platte pitching staff up to that point had done an outstanding job of keeping the Winnsboro offense in check. Unfortunately for Ville Platte, the Winnsboro offense did not stay stagnate.
In the bottom of the fifth, Winnsboro exploded for 11 runs on seven hits, including two home runs, to overtake Ville Platte 11-5.
Ville Platte managed to plate a run in the top of the sixth, but could not rally from the large deficit.
But as all championship teams know, pitching and defense is the backbone to any type of success. And having a staff that can go five to six players deep, is a plus, especially in a winner take all game three.
“This team is deep in pitching, like most Ville Platte teams,” stated Fontenot. “Our pitchers want the ball and they want to compete. Even when the game is tight, we have guys wanting the ball in their hands to lead this team to victory.”
“In order to win championships you have to be able to play great defense,” continued Fontenot. “This team is comprised of very athletic players who understand the game of baseball. This is a luxury for me as a coach. We have multiple players who can play different positions when called on to do so.”
That being said, game three was a game of attrition. It came down to who would be the last team standing, when the final out was recorded.
In the end, it was the grit and drive of Ville Platte that showed, as they defeated Winnsboro in a 15-12 offensive shoot-out.
Ville Platte looked like they were going to cruise to the title, taking a 13-0 lead after three innings of play.
But, Winnsboro would not go quietly into the night, as they produced eight runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 13-8. Ville Platte added two runs in the bottom of the inning to run the advantage to seven.
Winnsboro made things very interesting in the top of the fifth plating three runs to trim the Ville Platte lead to 15-11.
The boys in blue responded by bearing down on the mound and in the field defensively, holding Winnsboro to one run in the sixth. With the final out, Ville Platte now held the title of State Champions.