History made

BERWICK -- It seems that history is the favorite subject for the Mamou Lady Demon softball team, because the annals continue to be re-written.
For the first time in the storied tradition of the program the Lady Demons are one step away from a shot at the state championship after they demolished the Berwick Lady Panthers 14-4 Saturday afternoon to clinch a spot in the Class 3A semi-finals.
Mamou, ranked No. 7 in Class 3A, will now face the defending state champion Caldwell High School in Sulphur. The No. 3 Lady Spartans and the Lady Demons will clash on the field of play at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.
After the game, Mamou head coach Kim Manuel expressed her team’s excitement at having advanced to the state tournament.
“This group of girls have been wanting a chance to get to Sulphur ever since they stepped on the high school field,” stated Manuel. “They were really pumped up to get that chance after this big win. They can now see what their hard work and dedication can bring. I think they will be ready to play come Friday.”
Mamou wasted little time at the plate, scoring three runs in their first plate appearance of the game. Angel Menier began the attack, singling in her lead off role.
A perfect sacrifice bunt by Emily Soileau allowed Menier to move to second base. Madison Fontenot drew the one out walk to put runners at first and second. Dacia Richard left no doubt she was there to swing the bat, smacking a towering three-run home run over the batter’s eye in dead center field to give the Lady Demons the early lead.
Neither team could find the plate in the ensuing at bats. However, Berwick found some offense in the bottom of the second, tying the game up at three apiece. The Lady Panthers collected four hits in the inning to put the game up for grabs after two frames.
“Even when they tied the game up in the second, there was a calm in the dugout from the players,” said Manuel. “You could tell that it did not rattle the players. They just went out and played the game the way they have all season long.”
Mamou tacked on to their lead in the top of the third by plating a single run. With two outs, Richard was intentionally walked. Richard gave way to courtesy runner Hannah Israel, who reached second base on a single by Taylor Douget. Israel would touch home plate when Tierane Thomas slapped a ball into the outfield for a huge two out RBI single, giving the Lady Demons a one run advantage, 4-3.
Richard and the Mamou defense held pat in the bottom of the third. But, in the top of the fourth, the Lady Demons broke out the sticks once again, scoring six more runs and for all intents and purposes, put the game to sleep.
With two outs, Soileau doubled and scored on a Madison Fontenot single. On the throw into the plate, Fontenot was able to reach second.
Another intentional walk was issued to Richard, putting runners at first and second. Douget ripped a triple to the gap, scoring Fontenot and Israel, who had come in to run for Richard once more.
Douget trotted home on a single from Thomas. Teralyn Fontenot put the icing on the cake with a two-run blast over the left field wall making it a 10-3 contest.
Mamou put up two more runs in the top of the fifth and the top of the seventh giving them the 14-1 lead. Berwick picked up a solo run in the bottom of the seventh, but the game was too far out of reach for the Lady Panthers to threaten the advancement of the Lady Demons.
Richard went seven innings in the circle for Mamou, giving up four runs on eight hits, while striking out seven and walking seven.
Douget led the way at the plate for the Lady Demons, going 3 for 4 with a triple. Thomas and Menier each collected two hits for Mamou.
Despite having to face the defending state champions, when Manuel spoke on Tuesday afternoon she was sure that her team will be ready to play.
“The players know that it will be a challenge, but they are up to that challenge,” commented Manuel. “We have been getting ready and will continue to get ready for this next game. They are a great team. We will have to play our best. Hopefully we can swing the bats the way we have over the past three games.”