Opening it up

MAMOU -- It took four innings, but the Mamou offense finally came through, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull away from the Port Barre Red Devils in a 6-1 district contest Tuesday afternoon.
In the previous three innings, Mamou left five runners in scoring position on the bases and could not punch them across the plate. But, the Demons put up the runs when it counted and picked up a win in their first league game of the year.
With the win, Mamou moved to 9-8 on the season and 1-0 in District 5-3A play.
“Leaving runners in scoring position is one thing we struggled with earlier in the season,” stated Mamou head coach Greg Fontenot. “We have gotten better and better at not leaving those runners stranded as the season has progressed, but it showed up again tonight. We just did a bad job of swinging at good pitchers when those opportunities presented themselves tonight. Their guy just did a good job of keeping us off balance.”
Mamou starting pitcher Devon Boone got off to a great start, sitting down Port Barre in order in the Red Devils’ first two at-bats.
The Demons recorded their first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. Lead off batter Daylon Ardoin was hit by pitch to get the Mamou offense going.
Ardoin stole second, and after a pop up to the catcher by Mason Reed, Blake Boone was also hit by pitch, putting runners at first and third with one out.
Tucker Rougeau walked, loading the bases for Zach Morein, who laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Ardoin and move the other runners up one base. However, a strike out ended the Demon threat.
In the third inning, Port Barre picked up their first runner of the game when Jagger Bellard drew a lead off walk. Boone struck out the number two hitter in the inning, and Bellard was thrown out trying to steal second base by Demon catcher Blake Boone.
Boone issued another walk, but got Leighton Leeisin to fly out to short stop Tucker Rougeau in shallow left field.
Mamou collected its second run of the game in the bottom of the third. A double by Blake Boone led things off for the Demons. Rougeau struck out for the first out.
Zach Morein followed with a free pass to first base. Devon Boone reached base on a fielder’s choice, however that ground ball caused Blake Boone to be put out at third base.
Gavin Pommier reached on an error by the Red Devil shortstop, which in turn scored Morein from second base. Korey Dupre grounded out to the pitcher for the third out of the inning.
Port Barre’s lone run came in the top of the fourth inning when Kendall Jackson walked, stole second, reached third on a fielder’s choice and got home on a single off of the bat of Connor Crow.
The Demons gained control in the bottom half of the inning, plating their final four runs of the game. After an initial ground out to start the at-bat, Mamou loaded the bases on a single by Ardoin and two free passes issued to Reed and Blake Boone.
Following a second out strike out, Morein, Devon Boone and Pommier all singled, plating the remaining Demon runs.
From that point on, the game fell to the Mamou bullpen, where Reed and Pommier each finished the game with one inning apiece and no hit the Red Devils the rest of the way to close out the win.