VILLE PLATTE -- Behind some stellar relief pitching and a ton of offensive fireworks, the Sacred Heart Trojans picked up their third district win of the year, as they rolled past the Westminster Crusaders 12-5 here Tuesday afternoon.
With the win, the Trojans move to 17-7-1 on the year and 3-1 in league play. Sacred Heart was scheduled to play Ville Platte High in a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at the Bulldog Sports Complex.
In the game, the Trojans belted out 12 hits, including four for extra bases. Meanwhile, Cade Manuel, Cannon Beaver and Gabe Fontenot finished the game up on the mound, combining for three strikeouts while surrendering only one run on six hits.
Westminster came out of the gate early in the contest, plating four runs in the top of the first. Sacred Heart cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first, getting two runs across.
Garrett Fontenot singled to left field to lead things off for the Trojans. JT Haper followed with a single of his own, moving Fontenot to second base. Three passed balls later, both Fontenot and Haper had scored, giving the Crusaders an early 4-2 lead.
Neither team could muster any runs in the second inning, but Sacred Heart was able to take the lead for good in the bottom of the third, tacking on four more runs.
Fontenot would repeat his performance from his first at bat by singling again to lead off the inning. Harper blasted a ball into center field for a triple, plating Fontenot.
Wesley Launey doubled home Harper. Christian Duplechin drew the walk, placing runners at first and second with no outs.
An Alec Gotro sacrifice bunt moved both Launey and Duplechin up one base. Beaver followed with a single, bringing home Launey and getting Duplechin to third base. Manuel drove a pitch deep enough into right field to bring home Duplechin on the tag up, giving the Trojans the 6-4 lead.
Westminster got their final run of the game in the top of the fourth, but the Trojans answered with four more runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Fontenot punched a one out single into center field and moved to third on an error from the Crusader defense on Harper’s hit. Harper moved up a bag with a steal and followed Fontenot home on another double off of the bat of Launey.
Duplechin singled home Launey and reached second on a Gotro single. A passed ball and an error later gave Duplechin the chance to cross home plate.
Sacred Heart finished up the scoring in the bottom of the sixth, as they pushed across two more runs. Both Duplechin and Gotro would score in that at bat to seal the win for the Trojans.
Fontenot and Launey were three-for-four at the plate to lead the Trojans. Fontenot scored three times, while Launey collected three doubles, three RBI and scored twice.
Haper and Gotro were both two-for-four at the plate.
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TRACEY JAGNEAUX