Squeezin’ out a win

MAMOU -- There are moments in the course of a game that are said to be the determining factor.
On Monday afternoon, that moment became the defining moment of the season up to this point for the Mamou Lady Green Demon softball team, as they squeezed out a 2-1 extra inning win over the Port Barre Lady Red Devils here in the first round of the LHSAA playoffs.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth and Madison Fontenot firmly planted at first base, and the best statistical hitter for the Lady Demons, Dacia Richard, at the plate, Mamou head coach Kim Manuel did something that no one in the entire park expected. She called for the squeeze bunt.
As the pitch was released from the hand of Port Barre hurler Ana Disotell, Fontenot dashed for the plate and Richard laid down the perfect bunt between home and first base, scoring Fontenot and ending the game in dramatic fashion.
“I was really surprised that they even pitched to Dacia,” stated an elated Manuel after the game. “I would have walked her. Once we had Madison on third base and Dacia had a strike, I went for the squeeze. I figured that even if she didn’t get it down, that Madison would probably get in a rundown and with her speed, who knows what could have happened.”
With the win, the Lady Demons advance on to the regional round of the playoffs and will have to travel up Highway 13 to take on district and parish rival Pine Prairie Friday afternoon. The Lady Panthers defeated Wossman 20-0 in their first round match-up. Game time is set for 6 p.m.
It was a pitcher’s duel for the first six innings of the game. Both Richard and Disotell more than held their own on the mound during that time.
Richard fanned two of the three batters she faced in the top of the first inning. However, Mamou was also sent down in order in the bottom half of the first.
Port Barre managed to get a runner on the bag in the top of the second. With two outs, Kennedi Aymond reached first on a base hit, but did not get any farther as the next batter, Emily Stelly, grounded out to end the inning.
Mamou threatened in the bottom of the third when Sydney Bruney singled with one out and her pinch runner, Charlie Soileau moved to second on a fielder’s choice off of the bat of Sophia Fritz. But, the threat ended there as the next batter in the order grounded out to short stop for the third out.
A single by the Lady Devil’s Caitlyn Lanclos led things off for Port Barre in the top of the fourth. Lanclos reached second on a fielder’s choice, but once again great pitching and a perfect defense from the Lady Demons stalled Lanclos at the bag.
Mamou would not get another runner to reach the bag in the next two innings. The Lady Devils did manage to have a runner reach second in the top of the sixth with one out. However, Richard struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Port Barre collected the first run of the game. Catcher Mackenzie Hebert doubled to lead off and reached third on a sacrifice bunt. Hebert then touched home on the same play when an errant throw to third base reached the outfield.
Mamou, desperate for at least one run to tie the game up, came up huge in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Richard doubled and was replaced by courtesy runner Kylie Rider.
Taylor Douget singled, moving Rider to third base. The very next batter, Teralyn Fontenot, hit a ball that was deep enough to score Rider on the tag up, thus tying the game and sending it into extra innings.
After neither team was able to do much on offense in the eighth inning, Port Barre put a scare into the Lady Demon fans in the top of the ninth. Hebert singled and reached second on a sacrifice bunt.
What could be the defensive play of the game came on the next at bat. Port Barre’s Aymond hit a ground ball right at Mamou shortstop Fontenot, and without hesitating, Fontenot threw the ball to third base to get Hebert who was trying to sneak in an extra base. The top of the inning ended when Aymond was put out at second on a ground ball to Fontenot at short stop, who threw it over to Fritz covering the bag.
The Lady Demons did not let the Lady Devils scare them again, picking up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Fontenot singled and moved to second on a throwing error by the Port Barre short stop. A passed ball allowed Fontenot to reach third, where Richard did her thing at the plate on the squeeze bunt.
“The team stayed excited the whole game,” said Manuel. “That was a big win for this team because none of these players had ever won a playoff game. It is hard to play the same team in your district three times in the same season. But, it looks like we will have to do that again against Pine Prairie. I don’t think that we will have any pressure on us because they will be the favorite coming into the game. We just have to stay focused, do what we can do and not worry about the other team.”