Barbe rallies in sixth to nip Dutchtown, 2-1
NEW ORLEANS — Top-seeded Barbe High School got only two hits off Dutchtown pitcher Troy Lewis.
But the Bucs found ways to put pressure on the ninth-seeded Griffins in a quarterfinal game that helped open the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s Class 5A State Baseball Tournament.
After failing to score twice, Barbe scored two runs following two Dutchtown errors in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was enough to give the Bucs a 2-1 victory over Dutchtown on Friday at Tulane’s Greer Field at Turchin Stadium.
“I hate to see it end for our seniors like this,” Dutchtown coach Chris Schexnaydre said. “Troy was outstanding today. He gave us a chance to win the game.
“We hit some balls that if they’d gone an inch or two one way or the other they would have gone in the gap and we could have scored some more runs. Who knows what could have happened. It just wasn’t our day.”
With the win, Barbe (31-6) advances to play Jesuit in Saturday’s 2 p.m. semifinal. A four-run fourth inning helped Acadiana oust rival Lafayette 7-1. Acadiana advances to play Rummel at 11 a.m. Saturday. The title game is set for 7 p.m.
Taylor Butler (5-1) came on in relief in the sixth and weathered a long rain delay to pick up the win, Butler yielded no hits but walked three in 12⁄3 innings of relief. Lewis (3-1) struck out six and walked two for the Griffins, who had five hits.
Dutchtown’s Robbie Podorsky, who finished 2-for-3, was the only hitter for either team with more than one hit.
Barbe got runners to third base in the second and fifth innings but did not score. In the sixth, two of Dutchtown’s four errors played a role in the rally. With runners on second and third and two outs, the Bucs’ Trey Quinn raced down the line toward first. Second baseman Connor Bourque’s throw skipped past first baseman Cole Stapler, allowing two runs to score.
“First of all, Dutchtown played a great game,” Barbe coach Glenn Cecchini said. “Troy Lewis was a load. He was unbelievable. I coach him during the summer and I knew he was really good, but this is about the best I’ve ever seen him.
“Trey Quinn hustled down the line and made the guy rush the throw. He played a great game, especially in the field. He ran down balls like he was a wideout on the football team.”
Dutchtown scored its run in the top of the first. Lewis led off with a single to right field. Courtesy runner Adam Boyd was sacrificed to second by Podorsky. A two-out single by Stapler made it a 1-0 game.
Each team had runners in scoring position soon after that. In the bottom of the second, Barbe got runners to second and third. Victor Negron walked with one out and courtesy runner Nick Abshire moved to second when Quinn reached on an error.
Nick Zaunbrecher sacrificed the runners to second and third. Lewis struck out Charlie Yorks to end the inning.
The Griffins loaded the bases in the top of the third on Barbe starter Bryce Kingsley. Podorsky reached on an infield hit with two outs and took second and third on wild pitches, Mason Nickens walked and stole second.
Stapler drew a walk on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases. Kingsley got Alex Thibodeaux to fly out to end the inning.
The dark skies had yielded little rain until a downpour forced umpires to stop the game with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. A 16-minute rain delay followed.
Barbe had another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fifth. Zaunbrecher was hit by a pitch to open the inning, took second on an errant pickoff throw by Lewis and was sacrificed to third by Yorks.
Gavin Cecchini reached on a fielder’s choice on a ball hit to third. Kennon Fontenot then hit the ball to DHS third baseman Jacob Waguespack, who threw to second to force Cecchini. Fontenot was called out when umpires ruled Cecchini interfered with the Bourque’s attempt to throw to first, ending the inning.
Dutchtown loaded the bases in the top of the sixth that was interrupted by a rain delay of 1 hour, 22 minutes. Thibodeaux singled with one out. Barbe’s Butler came on relief and got a strikeout before the rain came.
Butler walked Collin Delaune and Steven Bright to load the bases before striking out Grant McCrory to end the inning.
Lewis struck out Beau Jordan to open the bottom of the sixth, but hit Bryce Jordan with a pitch. Bryce Jordan took second on a wild pitch before Luis Cintron singled to center field.
McCrory’s throw shot past Waguespack, but Lewis fielded the ball, leaving runners at second and third. Lewis struck out Negron, but Quinn reached on the error that scored Jordan and Cintron.
ACADIANA 7, LAFAYETTE 1: Bryson Dogie limited rival Lafayette to just four hits as 14th-seeded Acadiana advanced to Saturday’s semifinal against Hahnville-Rummel winner at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Kody Gautreaux finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a home run. Chance Vinent was 2-for-3 and also had a home run for AHS (22-13). Harley Wiltz also was 2-for-3 for the winners. Brenn Conrad finished 2-for-3 for LHS.
was the only player for No. 6 Lafayette (23-12).
Barbe 2, Dutchtown 1
Dutchtown 100 000 0 -- 1 5 4
Barbe 000 002 x – 2 2 0
W: Taylor Butler. L: Troy Lewis.
Leaders: DUTCHTOWN: Robbie Podorsky 2-3; Cole Stapler 1-3, RBI; Troy Lewis 1-3, run; Alex Thibodeaux 1-3. BARBE: Luis Cintron 1-3, run; Bryce Jordan HBP, run.
Records: Barbe 31-6; Dutchtown 27-10.