Cheramie fights off sickness, keeps playoff hopes alive

Central Lafourche junior pitcher Jace Cheramie spent the better part of last Wednesday in bed – sick with a viral infection.

“I was sick like a dog,” Cheramie said. “It was bad. I couldn’t get around much. I had a fever. I really just felt terrible.”

It’s safe to say Cheramie felt fine just 24 hours later.

His team feels even better, they are still in the ever-tight Bayou District race.

Riding the strength of a complete game from their ailing junior lefty, Central Lafourche kept up with the jumbled Bayou District competition, scoring a 13-4 win against home-standing South Terrebonne.

“I still kind of felt bad,” a still pale Cheramie said following the game. “But I just relied on my mechanics and I got it, I got it. This was awesome. This was a very big win for our team.”

The “it” that Cheramie got was revenge, something the Trojans were starved for in their rivalry with the Gators.

The last time Cheramie pitched in the Swamp, the Trojans were mercy ruled and didn’t record a single hit against South Terrebonne ace Tyler Naquin to open the 2010 district season.

“Oh yeah, I remember it,” Trojans coach Scott Duplantis said with a laugh. “It was a 10-0 shellacking. We didn’t have any hits. It was very bad.”

To make matters worse, Naquin encored that performance in Mathews to start district play this year, hammering the Trojans lineup to the tune of a 6-1 victory.

“And then we start out district this year, this time at our place, and we saw Tyler again,” Duplantis said. “And this time he throws a one-hitter.”

The third time against the future Nicholls State pitcher was the charm as Central Lafourche didn’t take no for an answer, returning the favor with a seven-run sixth inning that chased Naquin and blew a 3-2 game wide open and allowed the Trojans to cruise to the finish line with the nine-run win.

Duplantis said he made it a point to remind his team of their previous failures and told them to make amends in their return trip to the Swamp.

Outfielder Matt Cavallo agreed and said there was no way the Trojans would be embarrassed again.

He did his part, hitting a towering home run over the left field fence.

“We remembered what had happened those last few times we’d met,” he said. “We came out hungry today. We were ready to get after them.”

Powerful offense isn’t anything new to Central Lafourche, as they have scored seven or more runs in five of their eight district games.

But it’s what happens when the offense doesn’t come in bunches that’s the problem.

Central Lafourche has mustered just seven runs in their three district losses, something Duplantis hopes levels off with the stretch run of the season nearing.

“We’ve got good balance throughout the lineup,” he said. “But we’re hit or miss as far as the team goes. We may come out on a day like today and hit throughout the lineup and put up 13 runs. But then we’ll come out tomorrow and get two hits and strike out 10 times as a team. We’ll need a little consistency right now from the plate out of these guys, instead of the roller coaster that we’ve been riding.”

Cavallo agreed and said the key to making their coach’s wish a reality is something that won’t be found in a game situation.

“I think we need to just work harder and focus more in practice,” Cavallo said. “If we do that, we can get that inconsistency fixed.”

But when they’re on, they’re on.

The Trojans were the only team to beat first-place Thibodaux in the first round of district play.

And they also enjoy the luxury of knowing that in sickness and in health, they have a reliable arm who can get them outs and keep their sluggers hacking away at victories.

“I’m going to stick to it no matter what,” Cheramie said. “I’m going to make sure I get it done.”

“He’s a dog,” Cavallo added. “He’s a big boy. He does so much for our team.”

All of that combined with his brand-new victory against South Terrebonne has Duplantis feeling good about his team’s chances, despite having just two senior starters and three seniors total.

“We don’t want to wait until next year,” the coach said. “We want to make something happen right now.”

After Thursday, they’re one step closer to making that a reality.