Junior A. Fabiano
April 7, 2009
Willard John Kraemer Jr.
April 9, 2009
If there is an identity to the Central Lafourche baseball team this season, head coach Scott Duplantis said he has yet to find it.
The Trojans have been able to put together what appeared to be an identity at times this season with solid pitching, defense and hitting – just not at the same time.
After looking flawless to open the season, going 3-0 and outscoring opponents 33-4 at one point, the Trojans stumbled to a seven-game losing streak before winning back-to-back games against Woodlawn (5-3) and Berwick (3-2).
Included in those losses were defeats to traditional state powers Rummel, Jesuit, Holy Cross and Brother Martin as well as locals E.D. White and Vandebilt.
Duplantis notes a tough pre-district schedule as part of the reason for the Trojans’ early shortfall. But he believes the team is finally coming around, as the district opening win against Terrebonne proved.
“We have some days we’ll come out and get great pitching and other days we’ll come out and get good hitting,” Duplantis said. ” Some days we’ll have great defense. I think we are still looking for it. I think we have the ability to be a sound team, but right now I haven’t exactly found what our true identity is on the field yet.”
Despite maintaining a 9-14 record as of Monday, the Trojans feel they are finally on track.
If their district opening game against the Tigers is any indication, they were right.
The Trojans’ 7-2 victory was the first “complete” baseball game the team has put together in a while, according to Duplantis.
“We did a great job of not allowing the big inning,” the coach said. “We did a great job of rebounding from our early 2-0 deficit and capitalizing on their (Terrebonne’s) errors.”
The Trojans dropped their next game to South Lafourche before rebounding with a 6-2 win over H.L. Bourgeois and a 4-2 win over Assumption, to jump out to an early 3-2 start in district.
With only four senior starters in the Trojans starting lineup, Duplantis said any success the Trojans will have in District 8-5A depends on the performance of his younger guys.
As seniors Kent Dupre (catcher), Chad Thibodeaux (infield), Jake Ledet (outfield and pitcher) and Dustin Ledet (outfield and pitcher) lead the team on the field, it’ll be the play of the Trojans’ other starters, juniors Garret Danos (infielder), Sage Leblanc (outfielder/pitcher), Cobie Savoie (outfield) and Austin Naquin (infielder), sophomore Brandon Leblanc (shortstop) and freshman Jordan Caillouet (infielder/pitcher) that will ultimately make the difference for the Trojans this season.
“We’re a fairly young team but we have 18 guys that have and will see playing time for us,” Duplantis said. “All of our guys contribute. Even the guys on the bench are into the game the entire time, which helps those guys on the field.”
In order for the Trojans to stay in the wide-open race for the district baseball crown, the coach admitted they’ll have to play well at home, Broussard Field, and put more consistent games together like the one against Terrebonne and H. L. Bourgeois.
Jake Ledet’s complete game was backed by an eight-hit performance from the Trojan hitters against the Tigers. Duplantis knows if the Trojans can play that well all season long, there is no reason his team can’t be in the conversation.
However, if the inconsistencies set in like in the loss to the Tarpons, the Trojans are in for a long district season.
“If we can get good pitching and good defense, I think we’ll have a chance to win some games this year,” he said. “We can hit the ball pretty well. So if we can keep doing that we can win some games and possibly make a run at district. That’s a big key.”
The Trojans return home tomorrow for a double header against Riverside, in non-district action before jumping right back into district play Saturday with a rematch against Terrebonne.
Central Lafourche’s Brandon Leblanc swings at a pitch against Terrebonne earlier in the season. After playing inconsistent at times during the season, the Trojans look to find their true identity as District 8-5A play continues. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER
