North Vermilion softball team falls to Jena

SULPHUR -“It’s amazing the difference a day makes, 24 little hours.”
It may be a song, but its words hold true.
Just “24 little hours” ago, on Friday afternoon, the North Vermilion Lady Patriots were riding high off a 13-4 victory over district rival Kaplan, which earned them a spot in the semi-finals of the Fast pitch 56 State softball tournament.
On Satruday afternoon the Lady Patriots entered the game against the Jena Lady Giants with championship hopes in their mind, but it wouldn’t take Jena long to take those hopes away by beating the Lady Patriots 10-0 in five innings.
“I’m still not sure exactly what happened,” North Vermilion head coach Richard Prejean said. “Those kids (Jena) just came out and started hitting, and it was almost like there was nothing we could do to stop it. I don’t think we came out flat, I’m just not exactly sure what happened.”
Jena jumped out to an early lead on the Lady Patriots. In the top of the second inning, Jena scored eight runs, and knocked starting pitcher Hannah Vidallier, out of the game, after only an inning and two thirds of work.
The Lady Giants scored eight runs on eight hits in the top of the second inning. The biggest of those runs came from a three-run home run that ended Vidallier’s day.
The Lady Patritos were only able to get one hit on the day, and it came in the fourth inning on an Elise Vincent bunt single.
“We just couldn’t hit the ball today,” Prejean said. “Again, I’m not sure exactly what happened, but regardless if how this game ended, I am so proud of my team and so proud of the way they played this season. All year long every single one of these kids worked their butts off and never gave up. I am so proud of every single one of them.”
This loss just adds to the pain that coach Prejean was already feeling. This is last season that Prejean will be coaching the Lady Patriots softball team, as he is taking over as the Patriots head football coach.
“It would have been nice to go out on top,” Prejean said. “I think that it will take me some time to actually cope with the fact that this was my last game, and it makes it even harder the way we lost our last game. Having said that, I know that I will miss it. All, good things must come to an end.”
Even though the Lady Patriots season may have come to an end, and even though they may not have made it to the championship game, the Lady Patriots have had a very successful season.
They made it to the final four in Class 3A, and anytime you can be counted among the best four teams, that is something that you can be proud of.
In the Kaplan game on Friday afternoon the top hitters were Miranda Martin who was 2-for-5 with a three-run home run to give the Lady Patriots the 7-2 lead.
Elise Vincent and Kyla Hebert were both 3-for-5 with three singles.
Brooke Dupuy went 3-for-5 from the plate as well. She had a two RBI double, and two singles in the game.
Hannah Vidallier pitched all seven innings and only allowed four runs on 11 hits, while striking out two Lady Pirates.