Oak Grove eliminates Vermilion Catholic in semifinal game

SULPHUR - Experience. It helps to have it, especially when you are playing in the biggest show in Class 1A high school baseball.
The Oak Grove Tigers had the experience of playing in the semifinal game before they stepped foot on the baseball field Friday afternoon. The Tigers played in the Class 2A finals last year and lost to Kinder.
This year they dropped down to Class A and battled with Vermilion Catholic in the semi-finals. It would be that experience that would help Oak Grove advance to finals, and lack of experience that would doom the Eagles, 9-4, Friday.
The Eagles had dropped balls, misreads and lack of timely hits to go along with four errors.
First-year VC head coach Ben Harrington is well aware of what happens when high school players compete in the semifinals of the baseball playoffs. He has been there as a player and an assistant coach.
“It is a feeling that you can never describe,” said Harrington. “It is a big game but I have yet to put in words how to describe it. You can not describe to them what it is like. You can only prepare them the best you can.”
Nerves did not take too long to show for the Eagles.
The Tigers jumped on starting pitcher Gage Trahan from the start of the game. He gave up three hits and Oak Grove had a quick 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning.
But the Eagles rallied at the bottom of the first inning and tied it 2-2.
VC’s top two hitters, Emile Trahan and Austin Belaire each walked and then had a successful double steal to put runners in scoring position. Emile would score on a passed ball, and Belaire went to third base. Hunter Frith singled, bringing home a run and tying the game 2-2.
The Tigers came right back and retook the lead for good with three more runs in the top of the second inning. Before VC fans knew it, their Eagles were down 5-2.
Starting pitcher Gage Trahan (8-2) got pulled off the hill in the second inning, and Frith, a lefty, went in to pitch.
It stayed 5-2 until Oak Grove blew it open with four runs off three hits and an error to make it a 9-2 game by the fourth inning.
“Hats off to Oak Grove,” he said. “I heard they could hit, and they did. They hit the ball all over the park.”
The Tigers out-hit Oak Grove 12 to 6.
VC’s hitters were Emile (1-for-3, RBI, scored twice), Austin (1-for-3, scored twice), Frith (1-for-3, RBI), Griffin Vicknair (1-for-3, double, RBI) and Gage Trahan (1-for-3).
Oak Grove’s Jackson Wyly (9-1) threw all seven innings and struck out nine and allowed four earned runs. He also went 3-for-5 at the plate.
VC needed three pitchers to tame the Tigers. Frith threw 2 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs.
Jacob Sagrera closed the game on the hill, pitching the final 3 1/3 innings. He lasted the longest and did not give up any runs, struck out six and only gave up three hits.
Harrington said, “You have a game plan and when it does not work, you go to Plan B or Plan C. We just could not get anything going because their pitcher mixed up his pitches well.
“It was a tough day for us.”