Hahnville halts Broncos’ progress

<p>Sam Houston’s Maddie Pourciaux (20) slides in with the score during the Class 5A semifinal round of the LHSAA State Softball Tournament at Frash Park in Sulphur, La., Saturday, April 28, 2018. (Rick Hickman/Lake Charles American Press)</p>Rick HickmanRickHickmanPhotographer
https://www.americanpress.com/content/tncms/avatars/6/d3/ea1/6d3ea1c8-3a6c-11e7-a1c2-0f91a5883b36.b31acdd1ef972ec0a2acb8ea5b28d153.png

<p class="p1">SULPHUR — When No. 3 Sam Houston entered its Class 5A semifinal against No. 2 Hahnville on Saturday at the state softball tournament, it knew exactly what to expect.

<p class="p3">Hahnville had beaten the Broncos 8-2 earlier in the season and the game plan of keeping the Tigers’ big offense at bay worked until Sarah VanEtta’s walk off two-run home run ended the Broncos season, 5-3.

<p class="p3">“I knew they could hit the ball, so we tried to pitch them very smart and keep them off balance, but Hahnville is always an offensive team,” Sam Houston head coach Beth Domingue said.

<p class="p3">Junior pitcher Jenny Griggers kept the Tigers scoreless for three innings before giving up single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning. She struck out four batters and walked two.

<p class="p3">Griggers got two quick outs to start the bottom of the seventh before Catherine Friloux hit a single up the middle. Griggers worked a full count, but VanEtta launched a line drive over the left-center field fence to end the game.

<p class="p3">“Jenny pitched well,” Domingue said. “Jenny did more than what was expected of her. 

<p class="p3">“They (Hahnville) are a great team and I knew it was going to be a battle when I saw that was who we were going to face. It always is when we play them.”

<p class="p3">Sam Houston (30-4) found its groove in the third inning when it scored three runs to take a 3-0 lead. Kimber Hamilton and Jill Poullard hit back-to-back RBI singles and Maddie Pourciaux scored on a passed ball, but then went cold.

<p class="p3">“I think we came out hitting her hard,” Domingue said. “As the game went on, I wish we would have squared up on some more balls late in the game. 

<p class="p3">“I think that we had some chances, but we just didn’t get it done.”

<p class="p3">Sam Houston had some base running miscues and hit into a pair of double plays.

<p class="p3">Sam Houston got one more chance in the seventh when it got two runners on with two outs. Andie Edwards drew a base on balls and Kyla Hamilton hit a line drive to left field. But a ground ended the Broncos’ scoring opportunity.

<p class="p3">Hahnville (33-3) scored its first two runs with two outs on a singles by Karly Taranto in the fourth inning and Kamryn Keller in the fifth.

<p class="p3">In the sixth, VanEtta led off with a single and moved to third on an error. Borne flied out to left field for the third out, but while Sam Houston was trying to throw out Makenna Cortez at second VanEtta scored the tying run.

SportsPlus

Local News

WEATHER UPDATE: Severe storms possible overnight

Local News

Town hall meetings, candidate forums, debates planned ahead of March election

Crime

2/18: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions

McNeese Sports

Rain washes away Cowboys’ trip

Local News

Temple: Changes to La. insurance industry won’t be felt overnight

Local News

Dispute over Gulf name may be headed to court

McNeese Sports

Cowboys rally for big win

Crime

Hitman will continue to serve life sentence in Fourth of July murder

Local News

Delta Airlines flight flips over on landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and 8 people are hurt

Local News

School Board looks to make up lost time due to snow days

Local News

Jennings councilman wants to change rules for hiring, firing attorney

life

Preserving history for future generations: Exhibit examinins role Black churches play in communities

Local News

Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal

Crime

2/17: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Vote now for the People’s Choice Mardi Gras of SW La.

Local News

Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash

McNeese Sports

Showdown in Hammond

McNeese Sports

Diamond roundup: Cowboys fall, Cowgirls win

Local News

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

Local News

Several Louisiana public university athletic programs — including McNeese — face financial deficits

Local News

Getting back on par: The long and short of the National Golf Club of Louisiana

Local News

NASA sending DeRidder students’ experiment into stratosphere

Local News

Shady Lane man found unresponsive has died