The Baton Rouge Rougarou's first-ever playoff win didn't come easy.
After building a 5-0 lead, the Rougarou had to make some moves and hold on to take a 5-4 win over the Acadiana Cane Cutters in the first game of the Texas Collegiate League Louisiana Division championship at Pete Goldsby Field. It is the first playoff win by the Rougarou in the program's history and moves the team to 38-10 on the year.
"It was a great one for the books," Rougarou coach Stephen Klein said. "Crazy hard-fought game that I am so proud of my boys hanging in there, getting the job done. Team win."
The second game of the best-of-three series will move to Fabacher Field in Youngsville Wednesday night. Game three, if necessary, will be played at Goldsby on Thursday. The championship game is set for Saturday.
Everything seemed to be going the Rougarou's way early as they scored one run in the bottom of the first inning, three in the third and one more in the fourth.
Starting pitcher Fabian Hernandez held the Cane Cutters scoreless through four innings, allowing only two hits. But the Cane Cutters made it a nail-biter. They got two hits and took advantage of a Rougarou error to score two runs in the top of the fifth. They added two more in the sixth on three hits and an error.
Acadiana left runners on base in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
Hernandez, who was named to the All TCL team on Tuesday, got the win, allowing four runs on six hits, walking one and striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings to improve to 8-0.
Tristan Perry and Ira Austin pitched in relief, allowing no runs on two hits, walking none and striking out one.
The Rougarou was held to six hits off of three Acadiana pitchers, including the Cane Cutter's All TCL pitcher Jacob Baker. He started the game by hitting Casey Artigues then walked Ben Robichaux to set up Josh Shelly's RBI single in the first inning.
Ben Robichaux plated two runs with his third home run of the season in the third inning, the first given up by Baker this season. Shelly walked and scored on a double by Blaise Priester in the inning.
Matt Keller doubled and scored on a double steal in the fourth.
Throughout the rest of the game, the Rougarou was stymied by solid pitching and some impressive defensive plays by Acadiana. They would not get a hit the rest of the game.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
Photo by Carla Walker