EHS starting pitcher Landen Derouen pitched a great game with six innings of work. He allowed one hit and only one earned run against No. 1 Sterlington.
Erath's Talen Landry (22) slides head first into home plate. He was called safe because the catcher dropped the ball.
Erath catcher Brennan Broussard gets under the ball to catch a pop up for an out.
Erath's Jack Landry dives back to first base.
Erath's Carter Champagne makes a play and throws it to first base.
Erath drops first game to Sterlington in state finals
SULPHUR - The No. 2 Erath Bobcats could not maintain a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning against the No. 1 Sterlington Panthers on Thursday. The Bobcats lost the first game of a three-game series, 5-4.
Erath will Friday at 11 a.m. in the best two of three series. If they win Friday, the two teams will meet in game three at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The Bobcats, making their first-ever appearance in the Non-Select Division III high school playoffs, had the Panthers where they wanted them.
Erath was leading 4-0, and starting EHS pitcher Landen Derouen was rolling right along, giving up only two hits and no runs heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Erath was three outs away from winning the first game of a three-game series.
Derouen walked the first batter in the bottom of the seventh inning, and that was it for him. After the walk, the Erath coaches pulled Derouen, who had pitched six innings and given up one run and only one hit.
Hudson Guidry replaced him, however, for only one batter because he walked the first batter he faced.
Guidry was pulled from the hill after that.
Then, the EHS coaches decided to put in pitcher Braxton Richard, with two men on base and no outs. However, he walked the first batter he faced to load the bases.
Still in the bottom of the seventh frame, Sterlington scored four runs on two hits, including a 3-RBI triple to tie the game 4-4 with one out, and then scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk.
The Bobcats outhit the Panthers 8-3, but the game’s difference was Erath’s three pitchers combined to walk nine batters.
Seth Leger and Derouen had each two hits. Other Bobcats with hits were Landon Lemaire (1-for-4), Braxton Richard (1-for-4), Jack Landry (1-for-3) and Talen Landry (1-for-3).