Erath one win away

By Rosco Harrington

 SULPHUR – The No. 2 Erath Bobcats are now one win away from their first-ever state championship as they defeated the No. 1 Sterlington Panthers 7-6 in a thrilling, back-and-forth game at McMurry Park.
 The game two victory now sets up a winner-take-all scenario for game three tomorrow at 11 A.M.
Erath (26-12) fell behind 4-0 over the first two innings, came back, fell behind again, and came back one more time.  Head coach Jeremy Picard said his team refused to lose.
“Our kids are resilient; they kept fighting,” Picard said.  “The loss yesterday was on me.  I asked them to empty the tank today, give us everything they got, and let the chips fall where they may.  They didn’t quit until the game was over.”
According to sophomore shortstop and game one starting pitcher Landen Derouen, the team’s motivation was about more than just baseball.
 “Yesterday, everyone blamed our coach for the loss,” Derouen said.  “In my heart, I knew he made the decision he had to make.  We knew we needed to win for him today because we could tell he was down on himself.  We did it today, and we will win for him tomorrow too.”
 Senior Seth Leger got the start on the mound for Erath.  The senior battled for seven innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out four.
  “This was my last time pitching in a high school game,” Leger said.  I had to give it my all.  There’s no way I was coming out. 
“They have some dogs on that team.  They are going to compete.  But no matter how many runs they put up, we’re going to put up more, and we’re going to win.”
After giving up a solo homerun in the first inning, Leger appeared to settle down, retiring the first two batters in the second.  But then, the Panthers got a single, a hit-by-pitch, an error, and another single to take a 4-0 lead.
The Bobcats got their first run in the bottom of the second when Derouen raced home on a passed ball.  They got to within 4-3 in the third inning when Tate Collins scored on a passed ball, and Jack Landry’s RBI single scored Koah Copell.
 Erath added two more in the fourth to claim its first lead of the game.  A ball off the bat of Leger was misplayed.  Carter Champagne and Talen Landry scored to put the Bobcats ahead 5-4.
Sterlington answered in the top of the fifth with an RBI double to knot the score at five.  One batter later, an RBI single put the Panthers back on top, 6-5.
 That score held until the bottom of the sixth inning.  Senior Brennan Broussard walked to the plate down one with two on and two out.  He ripped the first pitch he saw over the head of the centerfielder for a bases-clearing triple.  Talen Landry and Braxton Richard scored to put Erath ahead for good, 7-6.
  “I was seeing the ball very well again today,” Broussard said.  “Their pitcher hadn’t thrown a lot this year, so I knew he was coming with fastballs.  I was expecting it, got my foot down early, and did what I did.”
Broussard led the Bobcats at the dish, going two-for-four with two RBI.  Jack Landry had two hits and one RBI, while Carter Champagne also added two hits.  Derouen, Landon LeMaire, and Talen Landry each contributed one hit.