An 11-run lead after four innings for the DeRidder Dodgers in summer baseball at home Thursday night was enough to withstand a late comeback by the East Beau Titans. DeRidder defeated East Beau 14-8.

“For five innings we hit the ball well, scored runs, had them down 11 runs,” Dodgers head coach Greg Hanchey said. “After that we kind of coasted, didn’t do too much at all — way too many errors.”

“I felt like we started out real slow and we woke up,” Titans head coach Brian Jackson said. “We came alive in the top of the fourth inning, caught up with the pitcher.”

Down 2-0 going into the bottom of the first inning, DeRidder (9-6) got its bats going. The Dodgers scored four runs in the first inning and took a 4-2 lead into the top of the second inning.

The first two runs of the inning for the Dodgers came on a Jordan Buxton 2-RBI single to center field. Pepe Broussard, who reached on an infield single, and Anthony Stutes, who reached on a bloop single to center, scored on Buxton’s hit.

Two batters later, Quinton Touchette hit a 2-run home run over the left field wall to give DeRidder a 4-2 lead. Buxton scored on the home run.

Touchette’s home run was his first in high school during either the summer or school year.
Hanchey said the home run gave the Dodgers momentum.

“Good hit, kept his head on the ball and parked it in the yard out there,” Hanchey said.

DeRidder scored seven more runs in the bottom of the second inning to go ahead 11-2.

The first two runs were off of Titans (6-5) starting pitcher Jared Cooley. He pitched one-and-one-third innings, gave up six runs and one walk.

The final five runs of the inning were given up by Titans relief pitcher Johnny Hunt. He went two-and-two thirds innings, gave up eight runs total, four walks, one hit by a pitch and recorded five strikeouts.

“I was just trying to work the pitchers to see what kind of momentum I could gain,” Jackson said, noting pitching was medium, fast and slow.

Collin Sandell scored the first run of the bottom of the second inning for DeRidder. He singled, went to second and third base on wild pitches and scored on a Broussard RBI single.

Tyler Broussard walked and scored on a Buxton RBI fielder’s choice. Buxton hit the ball to Cooley at third base. Cooley threw the ball to Thomas Shaver at second base to attempt to force Stutes out. However, Stutes, who was hit by a pitch, beat the throw to second base.

Pepe Broussard came home for the third run of the inning on a wild pitch.

Stutes scored the next run on a Collin Hanchey RBI single. Pepe Broussard came in as a courtesy runner for Collin Hanchey.

Buxton scored the fifth run of the inning on a Touchette RBI double.

Pepe Broussard and Touchette scored the final two runs of the inning on a Tyler Durham RBI single. Touchette was only able to score because of a throwing error against the Titans.

After the Titans cut the lead to 11-3 with one run in the top of the third inning, the Dodgers scored two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to increase the lead to 13-3.

Shaver scored the Titans run in the top of the third by doubling to left and scoring on a Kyler Campbell RBI single.

Campbell also pitched one inning for the Titans and did not allow any runs. Jackson said the defense played better for the Titans later in the game.

Pepe Broussard scored the first run in the bottom half of the third inning for the Dodgers by walking and coming home on a wild pitch when Buxton was at bat.

Stutes scored the second run of the inning for DeRidder by reaching on an infield single and scoring on a Buxton RBI fielder’s choice. Stutes beat the tag attempt at home plate by Titans catcher Kendal Cooley.

Durham scored in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Dodgers on a Sandell fielder’s choice RBI to increase DeRidder’s lead to 14-3.

The Titans made a comeback effort by scoring the last five runs unanswered, but the Dodgers had all they needed to secure the 14-8 victory.

Collin Hanchey threw his fourth complete game of the summer for the Dodgers. He gave up eight runs and three walks and recorded 10 strikeouts.

“He threw the ball real well,” Coach Hanchey said. “Those errors hurt us.”

Five of those eight runs came in the final three innings for the Titans.

Coach Hanchey said the Dodgers should have only given up two or three runs, but errors changed things.

“We should be in the dugout,” Coach Hanchey said. “We’re still in the field, didn’t make plays.”

East Beau had a chance to score in the top of the fifth inning when Seth Shirley led off the inning with a double down the left field line.

With one out in the inning, Shirley was picked off between second and third base for the second out. Collin Hanchey threw the ball to the shortstop Buxton, who then threw the ball to Durham at third base. Durham threw the ball to Touchette at second base. Touchette then threw the ball back to Collin Hanchey, who was able to tag Shirley out and take away a Titans scoring opportunity.

The Titans did not miss opportunities in the next two innings. A 2-run top of the sixth inning for East Beau cut DeRidder’s lead to 14-5.

Hunt singled to center and Jared Cooley came in as a courtesy runner. Jared Cooley went to second base on a wild pitch, stole third base and scored the first run of the inning on a wild pitch.

Brody Jackson walked and scored the second run of the inning for the Titans on a Dustin Rider RBI single.

Three runs in the top of the seventh inning for East Beau narrowed the gap to six runs and cut DeRidder’s lead to 14-8.

Shirley walked and scored on a Jared Cooley RBI triple to center field.

Jared Cooley followed with a run on a Shaver RBI single to right field.

Shaver stole second base, went to third base on a passed ball and scored on a Campbell sacrifice fly to center field.

However, the Titans paid a big price for the sacrifice fly. Before Campbell came to bat, there were no outs in the inning. Two outs were recorded during Campbell’s at bat.

Pepe Broussard caught Campbell’s fly ball in center field and threw the ball to Dodgers first baseman Matt Frusha, who stepped on the base and recorded the second out. Hunt walked and was the second out of the play when Frusha stepped on first base.

Collin Hanchey struck out Brody Jackson to end the game.

The other two runs for the Titans came in the top of the first inning when they took a 2-0 lead.

Jared Cooley singled to center and Shaver reached on an infield single. Cooley and Shaver both scored on a 2-RBI single to right by Campbell.

DeRidder followed by scoring 14 of the next 15 runs to take a 14-3 lead and never looked back.

The Dodgers are back in action at 6 p.m. tonight when they host Sam Houston. DeRidder won the contest between the two teams earlier in the season.

“I’m sure they’ll be wanting to pay us back,” Coach Hanchey said. “So we’re going to have to play good tomorrow (Friday) night.”

Coach Hanchey said the more his young team gains experience, the better they are. He added he hopes they are able to come out and finish the season with win tonight in what will be the final game of the summer for the Dodgers.

The Titans play in the United States Special Sports Association (USSSA) tournament today.

“We can carry the momentum after what we picked up,” Coach Jackson said.

OTHER STATISTICS
•For DeRidder, Touchette went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs.
•For DeRidder, Sandell went 1-for-3 with a single, a run, a stolen base and an RBI.
•For DeRidder, Pepe Broussard went 2-for-3 with two singles, four runs, one walk and one stolen base.
•For East Beau, Jared Cooley went 2-for-4 with a single, a triple, a stolen base and three runs.
•For East Beau, Shirley went 1-for-3 with a double, walk and a run.
•For East Beau, Shaver went 3-for-4 with a double, two singles, three runs and one stolen base.