4-way tie for first in District 3-5A

<p>Barbe’s Brody Drost pitches against the Sulphur Tors at McMurray Park in Sulphur, Louisiana on Sunday, April 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Lake Charles American Press, Kirk Meche)</p><a href="mailto:rhickman@americanpress.com"> Kirk Meche / Special to the American Press </a>

<p class="p1">SULPHUR — Glenn Cecchini’s Hall of Fame weekend concluded in style, with his Barbe Bucs beating Sulphur 6-1 in a District 3-5A game.

<p class="p1">A day after being inducted in the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame, Cecchini watched his team thwart several Sulphur scoring opportunities while parlaying its big oppourtunity into a five-run inning that decided the game.

<p class="p1">The Bucs (22-7, 6-4) scored five runs in the fourth. Pinch hitter Kyle Debarge singled to right to score Bryan Lawrence. Brody Drost added a two-run double down the right field line. Carter Quinn singled to center to score courtesy runner Ethan Medlin then scored when a throw to second on a steal attempt glanced off a fielder’s glove and rolled into center field.

<p class="p1">Four of the runs came with two outs.

<p class="p1">The result leaves both teams in a four-way tie for the district lead with Acadiana and Sam Houston. The Broncos lost at Lafayette Sunday. Barbe ended a three-game losing streak while the Tors lost their fourth straight.

<p class="p1">The Tors (21-8, 6-4) had taken a 1-0 lead in the second on a single by Devon Lebrun to score Nick Vallette. But, the Tors missed several chances to put more runs on the board, leaving six runners stranded on base, having two runners thrown out at the plate and hitting into a double play in the sixth inning, when they loaded the bases with no outs but failed to score.

<p class="p1">Barbe starter Drost, who no-hit the Tors earlier this season, allowed one run and six hits over five innings, striking out six. He left the game after walking three batters to start the sixth, but Issac Duplechain escaped the jam, getting a double play on a line drive to second base and a fly ball to end the inning. He pitched a perfect seventh inning.

<p class="p1">“I’m excited about our guys, Brody pitched great and Duplechain came in and closed it,” Cecchini said. “We had a lot of big hits. Debarge came in and got a bunt down to help us and got a big hit. 

<p class="p1">“He’s a gamer. Brody helped himself with the double. We overcame adversity. We didn’t panic. This is a good group. We are young with just two seniors playing. We are getting better every day and I am proud of these guys.”

<p class="p1">Quinn finished 2-of-3 with a stolen base, run scored and RBI to lead Barbe. Lebrun drove in Sulphur’s only run and threw a runner out at the plate from center field for Sulphur. Scott Jones reached on all three plate apperances while Chance Stone singled, walked and struck out four in six innings pitched.

<p class="p1">Cecchini threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.

<p class="p1">“That was really nice of Sulphur, they are first class,” Cecchini said. “I have been good friends with (Tors head coach Sam Moore) for 25 years and I am sure that was his idea.”