Lady Tors top Barbe, 10-9
<p class="p1">SULPHUR — Nearly a month ago, senior Gracie Devall was the last out for Sulphur in a 6-5 loss to Barbe that ended on walk off home run from Lexie Hessier. But on Monday, Devall got some redemption with a clutch hit to lead the Tors to a 10-9 win over the Bucs at home.
<p class="p1">Down 9-8 after watching an 8-0 lead melt away much like the Bucs’ 5-0 lead back on March 2nd, Devall stepped to the plate with two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Devall was 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly RBI in the third inning, but ripped a 1-1 pitch up the middle to score Bailey Chaisson and Abbi Massey who had reached base on back-to-back two out singles.
{{tncms-inline content="&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;lsquo;I told them you lost by one run last time against them, it&amp;rsquo;s time for us to get back up there and take care of business and they did. People got their money&amp;rsquo;s worth today.&amp;rsquo;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p class=&quot;p3&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Julie Mancusco&lt;br /&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;Sulphur head coach&lt;/p&gt;" id="a2aaab4f-49d0-48ab-92f7-214fabb1672e" style-type="quote" title="Pull Quote" type="relcontent"}}
<p class="p1">“She (Devall) was due,” Sulphur head coach Julie Mancuso said. “She is definitely a clutch hitter.
<p class="p1">“I have all the confidence in the world with her. Sometimes she gets down on herself, but I like when she is up.”
<p class="p1">It was the second straight one-run win for Sulphur (12-11, 8-4), who beat Acadiana 12-11 last week, and the 10th time they have played in a game decided by one run.
<p class="p1">“They never gave up,” Mancuso said. “Of course, they have been in a lot of one-run games.
<p class="p1">“I told them you lost by one run last time against them, it time for us to get back up there and take care of business and they did. People got their money’s worth today.”
<p class="p1">It has been exactly the opposite for the Bucs (13-10, 7-4), who have lost two straight by one run. The Bucs were only down 5-0 but a one-out error in the fourth inning allowed Sulphur to stretch its lead to 8-0 when Massey hit a two-run home run.
<p class="p1">“Our defense can’t stop the bleeding,” Barbe head coach Candyce Carter said. “One error happens, then another error happens, then big hits.
<p class="p1">“Our defense has yet to let an error happen and close the door and finish that inning off with no damage done. Defense is not our strong suit right now.”
<p class="p1">Barbe out hit Sulphur 14-12 with eight of those hits coming in the fifth and sixth inning as they battled back to take the lead with nine consecutive runs. Four of those were brought home by Grayce Guidry, who hit a two-run single to right field to give Barbe a 9-8 lead in the sixth.
<p class="p1">“Right now offensively, we are putting up good numbers,” Carter said. “We waited a little late. Nine runs with in two innings, you should be able to win with that.”
<p class="p1">Sulphur’s defense was key, committing just one error and turning three inning ending double plays. The third one ended the Bucs rally in the sixth when right fielder Chrislyn Ryan caught a fly ball hit by Jesse Landry and threw out Mica Beadoin at third base.
<p class="p1">“Defensively, we looked really well,” Mancuso said. “I was real proud of them.
<p class="p1">We had one error. That is key against a team like this because they (Barbe) are going to put the ball in play.”
<p class="p1">Ryan also had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the third inning.
<p class="p1"><strong>‘I told them you lost by one run last time against them, it’s time for us to get back up there and take care of business and they did. People got their money’s worth today.’</strong>
<p class="p3"><strong>Julie Mancusco</strong>
<p class="p3">Sulphur head coach