Fontainebleau erupts late to down Hahnville in state baseball playoff series opener

The two baseball programs were experiencing playoff baseball with one there for the first time in nearly a decade and the other looking for its first postseason win in six years.

Fontainebleau had not been to the state playoffs since 2014 while Hahnville had not won a playoff game since 2017.

As for this year’s squads, Fontainebleau had the experience of playing at Hahnville on March 4. The Bulldogs were familiar with the surroundings and the opponent, taking the regular season matchup, 3-0.

The confidence derived from that win may have carried over into a very competitive first game of the opening round of the Non-Select Division I playoffs best-of-three series Thursday afternoon.

The Bulldogs broke open a close game, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh inning to down the Tigers, 6-2.

“It was one of those games, back and forth,” Fontainebleau coach Johnny Wortmann said. “We just preach to these guys keep it close because I trust in our offense and I know we have that big inning in us any time. We got it at a big time. It was huge for us. I thought Walsh pitched really well.”

Tied 2-2, Clay Mitchell and Colin Hurley drew one out walks in the top of the seventh. Hayden Pettus ran for Mitchell and he scored on an RBI single by Austin Canale to make it 3-2.

Mississippi State commit Alex Walsh drove in a run with a groundout to make it 4-2 and Tulane commit Steven Spalitta singled home Canale and it was 5-2. Mississippi State commit Pierce Boles followed with an RBI single to account for the final margin.

The game was scoreless into the top of the fourth inning when Boles homered to left-center, giving Fontainebleau a 1-0 lead.

Hahnville answered in the bottom of the fourth. Chase Morales led off with a walk, Sam Simoneaux singled Morales to second and Kason Alexander blooped a single to right, scoring Morales to tie the game 1-1.

Fontainebleau recaptured the lead in the top of the fifth when Canale was hit by pitch and he scored on an error to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. The Tigers escaped a bases loaded, one-out jam by turning a double play.

Once again, the Tigers clawed back to tie it in the bottom of the sixth. Chase Morales reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jaden Rosales and scored on a single to center by Sam Simoneaux and it was 2-2.

Walsh went six innings to pick up the win, allowing just one earned run on five hits. Walsh hit a batter, walked two and struck out eight. Bronson McNeill pitched the final inning to preserve the win. Canale reached base three times, including via a walk and being hit by a pitch.

“Canale is such a bulldog,” Wortmann said. “He’s the guy you want up in a clutch situation. Pierce Boles swung a great bat today.”

Donovan Friloux took the loss for the Tigers in relief of Noah Chauvin. Friloux allowed two runs on no hits as both batters he faced walked and both scored. Chauvin pitched very well, allowing just one earned run in five and a third innings on just two hits. Chauvin hit two batters, walked one and struck out four. Beau Parker finished up on the mound.

Boles had two hits, two RBI and was walked once intentionally.

“It was a playoff atmosphere, we were having a good time out here,” Boles said. “Being comfortable out there is everything. I didn’t know if I had hit the homer far enough so I ran it out and it helped get our team going. We got the big inning in the seventh. We’re always confident with Alex on the mound.”

Simoneaux and Kason Alexander each had two hits for the Tigers.

Game two is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hahnville with game three, if necessary, to follow.

“We playing to win all seven games,” Boles said. “We want to go all the way and be state champs.”

FINAL
Fontainebleau 000 101 4 — 6 5 1, 6 LOB
Hahnville 000 101 0 — 2 5 2, 7 LOB
WP—Alex Walsh
LP—Donovan Friloux
Time of Game: 2:25
SB—Ryan Gregson, Aidan Machado, Steven Spalitta
2B—Carter Hurley
HR—Pierce Boles