By ROBERT L. LEE

HAHNVILLE – The Hahnville High School Lady Tigers may have already clinched the district title for softball, but that didn’t stop them from keeping their Destrehan foe scoreless through seven innings for a 3-0 win Tuesday.

“I don’t blame them,” said coach Angela Beck of her 13-1 Lady Tigers. “They are such rivals, I didn’t expect anything less.”

Beck said the Destrehan and Hahnville squads always play a good game, no matter how the rest of their season is going. The LadyCats connected with one more hit than the Lady Tigers, 6-5, however, the Lady Tigers were the first on the score board with an unusual switch from their short bunting game, to long hits directed at the outside wall. Beck said she makes such changes in the Lady Tigers’ plays based on how the game is unfolding continues with what works.

“We do whatever works during the game,” she continued. “We want to keep swinging the bats to help get ready for playoffs. I wanted to go with a win because our last regular game carries over into the playoffs.”

The game’s tone was set early, when Hahnville’s Michelle Harrell threw the ball from right field to Lindsay Yochim at third base, ending what would have been a Destrehan triple with an out. The Lady Tigers first batter, Yochim, was handed a walk to first base, stole second, then advanced to third on a sacrifice fly to center field. The referees acknowledged Destrehan’s appeal that Yochim did not tag second base before running to third and she was called out. A pop fly ended the inning with both teams scoreless.

The LadyCats continued swinging deep hits into the second inning, such as Annette Bourgeouis’ stand-up double off the center field wall. Ashlyn Falgout hit a line drive up the middle to put Destrehan runners on the corner bases, but a strike out and two pop outs stranded the runners again. The back-and-forth fight continued until the Lady Tigers broke free in the third inning. With one out, Yochim hit a stand-up double, which pushed Hollin Dufrene to third base. A Courtnie Frickey sacrifice fly brought Dufrene home for the first point. Melanie Delayne brought Yochim in to score when she hit a double to center field. The LadyCats caught the third out before Hahnville could continue their pace. Destrehan’s Melissa Anderson made a reaching catch to leave two Hahnville runners on base in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Lady Tigers returned defensively for the first three up and three down inning. Offensively, Frickey hit a single, followed by a Delayne single. The hit gave Frickey just enough time to run full stride around third to home for the Lady Tigers’ 3-0 lead. Beck said the Lady Tigers’ first post-season opponent will probably be Blenk High School.

“We are going to take it one game at a time, because if you lose one you’re out,” added Beck.