Huffines’ work with dad pays off in Cathedral win Thursday

Published 12:02 am Friday, March 26, 2010

NATCHEZ — Cathedral shortstop Daniel Huffines was unhappy with the way he was hitting the ball, so he enlisted the help of his most trusted advisor — his dad.

Huffines spent Wednesday evening hitting whiffle balls thrown by his dad in the backyard and it apparently paid off as he went 3 for 3 with four RBI and his first career home run in Cathedral’s 13-3 victory over Bogue Chitto.

“I’ve been working on my technique,” Huffines said. “I’ve still got some work to do with my fundamentals.”

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But Huffines did enjoy his home run, which went just inside the foul pole in left field.

“It was great,” Huffines said. “I haven’t been hitting that well. I tried to make up for it with that hit.”

Huffines wasn’t the only Cathedral player who enjoyed a good game.

Aaron White was also 3 for 3 with a two-run homer and was the winning pitcher after working the first three innings of the game.

Cathedral actually got off to a bad start in the game, as the Green Wave defense committed errors allowing the first two Bogue Chitto batters to reach base.

Michael Martin cashed in those mistakes for Bogue Chitto with a two-run double that put the Bobcats up 2-0.

However, that lead didn’t last long as Cathedral came back with eight runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Green Wave took advantage of five Bogue Chitto walks, including the first three batters of the game.

Tyler Ballard drove home two runs with a single before Barrett Young walked with the bases loaded to force in another run.

Huffines followed with a two-run single before White finished off the big inning with a two-run bomb.

“We got down pretty quick, and it was time to either make it or break it,” Huffines said. “We had to dig deep and get back in the game.”

Bogue Chitto scored a run in the top of the third, but Cathedral answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

The first scored on a Hunter Foster single and the next two came on Huffines’ homer.

Cathedral then ended the game in the bottom of the fifth with two runs.

Huffines scored on a wild pitch and Dylan White drove home the final run with a single to right field.

The Green Wave will hope to continue the momentum as they take on arch-rival St. Aloysius at home on Tuesday.

The Flashes are the defending Class 1A state champions and are ranked No. 1 in the state.

“They are solid one through nine in the lineup,” Cathedral coach Craig Beesley said. “We’re going to have to play one of our better games in order to win.”

Games between the Green Wave and the Flashes are always intense, and Huffines expects next Tuesday’s game to be no different.

“It is our biggest game of the year so far,” Huffines said. “This is the whole season right here. We’re going to have to play as best as we can.”