Ville Platte gets walkoff win against Concordia 11s and 12s
Published 12:01 am Saturday, July 20, 2013
![Concordia 11-and 12-year-old All Stars team members congratulate teammate Addison Curtis, right, after he hit a two-run homerun during the fourth inning of the game on Friday evening. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)](https:https://www.natchezdemocrat.com//wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2013/07/072013_AllStar_JDS1_MAIN.jpg)
Concordia 11-and 12-year-old All Stars team members congratulate teammate Addison Curtis, right, after he hit a two-run homerun during the fourth inning of the game on Friday evening. (Jay Sowers \ The Natchez Democrat)
VIDALIA — What seemed to be an upset victory for the Concordia 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars vanished in a matter of minutes in the bottom of the sixth.
When the dust settled, Concordia was left with a stinging loss Friday night when against the Ville Platte All-Stars in the first round of the 2013 North Regional State tournament.
The night started well for Concordia, which locked down on its defense early with starting pitcher Trey Poole totaling four strikeouts in three innings of play.
Both teams remained scoreless up until Concordia’s Addison Curtis got his team on the board in the fourth inning.
Curtis stepped to the plate with Braxton Hall on second base and hit a two-run homerun.
Curtis came up big for Concordia, going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs. Caden Poole also went 2-for-3.
Concordia head coach Rusty Smith said he was pleased with his team’s offense early in the game.
“Our bats came alive, that was the key,” Smith said. “We got a couple of key hits at the right time.”
Concordia scored once more in the fourth when Ville Platte’s Christian Duplechin walked Jestin Harrison with the bases loaded to force Nick Melton home for the 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Ville Platte also got themselves on the scoreboard.
Garrett Fontenot doubled to bring in Wesley Launey to make the score 3-1 heading into the fifth inning.
In the top of the fifth, Concordia saw their last run of the game — and thought it would be enough to advance in the winner’s bracket.
Curtis recorded his second RBI of the night with a single that lead J’Veion Scott in for their final run, extending their lead to three.
Both teams capitalized on their defense in the fifth inning and held each other scoreless.
Concordia brought in Caden Poole to pitch in the fifth inning. Once he warmed up, he forced two strikeouts to keep the lead going into the sixth inning.
After a scoreless top of the sixth, Ville Platte was down to its final three outs, and with Poole coming off two straight strikeouts, it looked like a sure victory.
He walked the first two batters before Fontenot stepped up and singled for Launey to score.
Ville Platte now trailed 4-2 with two runners on base. Nick Perry stepped up to the plate for Ville Platte and did what every Concordia fan was hoping he wouldn’t do — score a walk-off three-run home run to make the final score 5-4.
Alec Gotro, Fontenot and Perry all touched home plate with their teammates waiting on them as Concordia stood in shock.
Smith said the game was in their hands, and it hurt for it to slip away.
“We had them beat, but it was an untimely homerun,” Smith said. “They were probably the best team here, and we had them.”
Smith said their effort was there, but small changes will be made.
“We played good ball, we’ll come with two different pitchers (today) and that is all that will change,” Smith said.
Smith said it is important to keep his team confident because it’s a double-elimination tournament.
“I told them to keep their heads up, we just have to come back tomorrow and try get back in the winner’s bracket,” Smith said.
The Concordia 11 ans 12s play against the Franklin All-Stars at 3 p.m. today at the Concordia Recreational District 3 Complex.