Red Devils use late surge to upend Gents

The Crowley Gents rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough in a 10-9 loss to Port Barre Thursday afternoon.
The Gents (5-22, 3-7) overcame a 4-2 deficit in the top of the sixth when they pushed across four runs on five hits to take a 6-4 advantage.
Blaine Thibodeaux came in off the bench to give the Gents a spark with a leadoff single to start the frame. After T.J. Mire was hit by a pitch, Christian Stafford and Randy Hanks then delivered back-to-back RBI singles and Zan Habetz pushed across two more runs on a double to the left center field gap.
Port Barre had an answer, however.
The Red Devils responded by taking advantage of two walks and a key error in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead with a six-run outburst, all with two outs.
The hosts loaded the bases on a pair of infield hits and a walk before Cody Fontenot laced a two-out, two-run single to tie the game at 6-6.
The inning should have ended one batter later, but a ground ball on the infield was misplayed and the Red Devils added four more runs before the frame was over.
The Gents made a late push in the top of the seventh when they loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of singles by Thibodeaux and Stafford.
Randy Hanks then came through with an RBI single t center field and Desmond Harmon pushed across a run on a fielder’s choice. Zan Habetz’s two-out sacrifice fly trimmed the lead to one (10-9) but the game ended one batter later on a groundout to second base by Alyx Duhon.
Overall, the Gents outhit the Red Devils 12-8.
Stafford, Habetz, Hanks and Thibodeaux each logged two hits and Harmon, Duhon, Sean Vincent and Mire each had one hit.
Vincent suffered the loss on the mound despite allowing just four earned runs. He scattered six hits and struck out one in five innings.