Eunice High’s Austin Phillips and Tyler Darbonne are enjoying a summer full of baseball.
As the Metro League winds down for the summer, the Bobcat duo along with EHS head coach Scott Phillips are participating in a summer showcase for underclassmen.
Along with Iota High junior Hunter Wriborg, Darbonne and Phillips helped the home state team win the Louisiana/Texas shootout.
Team Louisiana beat team Texas 10-1 and 14-2 in the doubleheader held in Lake Charles.
Phillips went 1-for-1 with a sacrifice fly, a RBI, three walks and a stolen base.
Darbonne went 1-for-2 with a walk.
This week at Troy University in Alabama, the coach and his two players will participate in the Southeastern Underclass Shootout featuring underclassmen from Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida.
“I don’t like sitting in the bleachers – I want to be on the field,” Phillips said. “My son is playing in it so I am excited to be coaching in it as well.”
Players were chosen by high school coaches through the Louisiana Baseball Coaches Association and mainly consists of unsigned juniors.
“It is good thing for my guys to have the opportunity to play in showcases like these,” Phillips said.
“They are very deserving and I am glad they were chosen.
“They both have the accolades and the awards and I think this a feather in their caps.”
The Shootout will draw the attention of colleges coaches and the juniors that haven’t yet signed with a program.
“A lot of these kids get picked up by both small schools and big schools,” Phillips said.
“It is a great event I hope other Bobcats get invited in the future.”
Team Alabama had a walk-off RBI single to topple Team Louisiana, 6-5 in the opening game of the Shootout.
Louisiana jumped out to an early 3-0 lead as the first three batters in the lineup scored, sparked by a two-RBI double by Bryce LaRocca.
Alabama scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to force a tie game.
The game went into extra innings before a weather delay halted the game.
Louisiana later grabbed the advantage with two runs in the top of the eighth as Phillips singled in Darbonne to score as the inning started with the bases loaded.
Luke Devillier reached on an error to plate Ben Butcher.
Team Alabama began the bottom the frame with the bases loaded and a walk plated one run before Jake Smallwood’s hit plated the two winning runs.
Team Louisiana finished with seven hits and left 12 on base, while Team Alabama had eight hits and stranded eight baserunners.
Austin Phillips finished 1-for-3 with a walk and A RBI.
Darbonne went 0-1 with a walk and a run scored.
Team Louisiana was scheduled to face Florida and Kentucky in Wednesday’s action.