Springtime questions
April 10, 2019
Colonels’ clean sweep, storm into 1st place
April 10, 2019
Baseball is a fickle game.
Some days, you have it; other times, you don’t.
It’s a sport where true dominance is rare — a game where even poor teams can beat the elites on any given day if pitching matchups align and/or if a little luck gets in the way.
That’s what makes the 2019 E.D. White baseball team’s current run even more impressive.
The Cardinals are undefeated at press-time — the only unbeaten team left in the state with an unblemished 22-0 record that includes just a handful of close games throughout the year.
Cardinals coach David Constant said E.D. White’s success is a blessing, adding that he’s sometimes in awe with how much chemistry and talent the current team has.
E.D. White is the No. 1 team in the state in Division II and one of the unquestioned favorites to perhaps win the State Championship a little later this year.
“It’s all the kids,” Constant said. “It’s just a credit to them and the talent they have and the work ethic they have. It’s been a great ride. We have a lot of goals that we’re still trying to chase, but this group has been a blessing. They’re a joy to be around.”
E.D. White has the total package.
On the mound, the Cardinals are stellar — easily one of the best pitching staffs in the state of Louisiana, if not beyond. The Cardinals have allowed just 29 runs in 22 games and all across the board, pitchers are getting outs and hanging zeros on the scoreboard.
The Cardinals have recorded 10 shutouts in their first 22 games and only twice have they allowed more than 3 runs in a game.
The ace of the staff is Devin DeSandro, one of the most dominant pitchers in the area — a guy receiving collegiate attention from several programs around the area.
But DeSandro is not alone. Constant said the strength of E.D. White is its pitching depth. He said that Seth Guidry is a consistent starter who pounds the strike zone and gets outs. The team also uses the talents of Blair Robichaux, Brayden Walters, Hayden Falgout, Brandon Boudreaux and Zach Templet to get outs.
But Constant said one overlooked facet of E.D. White’s pitching success is its defense. Constant praised the work of E.D. White’s infielders to make routine — and sometimes even extraordinary plays — to protect the staff.
In the outfield, the Cardinals have college-level talent led by LSU signee Wes Toups in center field. The Cardinals also have Thomas McGoey in left and Michael Clement in right — two other guys who cover a lot of ground.
“You know, we brought those guys to an LSU game and coach Paul Mainieri came up to me and told me, ‘You know, you have an outfield that covers as much ground — if not more — as the guys we have here or some of the other guys we face in the SEC,’” Constant said. “And I’m sitting here thinking, ‘I don’t know if he’s blowing smoke or if he’s being real,’ but he was being real. That speed and that talent back there is a blessing. They save us so many runs and are a luxury as a coaching staff.”
But make no mistake — these Cardinals can hit, too.
E.D. White has a loaded lineup — a group that can get hits one-through-nine throughout games.
Shortstop Parker Coddou bats leadoff and is one of the top players in the area.
Toups, DeSandro, Walters, Robichaux and Clement also make up the heart of the lineup, but toward the bottom, the Cardinals are also getting significant contributions from guys like McGoey, catcher Jack Meyer and second baseman Ritchie Boudreaux, as well.
The Cardinals average 10 runs per game and have scored 213 runs in 22 games.
The team has scored five or more runs in 20 of their 22 contests.
“Top-to-bottom, those guys have been fantastic,” Constant said. “Everyone is playing their role.”
So now, the Cardinals’ goal is to gel and play their best baseball at the right time.
The Cardinals played a two-game series (weather permitting) with South Lafourche on Monday and Tuesday. There was no score available for that series at press-time.
After that, they took on Ellender for two games, then will take on Vandebilt.
That series with the Terriers should be a battle. Both teams are currently undefeated in district play.
Constant said he wants his team to focus on the challenges ahead — a one day at a time approach that he believes can lead the team to its ultimate goals.
“We think we have a special group,” Constant said. “We want to keep our guys focused and this is an easy group to do that with. We think they’ll be ready for everything that’s ahead.”
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