Ecton Lawrence "Ji" Billiot Jr.
July 7, 2008
Jaime Pineda
July 11, 2008
Swampland Baseball League’s title game between the South Terrebonne-based South Louisiana Bank Gators and Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Tigers last Tuesday proved to be a battle between two titans.
The Tigers (10-3-1) took the lead 2-0 in the second inning following an RBI single by Randal Daigle.
Just as they’ve done all season long, the Gators (14-3) responded with four runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 4-2, a lead they did not relinquish the rest of the way.
Pitcher Alex Prestenbach’s three run, seven-hit performance was more than enough to carry the Gators to their second straight title. But the impact of the game meant more than just its 9-3 final score. In fact, the entire Swampland season provided teams with what they most needed – a chance to evaluate young talent.
According to Mike Thomas, co-director of the league and head coach of Berwick-based A.J. Dohmann, the five playoff games defined what the league is all about. The six playoff teams – the Gators, Tigers, Bayou Boys of South Lafourche, the Capital One Cardinals from E.D. White, Robichaux Ford of Vandebilt and the Skippers from Morgan City – solidified their spots as true representatives of the league.
“Every game was close,” he said. “Every game and every kid was competitive. I was telling somebody that this league is more than just about baseball, it’s about teaching and growing. It’s about teaching the new kids and helping them grow.”
He added, “I can’t speak for the whole league, but I personally felt that those six teams in the playoffs represented the league well.”
Although team A.J. Dohmann didn’t fare as well as Thomas would have liked, winning only four games total, the coach said it was a learning experience for everyone involved.
“Some of the younger guys have a chance to play over the summer because they are fighting for a job,” he explained. “The summer is intended to see them compete and to see who is not a competitor. I know our guys got a lot out of it, but I believe the same could be said to the rest of the teams. I think whether you win or lose in this league, it is very beneficial. Everyone saw what they needed to see.”
South Terrebonne head baseball coach Nathan Cotten backs the league. Although he didn’t coach the Gators during the Swampland season, he said he believes it is a big help in preparing his guys to play for the actual season.
“It has benefited us the last couple of years,” he said of the league. “We came into the summer with expectations and we knew we were going to be one of the top teams. The summer gave us a chance to prove to ourselves that we can and will compete in district this season.”
Cotten added, “We had a lot of help over the summer between coaches and parents and I was grateful. We didn’t play at all at our baseball field. Every game was on the road. That’s something that can only help us.”
The coaches agreed on one positive this season: unlike previous seasons, rain was hardly a factor. Only a couple of games weren’t played, and every team was able to play enough games to stay competitive.
Even the playoffs, which were held at Berwick’s field, weren’t rained out despite showers in all of the surrounding areas.
“God shined on Berwick High School this year,” Thomas said. “We were only rained out one game all year and we only had to move the times back once in the playoffs due to weather. It was a blessing.”
When the Swampland league returns next year for its fifth season, Thomas said slight changes may be made.
For instance, each team may be asked to help buy a trophy and a tournament MVP plaque to make the league more authentic, Thomas said.
Gator pitcher Alex Prestenbach’s three run, seven-hit showing helped the team pull off a 9-3 victory over the Thibodaux Regional Medical Center Tigers during last week’s Swampland championship. * File photo • Tri-Parish Times
