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Mark it down: April 7, 2018 is a day that South Lafourche High School pitcher Blake Ougel will not soon forget.
Early in the day, the powerful left-handed pitcher signed a scholarship to Baton Rouge Community College – an honor which guarantees the lefty a career in baseball after his senior season.
With the theatrics out of the way, Ougel showed why he got the scholarship under the lights at night-time, striking out 11 batters, while recording a complete-game in a 2-1 win against E.D. White.
The Tarpons are now 19-5 in the win, while E.D. White dropped to 17-7. Both teams are among the best in the state in their respective classifications.
Ougel was dominant on the mound, keeping the Cardinals out of rhythm throughout the game with a variety of speeds.
He was also good with his bat, recording a walk-off walk with the bases loaded, which helped South Lafourche erase a 1-0 deficit with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
“That guy gives us a chance every, single time he goes out,” South Lafourche coach Andrew Ravaglia said after the win. “He can go toe-to-toe with anybody in the state – from Class C to 5A, I’m confident. We did a great job tonight just scratching. That’s what we preach – just scratch in some runs and get guys in position and put some pressure on the defense. And look, credit to E.D. White. They’re a great ball club. We were just lucky enough to get this one tonight.”
It was a big-time pitcher’s duel between two of the best arms in the state.
Ougel was on point from start-to-finish, weaving through the Cardinals’ lineup with poise and conviction.
The Cardinals had an early-game scoring chance with runners at the corners with just one out and the leadoff hitter, Colin DeSandro at the plate.
But Ougel jammed DeSandro and forced him to ground into a 6-4-3, inning-ending double play with Jelby Cheramie, Jack Blanchard and Davin Richoux aiding their pitcher.
The guy on the mound for E.D. White was impressive, too.
Cardinals’ pitcher Devin DeSandro was dominant throughout the game, working ahead in the count and keeping the Tarpons’ offense out of rhythm throughout the game.
DeSandro actually left the game with a chance to get the win.
The Cardinals scored a late-game run on an infield single to go up 1-0 – a lead which looked like it might hold through the finish.
But the Tarpons kept battling.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Richoux scored a lead-off walk, which chased DeSandro out of the game in favor of closer Gabe Theiss.
Theiss never found his command. After struggling to locate his warm-up tosses, Theiss struggled even further in the game, surrendering walks and wild pitches to aid the Tarpon rally.
Jake Galjour ran for Richoux and stole second base. Jelby Cheramie then got hit by a pitch, which allowed the Tarpons to get runners at first and second with no out.
Thomas LeBlanc then pinch-hit and was retired, but not before a wild pitch moved Cheramie and Galjour to second and third.
With Luke Chiasson batting, Theiss issued a wild pitch, which scored Galjour and tied the game at 1, while moving Cheramie to third base.
Chiasson later walked, then Jacob Danos was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases with just one out for Austin Cantrelle.
Cantrelle was retired, which pushed E.D. White within an out of extra innings.
But with Ougel hitting, Theiss walked him on just five pitches, which sent the game to its climax.
“It sounds like a broken record,” Ravaglia said. “Any way we have to do it. It doesn’t matter which way. We don’t always need a guy to hit a double in the gap. We just need the guys to do whatever it takes to get the winning run in. I’m so proud of our guys tonight – unbelievable.”
The Tarpons and Cardinals will do battle again on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Thibodaux.
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