Mistakes doom MCHS in 9-1 loss to Teurlings

Errors in the field and on the base path hurt the No. 30 seed Morgan City Tigers as they fell 9-1 to No. 3 Teurlings Catholic in Class 4A first-round action Thursday.
The Tigers committed five errors in the field — three in the first — as Teurlings (24-7) cashed in with two runs.
Morgan City (13-15) pounded out nine hits but had several runners thrown out on the base paths.
“Our base running probably cost us four or five runs today, but again, these guys hadn’t been in the playoffs in a couple years, (and) they jump in here with the No. 3 team in the state,” Morgan City coach Kenny Alfred said.
Meanwhile, Teurlings slowly built their lead en route to the easy win.
Things started out rough for the Tigers as Teurlings Catholic put their small ball to use early, and the Tigers had trouble adjusting to it.
After Zach Lafleur led off the game with a single to left field and stole second base, he was sacrificed to third base on a bunt by Brian McCall.
The next batter, Hunter Trahan, laid down a bunt single that took a huge bounce and Lafleur scored on the play. However, a Brady Fryou error on a throw to first base after fielding the ball allowed Trahan to advance to second base.
After Morgan City pitcher Grant Perry hit the next batter, Garrett O’Friel, both runners advanced a base when Perry, on a move to second base, lost the baseball, allowing Lafleur and Tyler Hargrave, pinch running for O’Friel, to advance to second and third base, respectively.
Lafleur scored when Morgan City catcher Evan Stadalis and Fryou couldn’t connect on a fielder’s choice attempt as the ball got by Stadalis at home for a 2-0 lead. However, Fryou, covering home, fielded a throw from Stadalis on the play and tagged out Trahan as he was trying to score on the play.
While Fryou connected on a leadoff infield single past a diving attempt at a catch by Teurlings shortstop Josh Taylor and worked his way around the bases to third, he was stranded after Abram Hartley grounded out to third base to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Teurlings added another run in the bottom of the second inning on a double steal and added two more runs in the bottom of the third for a 5-0 lead on a Morgan City error and a Nathan Arceneaux bunt.
“Their execution on sacrifice and squeeze bunting and moving base runners around the bases was flawless,” Alfred said. “That’s one of the best teams I’ve ever seen do that.”
Morgan City again put a runner in scoring position at second base in the top of the fourth inning but a groundout ended the threat.
The Tigers had even more success at the plate in the top of the fifth inning as Matt Lorenzo doubled to the right field wall to lead off the inning
However, a big time threat by the Tigers ended when the Rebels turned a double play, getting Hartley on a groundout to shortstop before throwing out Lorenzo, who attempted to take third base on the play.
The out at third base stung even more because Scott Comeaux and Gavyn Spiese followed with back-to-back singles and advanced to second and third base on a wild pitch before Phillip Hutchinson flied out to right field.
While Teurlings added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-0 advantage, Morgan City got on the board in the top of the sixth inning when John Ross McNemar and Stadalis led off with back-to-back singles. After McNemar was out at third via a fielder’s choice, Perry connected on a run-scoring single to right field to score Stadalis’ courtesy runner, Scioneaux.
The Tigers could get no more in the inning, though, as Fryou was thrown out at third base trying to take third base on Perry’s single and Lorenzo popped up to the catcher to end the inning.
Teurlings tacked on the game’s final two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Andre Stelly earned the win for Teurlings Catholic. In seven innings, he allowed one run on nine hits with no walks.
“I thought we faced 10 pitchers this year than the pitcher we faced today,” Alfred said.
However, he said the difference was his defense played error-free behind him and he didn’t walk anyone.
Perry suffered the loss for Morgan City. In 5.1 innings, he surrendered nine runs on nine hits with two hit batters, six walks and four strikeouts.
He thought Perry “battled hard.” However, he said that he thought maybe some of Perry’s struggles had to do with Teurlings Catholic being a quality team.
Offensively, Spiese led the Tigers with a 2-for-2 performance, while Stadalis was 2-for-3; Lorenzo, 1-for-3 with a double; and Perry, 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Thursday’s game was the final one for three Morgan City seniors, Spiese, Perry and Nick Spinella, who Alfred said was injured late in the season and didn’t play Thursday.
“Three guys that just gave their hearts for us,” Alfred said.
Teurlings will advance in the playoffs to face Morgan City’s district foe, No. 19 seed Vandebilt Catholic. Vandebilt Catholic upset No. 14 seed Belle Chasse 7-6 in 10 innings Thursday.