John Touchet, North Vermilion cool off Ascension Episcopal for impressive home win – The Advocate

LEROY John Touchet allowed only three hits over 6 innings to pace North Vermilion to a 6-1 win over visiting Ascension Episcopal in a nondistrict baseball matchup Saturday.

"John came out and had a great game," North Vermilion coach Jeremy Trahan said. "It was probably the best we've seen him all year.

"He started off a little slow early and walked the first two guys, but then he settled right in and really had some good stuff."

In the top of the first, after Touchet walked Blaise Blancher and Austin Mills, the junior left-hander struck out the next five Blue Gators.

"I was impressed," Trahan said. "John stays pretty focused. People tend to have trouble hitting him. I thought he located his pitches well.

"His change-up was working pretty good at times. He threw some pretty good off-speed pitches in key counts. He just pounded the zone after the first inning, which really helped us."

Touchet (7-0) held the Blue Gators hitless until Barrett Hebert's infield single to lead off the fourth inning.

"I was taking it one pitch at a time, letting my defense work, and success came," said Touchet, who recorded nine strikeouts. "I've struggled in the past at the beginning of some games, but after I settle in, I feel pretty good."

The Patriots (23-4), who scored three runs in the first, were led at the plate by Camden Breaux (1-3, two runs scored), Tyson LeBlanc (two RBIs), Brandt Fontenot (1-3, RBI), Jordan Blanchard (1-3, RBI) and John Carter (1-2, double, two runs scored).

LeBlanc had two sacrifice flies and Touchet added another.

"One-through-nine usually swing the bats well for us," Trahan said. "We have 11-to-12 guys who we mix into the lineup at any time. Our nine-hole guy, John Carter, is one of our seniors. He's a great leader. He probably hasn't gotten but 20 at-bats during the season, but he's always a team-first guy.

"He's one of our pitchers. His arm's been bothering him. Today, we gave him a start, and he made the most of his opportunities. He had two runs at the bottom of the lineup for us. That's what happens when you do things the right way. When you're more concerned about your team having success than you, good things happen when you do things that way."

The Patriots face Eunice in District 4-4A games Tuesday and Thursday before closing the regular season with several playoff tune-up games.

"We have to beat Eunice twice to be co-district champs with Rayne, who beat us a few weeks ago," Trahan said. "We beat Rayne the second time. We go to Eunice Tuesday and will try to take business there. We're playing pretty good baseball right now.

"I thought we played a complete game today. We did a very good job of getting runs in key situations. We didn't blow any innings open, but we scratched some runs against a good team, which really helped us. I'm definitely pleased with this win."

Trahan's team, which came into Saturday's game ranked fourth in 4A, can make a move in the LHSAA power ratings.

"It's a good power-point win, because Ascension has 22 wins," he said. "We'll get over 40 points for this win."

Blue Gators (22-4) starting pitcher Cole Simon went three innings and allowed two hits and three unearned runs with four strikeouts before Peyton Woodring and Hayden Cormier finished the game.

The three Ascension Episcopal pitchers allowed a total of four hits with one earned run, but the group walked six and fell victim to five errors.

Logan Overton and Andrew Lee, who had a double, added hits for the Blue Gators.

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John Touchet, North Vermilion cool off Ascension Episcopal for impressive home win - The Advocate