By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur
LAPLACE – Entering last summer, a Hahnville High School-based American Legion team had never advanced to compete at the state tournament.
Since then, they’ve done it twice.
Hahnville-based Otto Candies defeated the John Curtis-based River Ridge Patriots Monday at Delgado’s Kirsch-Rooney Stadium, 6-3, to net their second victory of the Southeast Regional, officially clinching a top four spot and with it a berth in the state tournament.
Lefthander Brooks Vial pitched eight strong innings to earn the win for Otto Candies, allowing three runs on just three hits while striking out eight.
“We definitely have a chance (to make a run at state),” said Vial. “We put up 12 hits today. When we swing the bat like that, we’ve got a great chance to beat anyone.
“Our pitching staff and defense have been strong, so we feel like we can hold teams to 2-3 runs. If we’re swinging the bats like this, it’s a great sign.”
Otto Candies (23-8) will compete at the state championship tournament July 27-31 in Sulphur.
It defeated the Hammond-based Toros Sunday for the team’s first win, 10-0. Todd Porche picked up the win on the mound for Otto Candies. Otto Candies fell in its regional opener to Shaw-based Refuel, 3-2.
Monday’s loss eliminated the Patriots from the Southeast Regional.
Otto Candies finished as the state runner-up last season.
“This is a seasoned club,” said Otto Candies coach David Baudry. “I think over the next two weeks, with the experience we’ve got on our team … We’ve got guys who know what it takes to make a deep run. I think we’ll prepare accordingly.”
After falling behind 5-0, the Patriots started to make a push in the eighth inning, scoring two runs on RBIs by A.J. Huff and Myles Washington.
Otto Candies answered with a run in the ninth, when Vial scored on an error after reaching on a leadoff walk.
The Patriots scored one more run in the bottom half of the ninth, but Tyler Simmons relieved Mark Abate to record the final out and earn the save.
Otto Candies struck first in the second inning when Dylan Keller drew a bases loaded walk to force home a run.
Otto Candies made it 2-0 in the fourth after Matt Fontenot scored on a throwing error on the back of a Vial single.
Simmons’ RBI single in the sixth made it 3-0, and Cody Farrell delivered the day’s biggest hit, doubling down the third base line to score a pair of Otto Candies runners.
Curtis’ Cody Hamrick took the loss. He went 7.2 innings, allowing five runs, two earned.
Until Farrell’s double, Otto Candies struggled to convert scoring opportunities in the game, something Baudry said needs to improve.
“Sometimes, with Brooks on the mound, we tend to score a couple of runs and then relax. We can’t do that, it puts too much pressure on him,” said Baudry.
“He is a big game pitcher, though. He’s done it for us over and over.
Vial said that he relished the opportunity to pitch his team into state in a win or go home scenario.
“I love pressure situations,” said Vial. “I’ve pitched in a lot of big games dating back to prep season. When they called my name, I was ready to go.”