By ROBERT L. LEE

DESTREHAN – After his tenth game and sixth win with the Fighting Wildcats, Destrehan’s new baseball coach Marty Luquet said he was confident about the team’s standing, as well as their future.

“I feel real good about where we are. We have been playing good defense and have good pitching,” he continued. “If we keep playing consistent, the future looks really good.”

Although this marks his first year as the baseball team’s head coach, Luquet has been a community figure for the past few years as the assistant recreation director for St. Charles Parish.

“I’ve watched these players grow up and I’ve been involved with Destrehan High for the past three years as a parent,” explained Luquet. The name alone has already become prominent across the Fighting Wildcats’ campus, although not because of his professional career, but thanks to his son Daniel’s performance as a quarterback and first baseman. The Fighting Wildcats finished their previous season with a solid second spot in the district to Hahnville and were knocked out in the beginning of the playoffs. Luquet said he expects another solid performance from the team this year and points to quality senior leadership as a healthy starting point.

“We’re coming along well,” Luquet added. “We haven’t had that flat game, our four losses were all close games to good teams.”

Another good team and another mark in the win column came after Wednesday’s pummeling of the 8-1 West Jefferson Buccaneers. A four-point drive in the first inning and another in the sixth, sealed Destrehan’s home win with a shut-out 10-0 final score over the Buccaneers in only six innings. The Buccaneer’s pitcher had trouble adjusting to the mound throughout the first four innings, which benefitted the Fighting Wildcats score by the way of high pitches and walks.

“They kind of helped us with the 4-0 run,” said Destrehan’s coach Marty Luquet. “We were able to turn their mistakes into four points.”

The Buccaneers were able to place one runner on first base, when Destrehan’s Josh Bordelon allowed one walk in the top of the first inning after striking out the first batter and the second batter’s hit was caught out in right field. The fourth batter hit a pitch to center field, which was caught for the third out. Destrehan took to the plate and to first and second bases thanks to two walks. Larry Matherne drove a hit past second base which was good for a single and sent Daniel Vitrano in for the first of the Fighting Wildcats’ points.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Destrehan’s Rustin Rebowe drove the ball to deep left, easily emptying the bases and landing him at second. Rebowe was stranded at second when the last out of the inning came, but Fighting Wildcats had amassed a 4-0 lead first inning lead.

“West Jeff’s pitcher was 4-0 and 8-1,” said Luquet. “But we did some things against him that were pretty big.”

The Buccaneers eventually threatened to score, after working a runner around to third base on a series of sacrifice hits. However, the final sacrifice landed in a Destrehan glove before the runner could reach home plate.

Scoring resumed in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Luquet hit a home run with a runner on second. One inning later, with the bases loaded and no outs, a pitch flew past the West Jefferson Catcher, giving Fred Smith the green light to steal home.

With the 7-0 lead, Matherne stepped back up to the plate and hit the ball over the right field fence for three runs and the game ending 10-0 lead.