Millers slip past Indians in season opener

CROWLEY – With constant light rain falling and making field conditions less than desirable, it was inevitable that the Crowley Millers and Opelousas Indians would have problems on defense in their American Legion season opener Tuesday at Miller Stadium.
Fortunately for the Millers, they had less than the Indians, helping them slip away with a 10-8 victory.
“The field conditions weren’t great tonight and I think that showed by the number of errors that were committed. But both teams had to play in it,” said Millers’ first-year coach Cord McCall.
“We just showed a lot of fight tonight, from the first pitch to the last and that’s all you can ask for.”
That fight was evident early after the Millers fell behind 5-0 after the first two innings, a time in which they walked four batters and committed two errors.
Indians’ hurler Chris Arroyo had sent the Millers down in order in the first two frames, but the locals finally delivered in the third inning when they touched him up for four hits and five runs to tie the game at 5-5.
“Opelousas really had a lot of momentum going after the first two innings, but I think seeing that guy (Arroyo) for the second time really helped us,” said McCall. “We have some really experienced players and they knew that they had to take a really good approach at the plate and they did; they came through with some key hits, put some runs up on the board and really got us back in the game.”
Sam Veillon got the Millers going in the third inning with a one-out single that was followed by a walk to Jacques Wimberly. The Indians aided in the Millers’ rally one batter later when Kyle Habetz reached base on an error that allowed a run to score.
Luke Ancelet followed with a two-run single and Jacob Mooney plated another run with an RBI double. Collin Latiolais then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Mackay Mouton, who had singled.
The Millers took their first lead of the game two innings later courtesy of three errors by the Indians. Ancelet started things off with an infield single and Mouton reached base on an error. Ancelet scored on a grounder to shortstop by Mooney and Mouton crossed the plate on the play as well when the throw to first base to get Mooney was overthrown.
The Indians regained the lead in the top of the sixth with three runs on two hits and three walks.
The Millers, however, answered right back.
A bases-loaded walk to Mooney tied the game at 8-8 before a two-out error allowed Ancelet and Mouton to cross the plate for the final two runs.
Michael Thevis took the mound in the top of the seventh and earned the save despite giving up two walks. He got out of the potential jam with a strikeout to end the game.
“These guys just battled and they came through in some big spots,” said McCall. “We were able to take advantage of some of their mistakes and that was evident there in the final two innings.”
Ancelet and Mooney each had two hits on the night while Habetz, Mouton and Veillon each had one.
Cy Bryson logged two hits for the Indians and Arroyo, Andy LeFleur, T.J. Venable and Zack Hebert each had one.
Habetz picked up the victory on the mound for the Millers after giving up three runs on two hits in two innings. He walked six and struck out four.