Mouton powers Gents past LaGrange

LAKE CHARLES – Jon Riley Mouton has had his ups and downs at the plate this spring.
Wednesday was one of those up days for the Crowley High junior.
Mouton logged the first home run of his high school career on a day that saw him go 3-for-3 with three RBI in the Gents’ 6-2 victory over the LaGrange Gators.
“I was just trying to square the ball up and go with the pitch,” said Mouton, who also had a double and a single. “It was pretty awesome to hit my first home run. I knew it off the bat, it felt pretty good.”
Mouton doubled and drove in a run in the first inning, singled in the second and his home run was a line drive over the left field wall in the fourth. He drew a walk in his final at-bat, leaving him a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
“I didn’t even think about it,” said Mouton of needing a triple in his final at-bat for the cycle. “I was just trying not to do too much and get over anxious. If I would have realized that, I probably would have swung at one of those outside pitches and tried to take it to right field.”
Mouton’s performance was just one of many highlights on a historical day that resulted in the Gents first unbeaten season in district play in recent memory.
“I’m just very proud of these guys,” said CHS coach Christian Doughty, whose team went 12-0 in District 4-4A play. “It’s been a great season. Our winning percentage is outstanding and winning a district that is probably going to get five teams in the playoffs makes me so proud.”
The key for the Gents Wednesday was clutch hitting throughout the lineup.
The top half of the order did most of the damage with batters 1-4 collecting seven of the Gents’ 11 hits while the bottom had the other four.
“Against Eunice, we had two or three guys in the bottom half really step up and get some key hits and I think it carried over to tonight,” said Doughty. “The only way we will be able to win a big playoff game is if we have hitting throughout the lineup.
“Last year we depended solely on about three guys and it cost us in the end. This year, we’ve got a lot of guys swinging a hot bat.”
Haden Erbe was one of those hot hitters. He also had three hits against the Gators and drove in one run.
Erbe also dominated on the mound, where he scattered four hits and struck out 10 in 5 2/3 innings.
Bubba Daigle took over for Erbe and gave up one hit while striking out two in the final 1 1/3 innings.
Daigle also had a single and an RBI, Alex Ashby added a double and Andre Larry, Zack Breaux and Will Doughty each had a single.