Satchell tosses two-hit shutout at Bulldogs

CROWLEY – Nick Satchell finally got in the groove.
And for the Iota Bulldogs, that was bad news.
Satchell, who had struggled in three previous starts, was in full command Monday, stifling the visiting Dogs on just two hits while not surrendering a single walk as the Millers climbed above .500 with a 6-0 victory.
It was Satchell’s first victory of the summer.
“Satch was amazing tonight,” said Millers’ coach Corde McCall, whose team climbed to 4-3. “It was great to see that out of him; he struggled so much with getting ahead of batters and tonight, it seemed like he was always in good counts and he was always making good pitches early. He was just phenomenal.”
Satchell allowed just three base runners the entire night.
Emmett Bobbett was one of those to reach base (on an error to start the third inning) before Satchell recorded back-to-back strikeouts. Trae Rambin then doubled, but both runners were left stranded when Tristan Miller grounded out to second base to end the inning.
Satchell sat the Dogs down in order in the next two innings before giving up a leadoff single to Alex Pousson in the sixth inning. Satchell then erased the potential threat when he picked off Pousson at first base. He then logged a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning.
“Satch just had command of all three pitches and he threw them all for strikes,” said McCall of Satchell. “He was spotting up on corners and it was just phenomenal.”
The Millers gave Satchell more than enough run support in the third inning when they pushed across three runs on three hits and a walk.
Claiton Johnson started the inning when he reached base on an infield single. Austin Duhon then drew a walk before Johnson stole third base and scored when the throw from the catcher sailed into left field. Duhon scored on a groundout by Dillan Gilbert and Jacques Thibodeaux, who singled, scored on a wild pitch.
A pair of Iota errors allowed the Millers to push their lead to 5-0 an inning later.
Collin Latiolais walked to start the inning and Kaleb Istre reached base on an infield single. Both runners scored on back-to-back throwing errors.
Latiolais drove home the final run of the game in the fifth inning when his fly ball to left field was misplayed, allowing Sam Veillon, who had singled, to score from third base.
In all, the Millers had just six hits on the night - all singles - with Johnson, Thibodeaux, Gilbert, Veillon, Istre and Grant Abshire all contributing.
“We didn’t really have that many hits tonight, but the hits we did have were timely,” said McCall. “A lot of our outs were productive though. We were moving runners over with ground balls to the right side, doing the little things at the plate that you have to do if you want to be good at this game.
“We just really played a complete game tonight and that was good to see this late in the season.”
The Millers traveled to Youngsville last night to take on the Delhomme Drillers but results of that contest were not available at press time.
The Millers return to action on Thursday when they play host to the Abbeville Eagles at 6 p.m. before closing out the regular season on Friday with a home contest against Delhomme.