No Time for a Break

By Jim Gazzolo

James Landreneau is supposed to be on vacation.

The McNeese head softball coach planned to spend this week in Costa Rica, relaxing on the beach before returning to the grind of his full-time job leading the Cowgirls. 

That, however, will have to wait.

The little summer gig he took to coach baseball and his son isn’t over. There is more left for his Gumbeaux Gators.

Landreneau’s summer baseball team will play for the Texas Collegiate one year after the team won just nine games. Their opponent and site for a winner-take-all, one-game showdown Saturday night will be determined Thursday night. 

The Brazos Valley Bombers will play the Victoria Generals for the right to take on Lake Charles. If the Bombers win, the Gators will host the title game at Joe Miller Ballpark.

“It would be great to be at home for our fans,” said Landreneau. “They have been great for us and deserve the chance to watch us.”

The Gators punched their ticket to the title series with a 3-1 victory over the Acadiana Cane Cutters Wednesday night in Lafayette. Lake Charles won the first game 2-1 at home Tuesday, sweeping the series behind two solid pitching performances.

“The kids just kept working hard and kept getting better,” said Landreneau. “We are playing really well right now. We are pitching very good and that has been a key. The kids have bought in and are having fun.”

Diego Corrales, a left-handed pitcher at McNeese who was a prep star at Barbe High, led a trio of Gator pitchers Wednesday. He threw seven scoreless innings for the victory.

Hunter Degeyter got the last five outs to earn the save, as the Cane Cutters managed just three hits. The Lake Charles offense was just two hits, with all three runs scoring in the fourth inning. 

Gabe Guidry drove in two runs, while Yuichiro Kumagami produced the other as the Gators used a big second half of the season to lift them to the title series. 

Landreneau said he has enjoyed the summer, which has flown by. Next week he has to travel to Dallas for a Southland Conference softball coaches meeting, so the vacation is on hold.

“We will have to go another time, but it is fun winning no matter what you do,” Landreneau said.

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers sports in Southwest Louisiana. He is also the host of Poke Nation, which airs weekly on CBS-Lake Charles.