By DAVID FOLSE II
Slidell sports writer
SLIDELL — Win or lose the Lady Jaguars knew that they weren’t playing a home game for the rest of 2014 season.
Sydney Loupe wanted to make sure she sent the fan base home with memories to last a long time. Loupe’s game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning helped #14 Pope John Paul II advance over #19 Doyle 2-1 in the bi-district round of the Class 2A State Playoffs on Monday.
The Lady Jaguars now advance to take on third-seeded Holy Savior Menard, who beat-up on #30 Pine 16-0 in the other side of the Class 2A playoff bracket.
“This was our last home game of the season no matter what,” Loupe said. “I really didn’t want to go 0-4 my last home game. I just swung the bat hard and hoped it went my way. We just came together as a team and just decided that we weren’t ready to be done yet with this season.”
Tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, Peyton Corwin and Brittney Chetta both reached on errors to lead off the inning. After Corwin was retired on a fielder’s choice, Chetta would score two pitches later on Loupe’s single into left field that was just beyond the fingertips of leaping Doyle shortstop Taylin Underwood.
Pope John Paul Head Coach Mark Jeanmard credited his team’s resiliency and will to fight into extra innings as the biggest reason for victory.
“We preached to our kids all season long about keeping their heads in the game because there is always a possibility for anything,” he said. “The last couple of years we have overcome a lot, whether it is a big deficit or losing a big lead, so our squad has been through a lot. I told my team at the start of the game that let’s just make sure we are 1-0 at the end of it. One game at a time.”
Unable to pick up a hit for the first four innings, the Lady Jaguars (16-8) would tie the game at 1-1 on Chloe Cooper’s solo home run. Cooper finished the game as the leading hitter for Pope John Paul, going 2-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
While the Lady Jaguar offense found a way to push across the extra-inning run, right-hander Maddie York shut down Doyle for most of the game, allowing only one run on three hits, striking out 14 and walking five.”
“I wasn’t nervous but I just kept encouraging my offense the entire game and they were doing the same with me,” York said. “When we came out here we were really pumped up and we knew that one run was not going to beat this team.
“I had confidence in my pitches tonight. I had confidence in all of my pitches tonight and they were working well.”
Loupe said she couldn’t be happier for her teammate in the circle.
“Maddie has been giving us heart attacks all season,” Loupe said. “But to her credit she battled throughout the entire game and did what she was suppose to do for us to come away with the victory. She is a good pitcher that is only going to get better and better.”
PJP will play its next postseason game on Saturday at 5 p.m. at No. 3 Menard.