Louisiana Knights 18s finish second season with 39-13 mark

The Louisiana Knights 18s an elite travel baseball team founded by Jack Cressend wrapped up its second summer season with an impressive 39-13 record after going 36-10 in its first year. Last Tuesday, the Knights 18s lost a close one to the New Orleans Spice, 2-1, in a game played at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Spice starter Steven Barnes and reliever Zach Kelt combined to toss a no-hitter despite giving up 10 walks between them. Barnes went four innings to post the victory, getting an excellent closing effort from Kelt.

Knights 18s’ assistant coach Rowland Skinner said it was an emotional game because it was the final game for former Knights’ founder and head coach Jack Cressend, who has accepted a position with Tulane University as an assistant coach.

“It was definitely an emotional game for our players,” Skinner said. “You have to give their pitchers (Barnes and Kelt) credit. They came out and shut us down. We had our chances with base runners that reached on walks, but we just couldn’t get anything going. The Spice came up with a couple of clutch hits when they needed to,” Skinner added.

Skinner said both sides’ pitchers did an outstanding job. Knights’ starter Matty Ott (5-2, 2.86 earned run average) went five innings suffering the loss. He allowed two earned runs on just four hits, striking out six and walking one. Ryan Eades pitched two innings of hitless and scoreless relief, retiring the six batters he faced. Scott Fabre was credited with the Knights’ only RBI, while Lyle Lapeyrouse scored the lone run.

Last Thursday, the Knights 18s bounced back with a 7-0 victory over the Louisiana Elite Blue at SLU in a tournament that shortened by rain with two games being cancelled. Eades (4-1), the Knights’ starter, went five scoreless innings allowing two hits lowering his ERA to 1.50. Eades, who recorded six strikeouts with three walks, said he concentrates on relaxing when he’s on the hill.

“I just went out there and was relaxed, knowing that I have a good defense behind me. I felt good on the mound. I relied on my fastball, but was able to keep the hitters off balance by mixing up my pitches,” Eades said.

“We have a lot of talented players with a good pitching staff.”

Skinner, who coached the Knights to victory, said Eades turned in a dominant performance.

“Ryan threw a strong game. He located his fastball, and had control of his off speed pitches.”

Eades combined with reliever Cory Thomas for the shutout. Thomas, the Knights’ saves leader with eight, lowered his ERA to 1.53. He retired the three batters he faced, striking out two of them. Bryan Picou went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and scored a run. Lapeyrouse went 2-for-2 including a triple and scored twice. Shortstop Garrett Cannizaro, the Knights’ second leading hitter with a .374 average, had a double with a run batted in. He tops the Knights with 42 RBIs. Troy Patterson added a hit and was credited with an RBI. Ross Barbier, Chad Livingston and Torin Lucas scored one run each. Barbier was second on the club with 38 runs scored behind Cannizaro who had scored 42 times. On Friday, the Knights fell to the Gulf Coast Stars, 5-1, as the Knights were limited to just five hits in a game played at SLU. Barbier went 1-for-3 with the team’s only run batted in. Lucas delivered a double and scored the Knights’ run. Fabre (.330), Livingston (.336) and Sam Scheibal (.277) contributed singles.