Cajun Sting head coach Bert Miguez is probably not psychic and probably doesn’t plan to go gambling anytime soon, but you have to admire a coach who, in effect, called his shot and had it pay off.

About three weeks ago, after a particularly disappointing 4-2 loss to the Holiday Sporting Goods Cajuns in which the Sting did everything right but win the game, Miguez said that his team could do well at the state tournament, if they could just get the chance.

“I think that we just have to sit back and wait, maybe they will take two teams, or unless somebody can’t make the tournament, we’re not going to be in,” said Miguez, lamenting the fact that the Sting would probably miss out on defending its state championship because of a second-place district finish. “But I know that if we could make the tournament, we’d make some noise.”

Advertisement

It’s not like that hasn’t been said before. A coach disappointed in the season but who knows that his team is good enough to win a state title, all it needs is a chance.

Early last week, fate smiled on the Cajun Sting, when American Legion commander A.J. Jones called Miguez and said that a team from Lafayette had pulled out of the state tournament and the Sting could take their place.

Now all Miguez had to do was find his players, who were off on vacations and other summer things that kids like to do.

“A.J. Jones called me Monday night with the news. We had a couple of kids in Florida (on vacation) but they are expected in Wednesday night. The team is excited about going to state,” said Miguez at the time. “I had a good feeling that we would get the call,” said Miguez. “But I didn’t get the chance to practice as much as I wanted to, but I don’t think that we are going to be the only ones in that boat.”

No problem. Just don’t practice, call your players back at the last minute and go play baseball against some of the top teams in the state, including your district rival Blue Stream �” which has beaten you four times this year.

None of that deterred the Cajun Sting skipper.

“I knew that all we needed was a chance,” said Miguez.

On Thursday, the first day of the tournament, Cajun Sting beat Cleco 5-4. That was followed by a 7-4 win over Plaquemine on Friday, setting up another game with Blue Stream in the winner’s bracket final on Saturday.

No problem, just beat your rivals that you hadn’t beaten all year, 4-3.

Even a 12-10 loss to the Lake Charles Jaxx on Sunday didn’t hurt the team because as winner’s bracket champion Sting’s appearance in the final round was guaranteed.

Then to repeat as champions on Monday just beat Blue Stream again knowing they want you after Saturday’s loss.

And they did, 3-2, in the last at-bat.

“I just knew that we could make some noise out here,” said Miguez.

Make your noise coach, you’ve earned it.

NEAL MCCLELLAND is assistant sports editor for The Daily Iberian.