Bengal catchers key to LSUE success

By Tom Dodge
Sports Editor
There is a long line of successful catchers who left their mark on the Bengal baseball program.
“Jordan Romero, Stuart Turner and Jacob Fisher as well as others were great catchers for us,” LSU Eunice head coach Jeff Willis said. “They all helped make our program successful.”
Romero was a 2015 NJCAA Division II Gold Glove winner and is now at LSU.
Turner was the National Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 as well as a Gold Glove winner and Academic All-American.
The Eunice High product won the Johnny Bench Award as the nation’s top catcher while at Ole Miss and is presently in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Fisher was the NJCAA Division II Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and Gold Gove winner.
Fisher then went on to play at Southeastern Louisiana and is now an assistant coach at Zachary High.
Hunter Feduccia could be the next successful catcher for the Bengals, according to Willis.
“He played for a state championship at Barbe High School and played at a very, very high level,” Willis said. “He had a tremendous fall for us both hitting the ball and catching.
“He has big shoes to fill as he follows a long line of successful catchers.
“But he has the ability that we don’t lose a step back there,” the coach said. “It may take time for him to adjust to the speed of the college game.”
Willis said he expects the catcher to be the quaterback on the field as well as an assistant coach.
“The catcher position is the X factor on the field,” Willis said. “If youd do not have a front-line, top-notch, talented and vocal leader back there you team does not succeed.”
The catcher can help change the course of an at-bat or an inning.
“There are times where his going to call a timeout and either pat the guy on the back or kick him in the rear, whatever it may be to movtivate the pitcher.”
Nick Schexnaider (West Monroe) could also see action behind the plate as well as third baseman Nick Coomes.
“Nick comes from a baseball family as he dad Jeff was coach at ULM,” Willis said. “So he is like another coach on the field because of what he has learned.”
Cy Bryson (Port Barre) and Cameron Lanclos (Loreauville) are the other catchers on the roster this season.
All the catchers play a vital role in the program, Willis said.
“The bull pen catcher is just as important as our starting shortstop or our number one Friday night starting pitcher,” he commented.
“We have to have numbers to be able the hanlde the number of pitches thrown in the bull pen,” the coach said. “There will be guys who are role players and handle those duties.
“There is no bigger sacrifice on the team than being the bull pen catcher,” the coach said. “He is a we type of guy not a me type of guy.”