Dillion Henneman’s grand slam highlighted a five-run first inning, propelling New Iberia Senior High to a 9-4 win over District 7-5A and crosstown rival Westgate Tuesday evening at the Yellow Jackets’ baseball diamond.

The win keeps the Jackets in the hunt for a Class 5A playoff bid with six games remaining in the regular season. NISH coach Robby Norris said his team was 32nd in the most recent unofficial power rankings, but can improve upon that and clinch a playoff berth by winning out.

At 6-2 in district, a shot at the district title is still a possibility since 7-5A leader Central Lafourche (7-0 in league) has district games remaining with Terrebonne, Westgate and South Lafourche before meeting New Iberia in the district finale.

For the Yellow Jackets to have a chance to get there, though, they had to bounce back from consecutive district losses to Central Lafourche and Thibodaux. They did it by jumping on Westgate with two outs in the first inning of Tuesday’s game.

After WHS starting pitcher Kaleb Segura got two quick outs, he issued consecutive walks, then gave up an RBI double to Jacob Polk, then hit Trace Oliva with a pitch to load the bases.

Henneman then belted a 2-1 pitch over the left-center field fence just to the left of the 365-foot sign at the edge of the center field wall for a grand slam that pushed New Iberia’s lead to 5-0.

The teams played even the rest of the way, each scoring four runs.

“Kaleb did a great job between the second and fifth innings to give us a chance to win,” said WHS coach Jamar Lewis. “The first inning he did well to start … then he got a little excited and walked two guys. I talked to him about calming himself down.”

Lewis said Segura told him he knew he needed to try to stay in control, but his adrenaline was pumping.

“Rivalry games do those things to you,” said Lewis. “Especially with a crosstown team, when you know those guys so well.”

Westgate chipped away at New Iberia’s lead with single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings but couldn’t get a game-breaking hit despite putting runners on base regularly. The Tigers (2-20, 1-7) stranded two runners in the second and fourth innings and left runners on base in every inning except the 1-2-3 first. WHS left runners in scoring position in five of seven innings.

“By my count, we had 11 guys left on base,” said Lewis. “We had 11 total strikeouts. Of those, six were with runners in scoring position with less than two outs. We have to be able to put the ball in play in that situation.”

All that being said, he added that Westgate still would’ve been in the game if not for the big first inning. Chipping away with RBI ground outs by Dusty Myers in the third inning and Brayton Galentine in the fourth and sixth cut New Iberia’s lead to 6-3. 

But NISH (14-11 overall) put the game away with three runs in the botton of the sixth. Trace Oliva walked with one out and Henneman singled to put two runners on. Brody Boudoin singled up the middle to drive in one run, and with two out, Zack Robicheaux beat the throw to first on a slow roller to second base to drive in one run. Boudoin alertly raced home on the throw for the extra run and a 9-3 lead.

“That was a big run,” said Norris. “We had a two-out hit and then hustled down the line to beat the throw. I like the hustle by both those guys (Robicheaux and Boudoin).”

Henneman finished 3-for-3 with the home run, four RBIs and two runs scored. Polk went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run. Robicheaux, Boudoin and Treavor Haycock had the Jackets’ other three hits, with Haycock doubling and scoring a run and Robicheaux and Boudoin each driving in runs.

Galentine had a single, two RBIs and a run for the Tigers. 

Segura had a hit, an RBI and a run, and Aaron Bird had Westgate’s only other hit. Myers also drove in a run.

Nick Scully was the winning pitcher, throwing two innings in relief and allowing one unearned run on three hits with a wakl and four strikeouts. Henneman started and allowed one run on one hit with three strikeouts in three innings. Polk struck out two and allowed an unearned run in one inning and Robicheaux allowed one run and struck out two in an inning.

Segura pitched a complete game, allowing nine runs on nine hits with six walks and four strikeouts.

Westgate play at South Lafourche on Saturday. NISH has picked up a non-district game against Assembly Christian on Friday before playing host to HLB on Saturday.