If 2011 is any indication, Vermilion Parish softball would seem to be in a very good place. Four of the six LHSAA member high schools in the parish made the playoffs this year. Three of those teams made it on to the bi-district round.

No matter the team, though, the value of a pitcher is only equatable with the value of a hitter when one or the other keeps the team in the game.

Brittany LeBeouf did both as a junior for the Kaplan Lady Pirates this year. The 2011 all-parish MVP managed a 1.44 ERA while going 13-5 for Kaplan. In 121 innings pitched, Lebeouf gave up only 39 runs on 94 hits, walking 36 to her 128 strikeouts. She had four games with double-digit strikeouts.

LeBeouf said, though, that she wouldn’t characterize herself as a strikeout pitcher, but rather deferred to the Lady Pirate fielders.

“With my defense, they really don’t hit that much,” she said of opposing batters.

“If I wouldn’t have had my team, I couldn’t have done it,” she said.

LeBeouf went 8-1 in-district to make the 5-3A first team.

LeBeouf also batted .467 for the season. In 107 plate appearances, she walked 17 times and drove in 37 runs while striking out just seven times.

LeBeouf has played all three years she has attended Kaplan High School.

She played third base her freshman year, as the pitching circle was occupied by then Kaplan Lady Pirate Laney Hollier, a dominant pitcher.

LeBeouf describes it as trying to attain goals and fulfill expectations.

“I think I did a good job,” said Lebeouf. “I haven’t met all (those) goals, but I’ve helped the team.”

The welfare of the team is a recurrent theme when conversing with the unassuming LeBeouf.

She suggested that Kaplan might be a force in the 2011-12 school year.

“We have all nine starters coming back,” she said, “so I think it’s going to be a good year.

“Everyone’s expecting us to win it because we’re seniors and this is our last year.”

Kaplan finished 9-1 in district play in 2011, putting together a 21-8 season record.

They made it to the second round of the playoffs, one game from the Fast Pitch 56 tournament in Sulphur.

“One game short,” she said, “and I think we’re gonna be hungry. That’ll help us.”

The Kaplan Lady Pirates are playing summer softball together as a team, so expect them to be sharp next year.

Though four parish teams made the playoffs in 2011, one team put a real scare in its opponents in the bi-district round. North Vermilion lost to Avoyelles by only one run, marking the second time in as many years that the Lady Patriots missed the regional round by a single-run score. Consistency being the mark of success, Lady Patriots Head Coach Richard Prejean earned all-parish coach of the year.

All-Parish honors also go out to two pitchers that dominated opposing batters this year.

North Vermilion’s Brittany LeBlanc had the most solid of seasons for the Lady Patriots. The quality of LeBlanc’s pitching was undoubtedly a major part of the Lady Patriot’s success, earning her all-parish recognition.

The junior went 18-10 in the circle, giving up 70 runs in 155 innings pitched. LeBlanc struck out 172 batters with just 63 walks this season, finishing with a 1.17 ERA. Her record of 6-4 in 5-3A earned her first-team all-district recognition.

On offense, LeBlanc went .363 at the plate. at-bats, with 31 RBIs to show for her 29 hits.

LeBlanc signed recently with Pearl River C.C. out of Mississippi.

Vermilion Catholic’s Mia LeBeouf had a fine year in the circle, too. The junior struck out a phenomenal 207 opposing batters in 142 innings, going 11-10 on the season. She walked 50 and gave up 47 runs on 75 hits to earn all-parish honors LeBeouf hit .317 with 11 RBIs.

All-parish catching duties go to North Vermilion junior Randee Vincent.

Vincent batted .495 this season, scoring 35 times on 42 hits. She had six home runs to lead the all-parish team, adding eight doubles and a triple to her long-ball total. Vincent had 39 RBIs.

Stephanie Picard also earned all-parish honors for the Lady Patriots. The graduating senior third baseman, who signed earlier in the year with Baton Rouge C.C., hit .370 with three home runs, a triple and eight doubles. Picard scored 22 runs and knocked in 25.

Continuing around the horn, senior Jenny Bouillion earned all-parish honors at the shortstop position. Bouillion hit .400 on the year. She had 34 hits and 32 RBIs, with 11 doubles, a triple and four homers. She also had an .840 fielding percentage at the tough middle-infield position.

Kaplan’s Mallory Hebert had a great year at second base. The junior hit an impressive .454 in 97 at-bats. She scored 42 runs on 44 hits and drove in 14. Hebert walked 15 times compared to just seven strikeouts.

Hebert had a .527 on-base percentage and slugged .474.

The all-parish first baseman for 2011 is Vermilion Catholic’s Taylor Meaux.

The senior hit .333 on the season for the Lady Eagles with 12 RBIs and was named first team all-district for 7-1A.

Making the all-parish team in a utility capacity is Abbeville Lady Wildcat Lexi Broussard.

Broussard batted over .300 for the season and was a second team all-district selection.

Also making all-parish in a utility role is Kaplan Lady Pirate Katie Ledoux.

Ledoux batted .402 on the year and made second-team all-district.

From North Vermilion, Brittany Connor also earned all-parish recognition in a utility capacity.

Conner batted .298 in 2011, scoring 37 runs.

Rounding out the all-parish utility players is Delcambre sophomore Emily LeBlanc.

LeBlanc had a 2.40 ERA while batting 2.81, making the all-district first team.

Abbeville Lady Wildcat Laney Clostio earned honorable mention for 2011.

Also earning honorable mention is Gueydan senior Tiona Woods and from North Vermilion, junior Miranda Martin.

Delcambre senior Maci Terrebonne also earned honorable mention, as did Kaplan’s junior backstop Shayna LaSalle.