MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 25, 2000

METAIRIE – Riverside went a little extra to tie Newman for the District 9- 2A lead Tuesday night at the JPRD Softball Diamond.

Nicole Lambert’s two-run double in the top of the ninth sent the Lady Rebels on their way to a 7-4 victory over the Greenies and set up a tie atop the district standings.

Riverside improved to 9-4 overall and 4-1 in District 9-2A. Newman,which had defeated Riverside in Reserve in February, fell to 4-1 in district play.

With the game tied at 4, Jennifer Guidry led off the top of the ninth by lining a single into left field. Heidi Richard then dropped a single intoshallow right field, putting runners at first and second with none out.

Lambert followed by taking a 0-1 pitch from Newman’s Stephanie Canto and lining it over Laura Folse’s head in left-center field. Guidry andRichard scored with Lambert going to third as shortstop Heather Carbajal threw high to the plate.

One out later, Vanessa Taromina lined a bunt between the mound and first and beat out Canto’s throw as Lambert scored, giving the Lady Rebels a 7- 4 lead.

Summer Delaneuville retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to get the victory.

Delaneuville pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning. Folse led off the inning with a double inside the rightfield line and was sacrificed to third by Jessica Neveu. Jennifer Levinethen beat out a bunt in front of the plate as catch Ashley Leblanc held Folse at third. Maria Laurato was then intentionally walked to load thebases.

Delaneuville got Tiffany Jones to pop up to third baseman Amie Graugnard for the second out. Katherine Kate followed with a liner up the middle thatglanced off Delaneuville’s glove toward Lambert at second. Lambertflipped the ball to Richard covering second, just getting Laurato for the third out.

Delaneuville improved to 8-3 with the victory, giving up four unearned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 10.

“We knew she could do it,” Riverside coach Matt White said of Delaneuville getting out of the jam in the seventh. “She’s pitched in somebig games before and we knew she would come through with flying colors.

“I told the players, you have to play in a game like this to get to the big one and you have to win one like this. Nicole came through with the big hitand we made the plays at the end. It was an all-around great team effort.”Riverside jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Graugnard andGuidry each beat out bunts in front of the plate to lead off the inning.

After Richard lined hard to first, Lambert walked to load the bases. BrandiFalgoust followed by lining a double into the left field corner, clearing the bases and putting the Lady Rebels ahead, 3-0.

Newman chipped into the deficit in the bottom half of the inning. EmilyDupuis walked to lead off the inning was sacrificed to second by Carbajal.

Canto then beat out a bunt to the mound, sending Dupuis to third. AfterCanto moved to second on a wild pitch, Folse hit a chopper to Richard who threw home to get Dupuis for the second out Neveu followed with grounder to short. Richard’s throw was in the dirtwith Falgoust going down to scoop it up. Neveu was called out but wasruled safe by the home plate umpire. After an argument by White, Neveuwas again called out but the call was again reversed, allowing Canto’s run to stand. Levine then dropped a single into shallow right, scoring Folse tobring the Greenies to within 3-2.

Riverside got a run back in the top of the fourth was Kelly Louque lined a single to left to open the inning. Louque went to second on a bunt by CassieSt. Amant and scored as Graugnard lined a single to right, giving the LadyRebels a 4-2 lead. Graugnard advanced to third as the ball skipped pastNeveu into the corner but was left stranded as Canto retired Guidry and Richard.

Newman tied the game in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Canto lineda single to center and Folse beat out a bunt in front of the plate. Neveufollowed with a bunt back to the mound. Delaneuville fielded the ball butthrew past first, allowing Canto to score and sending Neveu and Folse to second and third, respectively. Richard then bobbled Levine’s grounder,allowing Folse to score to tie the score at 4.

Laurato followed with a grounder to Graugnard who trapped Neveu off third. Graugnard flipped the ball to Leblanc who put the tag on Neveusliding in for the second out. Delaneuville then got Jones to ground out toLambert to end the inning.

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