MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 25, 2000

BOUTTE – Hahnville stranded nine runners through the first six innings of its District 7-5A opener against East St. John Thursday afternoon.But the Hahnville bats came through when it counted the most, with the score tied at 5 in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Pinch runner Ryan Burke scored on Roydell Williams’ throwing error on a bunt by Matt Caire with none out, giving the Tigers a 6-5 victory. The winimproved Hahnville to 9-4 overall and 1-0 in district play. East St. Johnfell to 4-11 overall and 0-1 in district.

Erik Donnaud, who had come in to retire the final two batters in the top of the seventh, was credited with the win to even his record to 2-2 on the season. Williams fell to 1-2.Mike Picard led off the bottom of the seventh with a single up the middle.

Brandon Kelly then slapped a two-strike single between third and short, sending Picard to second. After Burke came in to run for Picard, Cairebunted back to Williams. Williams looked to third for the force, saw noone covering, and whirled back around to throw to first. His throw sailedhigh, glancing off Darwin Pittman’s glove toward the Hahnville dugout as Burke came in with the winning run.

“Any time you can start 1-0 in district, that’s what you strive for,” Hahnville coach Mark Sims said. “When you put the ball in play, you putpressure on them and things will happen. We stranded too many guys outthere. You can’t do that. When you can bust it open, you have to bust itopen. But my hat’s off to East St. John. They made some big pitches whenthey had needed it.”East St. John had rallied from a 5-2 deficit with three runs in the top ofthe inning. With one out, Williams lined a double down the left field lineoff Picard, who had come in to relieve starter Brian Risinger. Tie Reesefollowed with a single to left, bringing in Williams to make it 5-3.

Pittman, who had earlier experienced back pain, then took Picard’s first pitch over the left field wall, tying the game at 5. Donnaud came in and gotMervin Williams to ground back to the mound and struck out Louis Gardner to end the inning.

East St. John got on the board first in the top of the first inning. With oneout, Roydell Williams reached on a bobble by shortstop Jeff Williams and stole second. Reese followed with a double off the left field fence, givingthe Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Hahnville answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. KadeRogers led off by getting hit by Gardner’s first pitch. Jeff Williamsfollowed with a single to left. One out later, Chris Hawkins singled toright as Randy Sutherland lost his fly ball in the sun. With two outs,Picard slapped a single to center. Rogers and Williams scored with Burke,running for Hawkins, also coming in as Reese’s throw to third sailed past the bag, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead.

Hahnville increased the lead to 4-1 in the second. Risinger got hit by apitch to lead off the inning. Williams singled to center and Donnaud washit by a pitch to load the bases. Hawkins followed with a deep fly to left-center, bringing in courtesy runner Ron Johnson.

East St. John pulled to within two in the third. Mason led off with a walk,stole second and third and scored as Pittman slapped a single to left, making it 4-2.

Hahnville got the run back in the fourth. Williams was hit by a pitch tolead off the frame and went to third on Donnaud’s double to left. RoderickMarshall came in to pitch and retired Hawkins on a grounder back to the mound. Tim Sirmon then reached on a throwing error by Gardner at third asWilliams scored, making it 5-2 after four.

“Compared to what we have been doing, I like this,” East St. John coachNick Mitchell said. “This was baseball. The guys showed me they are readyto fight and that’s what you need, especially in this district. I told themit’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. That’s the motto we have beentrying to preach to them. They started off slow last year and made thetournament. These guys have won and they want to go back there.”

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