MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / August 2, 2000

BOUTTE – When former Hahnville High School pitcher Brian Risinger watched his younger brother Adam play for the St. Charles Parish Recreation 10-year-olds team this summer, he remembered his own days playing recreational ball.

Risinger has come a long way from those recreational league days, having won a Colt League World Series as a member of the East St. James All-Starsand playing in the Class 5A state tournament with Hahnville. And earlier thismonth, Risinger took his game to another level, signing with Bossier Parish Community College.

Risinger had considered Nicholls State, Southeastern Louisiana and Meridian Junior College. Georgia came in for a look when Hahnville played in the NewOrleans Zephyrs Tournament this season. But Bossier offered a fullscholarship and Risinger looked at the success the program has had recently.

“The coach impressed me a lot,” Risinger said. “He let me know right offthat I would have as good a chance to start as anybody. The team is usually aTop 25 program and nearly made the Junior College World Series last year.”Risinger has had quite a year in 2000. He was named to both the LouisianaSports Writers Association’s Class 5A all-state honorable mention team and the all-District 7-5A team after going 9-2 with a 2.15 earned run averageand 79 strikeouts. Risinger credited his teammates, especially his defense,for the success.

“I had a real good defense behind me and that gave me confidence,” Risinger said.

Risinger also credited first-year head coach Mark Sims for taking the team to the next level.

“We got to the playoffs and he got us to the state tournament,” Risinger said of Sims. “He talked to us about playing a game at a time and staying onan even keel. He really expressed to us how to win.”Risinger was on the mound for the game to get the Tigers to the state tournament. Pitching against Catholic in the state regionals, he held theBears to two hits in a 1-0 victory. Again, he gave credit to his defense whichfielded everything hit its way.

“If the defense hadn’t played that well, we wouldn’t have won,” Risinger said.

“It really helped me out. I struggled early but as the game went on, I becamestronger. They hit the ball but our defense slowed them down.”Risinger also pitched the quarterfinal game against Covington in New Iberia.

For five innings, he matched goose eggs on the scoreboard with the Lions’ Ryan Core before the Lions broke through for five runs over the final two innings.

Risinger was disappointed until he had the opportunity to look back at the success the team had during the season.

“We had a real good season,” Risinger said. “Everybody came together andworked hard and that is what got us to the state tournament.”The state tournament capped a prep career that saw Risinger named all- district and all-River Parishes each of his last two seasons. As a junior, hewent 10-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 64 strikeouts. Risinger and Erik Donnaud, the2000 District 7-5A MVP, were the aces on the Hahnville staff but Risinger said they did not feel pressure to carry the team.

Risinger had experience success in New Iberia before this season. Thesummer before his sophomore season, he was a member of the East St.

James All-Stars, a team made up of players from around the River Parishes.

Against East Cobb, Ga., in the South Zone Championships held at New Iberia,Risinger hit the game-winning sacrifice fly to send the All-Stars to the Colt World Series in Indiana. East St. James lost its first game at the series andthen not again, winning the title against Levittown, Puerto Rico.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Risinger said. “Everybody chargedthe mound and it was exciting. This was a group of guys who never gave up,never got down. We really grew a strong relationship with those guys afterthe season.”Risinger said the experience helped him in his prep career.

“It carried over to high school,” Risinger said. “I became more of a leader onthe team.”Risinger has been playing baseball since he was 6-years-old. He started in T-ball and played recreation ball until he was 16.

“I just fell in love with the game,” Risinger said.

Through all those years, Risinger said his dad was his role model, keeping him on the right track in baseball and in school.

“I don’t think my parents missed many games,” Risinger said. “I could alwayslook in the stands and see them supporting me.”Risinger said he is looking forward to playing junior college ball and is hoping to get the opportunity to play at a four-year program after his career at Bossier.

To prepare for the next level, he played for the Bill Hood team earlier this summer and has been working out since.

And of course, he has been at his brother’s recreation games.

“I think it’s exciting to watch him play,” Risinger said. “It makes me thinkhow it was when I played.”

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