BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

RESERVE-When you know before the game starts that you are expected to win, it makes it an even tougher game to concentrate in.

Well, at least it is suppose to.

Continuing their surprising power stroke, the Riverside Rebels smacked three home runs Thursday afternoon in their first-round playoff victory over Pine Prairie, 12-1 at home.

The game was called in the fifth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

With the win, the Rebels now advance to the second round of the playoffs and will take on the winner of the Opelousas Catholic/Northeast game.

Picking up the complete-game victory, Jordan Poirrier allowed only two runs on five hits and struck out seven. Perhaps his most important statistic was his lowest as he walked only two batters.

Poirrier was also one of the hitting stars at the plate for the Rebels, going 2-3 with three runs driven in, including the walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to seal the 10-run victory.

Rightfielder Nick Falgoust also had a solid night at the plate going 2-3 with a pair of runs driven in and a home run of his own.

A close game early, the Rebels broke the game open in the third inning with six runs.

Just happy to come away with the victory, Riverside Head Coach Steve Stropolo said his team must continue to play well if they hope to end their season they way that they want to.

“The sad thing about Louisiana baseball playoffs is that it is only one game,” Stropolo said. “It should be the best two-out-of-three. Overall we played well today. Jordan pitched very well. Our bats really came alive today. We had three home runs and we are not a home run hitting team. We just hit the ball well and it went out the park.”

Not known as a home run hitting team, Stropolo said his team’s overall hot-hitting had just evolved into a recent power stroke.

“Nick Falgoust has not hit a home run in his high school career,” Stropolo said. “He hit one today. He really hit the ball on the money. If we just continue to hit the ball hard, good things will happen.”

Knowing that the competition will increase tremendously over the next several weeks, Stropolo said it is difficult at times to keep the kids attention.

“To a certain degree I would say that it is,” Stropolo said. “If you have a immature and young team, it’s hard. If you have a mature team, then it is a little bit easier but it still can sometimes sneak up on you.”