By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

East St. John’s six-run sixth inning gave it some breathing room, as it defeated Assumption 9-1 on Wednesday.

Jasmine Brown was 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs and Stacy Sutton went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead the Ladycats to victory.

“It’s especially encouraging to see us, coming off of a layoff, to come out so prepared to play,” said East St. John Coach Monica Hebert, whose team hadn’t played in over a week thanks to a rainout over the weekend at East Jefferson. “They were ready and they showed it.”

Troyonne Kendrick was 2-for-4, as was Krista Pamplain.

Sutton (1-0) earned the victory with a strong effort, striking out 11 batters over seven innings and allowing only two hits and a walk. She gave up one earned run.

“She’s a very smart pitcher,” said Hebert. “She calls her own games for the most part. She sees how the batter sets up and adjusts to hit.

“She’s been on, hitting her spots, and pitching really well for us.”

Sutton got east St. John on the board for the first time in the second inning, when her double scored Kendrick to make it 1-0.

In the third inning, Brown’s two-run home run put East St. John ahead by three.

Finally, the sixth inning was highlighted by Sutton’s 3-run home run, which ignited the six run inning and rounded out the Wildcats scoring.

Hebert said that that inning was the type of lift that the Wildcats offense needed.

“That was something that we needed to carry us going forward,” said Hebert. “No matter what style of pitcher that we faced, we had to go back to simple mechanics, and put it in play.”

The win was the first official win for East St. John (1-8), as three wins and a tie from the Thibodaux high tournament on Feb. 15 and 16 were reversed, due to an ineligible player.