By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Last week, East St. John rallied from a late two-run deficit to force a game-ending tie at Riverside. And it appears that that comeback may have been the just spark the Wildcats needed.

The Wildcats have won four times since then, including three wins at this past weekend’s Grace King tournament, and one more on Monday, 9-7 at home over McDonogh 35.

“We’re still a little inconsistent. We’re not quite there yet,” said East St. John Coach Ryan Sims. “But these wins were big for us. We’re still learning how to play our brand of baseball.”

The win over McDonogh did not come easy. After a back and forth affair for the first five innings, the Wildcats’ Corwin Brown came up with perhaps the biggest play of the game in the bottom of the sixth. There, he hit an inside-the-park home run to give his team an 8-7 lead.

Later in the inning, Donald Goff’s double brought in LaBaron Sylvester to make it 9-7, giving East St. John (5-1-1) the win.

Brighton Trepagnier took the win, finishing the game and allowing no runs over his 1.1 innings on the mound.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Brown and the Wildcats would come through for a late victory.

On Saturday, East St. John faced St. Martin’s at the Grace King tourney, taking a 3-2 win.

With the game tied at two entering the seventh inning, Brown tripled to lead off the top half of the inning. Kendrick Sentimore’s double would bring him home for the game-winning RBI.

Sims said that clutch plays like the triple and the home run are what the club has come to expect from Brown.

“I don’t want to understate the job this entire team has done. But he’s definitely a player,” said Sims. “He’s given us everything we’ve asked. He’s our catalyst, and we’ll go as far as he takes us.”

Brown went 3-for-3 in the game.

Josh Brown came on in the bottom half of the seventh and recorded a 1-2-3 inning for the save.

Brandon Trant started the game and pitched five strong innings, allowing two earned runs.

“He pitched real well for us,” said Sims. “He kept us in it.”

It was the first loss of the season for the Saints.

On Friday, the Wildcats didn’t need those late inning heroics, taking a 16-1 win over East Jefferson (2-4).

Sentimore led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple. He had four RBIs.

Lionel Weston pitched two innings and notched the win.

On Thursday, Trepagnier allowed one earned run over a complete game performance, taking the win as the Wildcats defeated West Jefferson 6-3 in the tourney’s opening game.

The Buccaneers (3-4) never established momentum as the Wildcats led from start to finish.  

Sims says that the Wildcats’ hot start is all in the name of preparation for District 6-5A play, which begins March 20.

“We’re working in the right direction,” he said. “It’s to be ready for district. And we will be ready for district.”