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By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

 

RESERVE — Riverside pitcher Tate Scioneaux knew exactly what was at stake Sunday afternoon. It overcame him at once as he faced what would be his final batter of the day.

“It was a one-two count, and as I got set, I felt chills all over,” said Scioneaux. “I had to pause to let the excitement pass through. I knew this was it.”

Scioneaux recorded his 11^th and final strikeout of the day in the Rebels’ 9-3 Class quarterfinal win at home over Menard, a victory that sends Riverside to the state baseball tournament in Ruston.

Sunday marked the fourth consecutive season the Rebels had reached the state quarterfinals. Riverside’s season ended in that round in each of the previous three seasons.

For the Rebel seniors, like Scioneaux and Grady Gieger, among others, their performance conveyed a clear message: It was time to break through.

“We’ve been to the quarterfinals a number of times in baseball and in football,” said Gieger, the Rebels centerfielder who was also the football team’s leading tackler. “It feels really good to break through.

“We’ve got a big road trip coming up, now. I’m looking forward to that.”

Scioneaux allowed seven hits and two earned runs to notch the win.

Gieger was a home run away from his second cycle within a month. He was 3-for-4.

The Rebels (24-9) had to rally from deficits of 1-0 and 3-1 in the game. Each time, Riverside did it immediately.

In the first inning, the Eagles (20-10) took the lead on a Rebels’ error, when a fly ball hit by Chris Wilson resulted in a dropped ball on a miscommunication between outfielders. It brought Chris Miguez around to score, making it 1-0.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, Grady Gieger socked a triple to center, setting up Scioneaux for a sacrifice fly RBI, tying things up.

Wilson produced two more Menard runs in the third. After a leadoff single, Scioneaux turned up the nastiness and struck out the next two batters looking. But Wilson got a hold of one and drilled it well over the right field wall to give Menard a 3-1 advantage.

“We didn’t flinch,” said Riverside coach Matt White. “These guys just had that aura about them, that we’re gonna come back on you and answer in our half.”

Riverside responded again. With one out, C.J. Edler singled then advanced to second on an error. Gieger plated him on a single of his own to center, making it 3-2. Scioneaux hit a hot shot down the third base line, then Wren Vicknair walked to load the bases. Evan Veron reached on an infield single to make it 3-3. Andre Faucheux nearly came up with a big hit to push Riverside well ahead, but his shot down the left field line was ruled just foul, and he’d strike out, followed by a Dustin Madere flyout to end the inning.

But the game’s result was not in doubt for much longer — the floodgates opened in the bottom of the fourth. Deuce Wallace singled on a chopper through the right side, then Trevor Kenney hit a ball up the middle that was overthrown to first. Edler came up with runners on second and third and singled in the go-ahead run. Gieger doubled to left to make it 5-3, then Scioenaux brought home the Rebels’ sixth run on a hit up the middle. Vicknair grounded out but plated another run in the process, making it 7-3.

“We just found it,” said Gieger.

Added White, “They jumped on us. Teams haven’t done that to us with Tate up there. But as soon as we got ahead, everything started to calm down.”

In the bottom of the sixth, Riverside added two more on a two-run Scioneaux home run, one crushed to left after a leadoff single by Kenney.

“We never got down on ourselves,” said Scioneaux. “We knew we just had to get out ahead.”

Riverside played its previous three quarterfinal games on the road, including a loss last year at Evangel.

White said that having the game in Reserve this year was a huge plus.

“To get one here was big. We knew we’d have a great crowd and we did today,” said White.