By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE – East St. John opened its season in strong fashion over the weekend, going 3-0 in the Fisher tournament.

The Wildcats defeated Newman, Higgins and West Jefferson to make new head coach Ronald August’s debut a positive one.

“I felt like we had a good approach. We didn’t finish as strong as we want to. I know if we do that, we can compete with anyone,” said August, who graduated from ESJ in 2003 after garnering All-District and All-State honors as a player. “Right now, I just want them to believe in themselves and bring that confidence onto the field.”

The Wildcats began their season with a 7-6 win over Newman, holding off a late Greenies push in the final inning.

Andrew Taylor went 3-for-4 with a triple, a home run and three RBIs. Ashton Lewis went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Daniel Franklin pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs and striking out eight.

Newman scored all of its runs in the final two innings.

Courtney Freeman’s RBI single in the sixth plated what proved to be the winning run for East St. John.

East St. John won a higher scoring, but similar game on Friday as Higgins scored six runs in the final inning but fell short of overcoming the Wildcats, who triumphed 13-11.

Taylor had a pair of RBIs for the Wildcats, who scattered 14 hits throughout its lineup.

Freeman started on the mound and struck out five in a complete game effort. He allowed five earned runs.

Conversely, East St. John dominated from start to finish in a win over West Jefferson Saturday, winning 11-2 and scoring at least two runs in each of the first four innings.

Lewis went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. He also collected the win, going a complete game and striking out six. He allowed just three hits.

“All of them went out and gave us a complete game. They put in the work,” said August.

Taylor went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

August said that while the team is young, he doesn’t see it as a negative, but a positive. His players are hungry, he said, and eager to prove themselves.

“It always feels good to come back here,” said August. “I like bringing whatever positives I can back to our campus. We want to bring baseball back here at East St. John.”