MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 7, 2000

DESTREHAN – The game of baseball can take a crazy spin sometimes.

The Destrehan-Hahnville game Tuesday afternoon was proof of that.

Heading into the sixth inning, Destrehan looked to be in control of the game, taking a 4-2 lead into the top of the inning. But Hahnville rallied for four runsin the inning to take a 7-4 victory in the match up of District 7-5A’s top two teams.

Hahnville remained in first with a 5-0 record in district play and improved to 13-5 overall. Destrehan slipped to 12-11 overall and 5-1 in district.Erik Donnaud picked up the win in relief for the Tigers, allowing two hits while striking out two over the final three innings. Donnaud was helped out by twokey double plays that ended the fifth and sixth innings. Brian Risinger startedfor Hahnville, pitching into the fifth inning and allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three.

“Brian did an outstanding job of pitching for us tonight,” Hahnville coach Mark Sims said. “He didn’t have his good stuff but he was able to keep us in thegame. Erik came in there and shut the door.”Nathan Maggiore (2-5) pitched 6 1/3 innings for Destrehan, giving up six runs, two earned, on eight hits and seven walks while striking out six. RandyRoth finished up for the Wildcats.

“Nathan’s 2-5 but that doesn’t reflect how he has pitched,” Destrehan coach Mark Willoughby said. “When that kid has been on the mound, we have had achance to win every ball game.”With one out in the top of the sixth, Kade Rogers lined a single to left and advanced to third as Roth’s throw to first sailed over the bag. Rogers thencame home on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 4-3. Maggiore struck out JeffWilliams but Donnaud kept the inning alive by drawing a walk. Chris Hawkinsfollowed with a single to left, sending Donnaud to third.

Tim Sirmon then lofted a fly ball to right. Craig Naquin went back on the ballbut had it pop out of his glove as Donnaud and courtesy runner Ryan Burke scored and Sirmon went to third. Mike Picard followed with a single to left,scoring Sirmon to make it 6-4.

Mike Catalano reached on an error by Donnaud with one out in the bottom of the inning but was erased as Maggiore hit into a double play to shortstop.

Hahnville added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. With one out,Dustin Roussel walked and went to second on Rogers’ single to left. AfterRoth came in to pitch, Williams beat out a grounder to short to load the bases. Donnaud then grounded to third with Rogers beating Catalano to thebag as Roussel scored.

Roth, who went 3-for-4 in the game, led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left but was forced at second by Naquin. Naquin then stole secondbut Donnaud came back to strike out Krieger and got Matherne to ground out to first to end the game.

“You never know how the game will turn out until the 21st out,” Sims said.

“That is why you never quit hustling.”Hahnville broke onto the scoreboard first in the top of the third. Donnaud ledoff with a walk and went to third as Hawkins lined a double into the left- center field gap. After Sirmon was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Picard lined a single to left field, plating Donnaud and Burke running for Hawkins to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Destrehan came right back in the bottom half of the inning. Maggiore walkedto lead off the inning and Roth followed with a single to left. After Naquinsacrificed both runners over, Danny Krieger hit a chopper to second that hopped over Roussel into right. Courtesy runner Josh Johnson and Rothscored to tie the game at 2.

The Wildcats went ahead with a run in the fourth. Todd Picou took a two-strike pitch into left field for a double to lead off the inning. Courtesy runnerJeff Vitrano went to third on Catalano’s fly ball to left and scored as Maggiore beat out a grounder along the first baseline to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.

Destrehan added a run in the fifth. Krieger led off with a walk with Donnaudcoming in to replace Risinger on the mound. Krieger then went to second onLarry Matherne’s ground out to first and advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Donnaud. Donnie Hollis followed by slapping a single into left,scoring Matherne to give Destrehan a 4-2 lead.

“I can sit here and be upset and disappointed,” Willoughby said. “But we’renot supposed to be here. But we’re 5-1 and people are going to have to dealwith us. We came out and played the best we could and it wasn’t enough.Hahnville did a great job. They did what they had to do to win.”

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