ANDRE BURL / L’Observateur / July 14, 1999

METAIRIE – Superior Energy broke open a close game with a five-run seventh, defeating Otto Candies 12-6, in the opener of the Second District East Tournament for both teams Wednesday night at Bonnabel High School.

Superior (13-7) advanced into the winners’ bracket while Otto Candies (10-7) fell into the losers’ bracket.

With Otto Candies playing host, Superior Energy would come to the plate first batting in the top of the first. With one out, Ray Dees slammed theleft center field wall with a shot giving him a standup double. But startingpitcher Brian Risinger seemed unaffected as he bore down on the next two hitters to end the inning leaving Dees to die on second base.

Bottom of the first, with two outs Chris Hawkins stepped in and drilled a line shot into right field, just past the first baseman glove for a single.

But pitcher Steven Burford kept his composure and retired the next hitter leaving Hawkins at first.

Top of the second, Superior’s Matt Torrence forced a walk. Next up, RobbieAllen reached on an errant throw, allowing a speeding Torrence to circle the diamond and score the game’s first run. With one out, AndrewRobertson zips a shot down third base and reached on an error, scoring Allen from third.

Now with two out and a runner at second, left fielder Joey Gathright went yard with a two-run blast over the left center field fence. After 1 1/2innings, Otto Candies was down 4-0.

Something needed to happen with Otto Candies coming into swing in the bottom of the second. Two down and Jeff Williams powered a bullet to thegap in left center for a standup double. Tim Sirmon followed with a walkputting runner at first and second with two outs.

Teddy Schmill next up pounded a hard drive to the wall in center field for a double scoring Williams and Sirmon. Next up, Kade Rogers forced a walkputting two runners on base. Brandon Kelly next slapped a single throughthe infield into left field scoring Schmill from second making the score 4- 3.

In the top of the third, Nick Settoon sent a drive to the fence in right field for a double and moved to third on a pass ball. Bryan Moorhouse walked andon another passed ball, went to second while Settoon scored from third base. With two outs, Allen sliced a single into right field, scoringMoorhouse from third.

Matt Caire homered over the right center fence with two outs in the bottom of the third to make it 6-4.

In the top of the fourth, Settoon singled and went to second on an error.

Next up was Moorhouse who lined a shot to left field, scoring Settoon from second base to make it 7-4.

Now behind by three runs, Otto Candies needed a rally. Schmill stepped inand drew a walk. Next up was Kade Rogers who reached on an error, puttingrunners on the corners with no outs.

Kelly then drove a single to left field, scoring Schmill from third with runners still at the corners. Rogers scored as Superior Energy turned adouble play, making it 7-6 after four innings of play.

With one out in the top of the sixth, Gathright walked and Dees drove a double to the wall in center field putting runners at second and third with one out. But Risinger delivered and got the next two hitters withoutallowing a run.

In the bottom of the sixth, Otto Candies went down quietly. With the score7-6, Superior came in for its last turn at the plate. Torrence started offhitting a shot that cleared the right center field fence for a home run and a 8-6 lead. After Allen walked, Otto Candies coach Britt Oubre called timeand went to his pen for Matt Clair. Clair got the first two hitters he facedwith strike outs but walked the next two batters to load the bases.

Dees followed with another walk to score Allen from third. With the basesstill loaded, Settoon doubles off the right field wall, clearing the bases and making the score 12-6. Chris Hawkins and Tommy Theriot walked inthe bottom of the seventh but were left stranded.

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher