MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 17, 1999

On a blustery afternoon in the River Parishes Friday, the Riverside bats started cold but warmed up as the game went on.

Cassy St. Amant’s three-run double was the big blow in a six-run fifth asthe Lady Rebels took a 10-0 victory over St. John of Plaquemine in theopening game of the Riverside Tournament.

Lutcher won the tournament title, defeating River-side, 3-1, in the championship game Sunday. Erin Hymel held the Lady Rebels to one hit andCindy Guidry had a home run.

The Lady Bulldogs (14-4-1) defeated St. John, 7-1, in an earlier game.Michelle Roussel picked up her sixth win of the season and Christy Melancon drove in five runs.

The Lady Rebels (13-4) won two of three in the tournament, defeating St.

John, 1-0, Sunday as Teague fired a one-hitter.

Riverside threatened in the top of the first Friday as Courtney St. Amantreached on an error and advanced to third on a wild pitch after Katie Brady walked with one out. Brandi Falgoust then lofted a fly ball to Gennie Folsein center field. Folse’s throw to the plate was up the line but catcherNicole Parker was able to make a swipe tag on St. Amant.The Lady Rebels broke the scoreless tie in the third as Amie Graugnard bounced a single up the middle to lead off the inning, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch as St. Amant walked. Graugnard then came into score as Parker threw out St. Amant trying to steal second, giving theLady Rebels a 1-0 lead.

Riverside broke the game open against St. John starter Kristy Jackson inthe fifth. With one out, Graugnard and St. Amant ripped singles to right. After Brady walked to load the bases, Falgoust singled to right to score Graugnard. Nicole Lambert followed with a walk, bringing St. Amant hometo make it 3-0.

Courtesy runner Vanessa Taromina was forced at the plate on Heidi Richard’s grounder to third but Kelly Louque followed with a walk to score Falgoust. Cassy St. Amant then lined a shot into the left-center field gap,clearing the bases to make it 7-0.

While the Lady Rebel bats were heating up, Riverside starter Tanya Teague was keeping the St. John bats chilled. Teague had a string of five straightstrikeouts in retiring the first seven batters she faced.

A one-out walk by Jamie Camothe broke the string in the third but Teague came back to strike out Jackson and got Theresa Watts to fly out to center.

Folse got the Lady Eagles’ first hit, a single to right, with one out in the fourth and was sacrificed to second by Parker. Teague then struck out AnnSanchez to end the inning.

St. John threatened again in the bottom of the fifth as Camothe singled toright and Jackson walked with two outs before Teague got Watts to ground out to second. Teague then retired the side in order in the final twoinnings to improve to 12-3 on the season.

Riverside added a run in the sixth as Courtney St. Amant led off with awalk, advanced to third on Brady’s double to left and scored on a wild pitch. Graugnard and St. Amant reached on errors in the seventh inning andscored on singles by Brady and Lambert to make it 10-0.

“We started getting timely hits,” Riverside coach Matt White said. “Westarted slow but once the first girl got a hit, the others started getting in line and hit with confidence. We needed timely hits and we got themtoday.”Riverside hosts rival St. Charles Catholic tomorrow.

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