ANDRE BURL / L’Observateur / April 14, 1999

RESERVE – This time East St. John started its rally early.Led by the pitching and hitting of Samson Monica, the Wildcats bounced back from a 2-0 first-inning deficit to defeat Thibodaux, 14-4, in a game called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

East St. John moved into a tie for second place in District 6-5A, improvingto 5-2 in district play and 11-11-1 overall. Thibodaux fell to 5-2 indistrict and 12-10 overall.

It was a sweltering Saturday afternoon when Thibodaux went up to bat in the first inning. Cody Cortez was hit by a pitch by Monica and came aroundto score on a passed ball.

Jacob Naquin next drilled a double to center field and went to third on a passed ball. After Monica struck out the next batter, Casey Rodriguereached on an error by shortstop Brandon Mason, scoring Naquin from third to make it 2-0.

Ryan Landry was hit by a pitch and Brandon Ber singled to load the bases with one out. Monica then beared down and struck out the next two battersto hold Thibodaux to the two runs.

East St. John came right back in the bottom of the inning. With one out,Mason zipped a shot down the third base line for a stand-up double. RoydellWilliams followed with a grounder that skipped past second, scoring Mason to cut the deficit in half. Monica then caught a high fast ball anddelivered it over the fence for a home run and a 3-2 East St. John lead.One out later, Jeremy Mitchell drilled a single to left. Jerome Andersonthen belted an outside fastball over the right field fence for the Wildcats’ second home run of the inning. After walks by Darwin Pittman and TieReese, Mason bounced a single to right field, scoring Pittman from second.

The next hitter flied out to end the inning, but not before the Wildcats had sent 11 batters to the plate to take a 6-2 lead.

Cortez walked with one out in the second. Naquin then sent a slicing singleto right field. Cortez rounded second and headed to third but was gunneddown by a strong throw by Mitchell. Blake Leger stepped up and drove astand-up double to deep center, scoring Naquin from second. Monica struckout the next two hitters to leave the score at 6-3.

Monica and Kent Roussell walked with one out in the second, forcing Thibodaux coach Louis Guillot to go to his bullpen to bring in Stan Martin to pitch. Mitchell greeted Martin with a bullet to left-center field for adouble and a run.

After Roussell was thrown out at the plate on Anderson’s grounder to short, Pittman blasted a triple to deep right field for two runs. Reese thendrilled a shot just inside the third base line for a single, scoring Pittman to make it 10-3.

Landry boomed a triple to the gap in right-center in the third and scored on a passed ball. With one out, Mark Barrileaux walked and went to second.One out later, Brandan Usey lined a single to center. Barrileaux tried toscore but was cut down by Williams’ throw on the fly to the plate to end the inning.

East St. John added to its lead in the bottom of the inning. Mason singledto left and Williams was hit by a pitch.

Monica then hit a bouncer through the infield for a single, scoring Mason and putting runners at first and third. Roussell followed with a deep driveto center, bringing in Williams to give the Wildcats a 12-4 lead.

East St. John added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Andersonsingled, advanced to third on two passed balls and scored on an errant throw by the catcher. In the fifth, Williams walked with one out and stolesecond. An intentional walk to Monica and a hit by pitch by Roussell loadedthe bases. Mitchell then walked to force in Williams with the 14th run.Monica struck out nine and allowed seven hits in improving to 1-0 on the season.

East St. John, which trails district leader Hahnville by two games, travelsto Terrebonne tomorrow and to Thibodaux Saturday.

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