MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 19, 1999

NEW IBERIA – The Rummel Raiders have been a perfect 10 against River Parishes teams in the Class 5A playoffs this year.

In the bi-district playoffs, the Raiders defeated Destre-han 10-0. AndSaturday afternoon at Acadian Park in New Iberia, the Raiders got by East St. John by the same score in the state quarterfinals.The win advanced the Raiders (32-2) to the semifinals where they lost to Barbe, 6-1, Sunday morning. West Monroe defeated Barbe, 6-5, for thestate championship Sunday night.

East St. John completed its season at 19-15-1.The Wildcats, making their first appearance in the quarterfinals since 1995, were up for the Raiders in the first inning. With one out, RoydellWilliams lined a single to left and stole second. But Brandon Barthel (9-0),who had pitched the shutout against Destrehan, came back to strike out Samson Monica and got Jeremy Mitchell to ground out to short to end the inning.

East St. John starter Samson Monica (5-4) retired the first two batters inthe bottom of the inning. Martin LaRocca then stepped in and took a 1-0pitch over the left field fence for a home run, giving the Raiders a 1-0 lead.

Rummel loaded the bases on walks by Timmy Blanke and Chris Bush and a single to right by Paul Williams. Monica then pitched out of the jam bygetting Thomas Diamond to hit into a force out to short.

After Barthel struck out the side in the top of the second, Donald Rigaud reached on a single to short and advanced to second as Brandon Mason’s throw went into the dugout.

Rigaud moved to third base on a wild pitch and after a grounder back to the mound by Shawn Woodward, scored as Carlos Velasquez singled to center.

After Velasquez stole second, one of Rummel’s six steals in the game, Kenny Ford launched a drive over the first level of fences in left field for a ground-rule double to make it 3-0.

Williams came in from center field to relieve Monica on the mound and intentionally walked LaRocca. Blanke followed with a single to center,bringing home Ford with the third run of the inning.

With runners on second and third, Williams got Paul Williams to ground back to the mound for the second out. Bush was then hit by a pitch andDiamond walked to force in LaRocca, giving the Raiders a 5-0 lead.

After adding a run in the bottom of the third, the Raiders ended the game courtesy of the 10-run rule with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Williams’ single drove in Matt Paul with the final run.

Roydell Williams’ single in the first was the only hit Barthel allowed.

Barthel pitched four innings, striking out eight. Pat Murphy came in topitch the fifth.

“I thought he threw the ball pretty hard,” East St. John coach Carey Oursosaid of Barthel. “I thought he threw well and I thought our bats were kindof flat. Those things happen.”Despite the loss, Ourso felt his squad accomplished a lot this season.

“We went through a lot of slumps early on,” Ourso said. “We reallychanged the image of the program, that was one of our goals.

“I think it all paid off. We turned it on in district and made it to the statetournament. That’s a big accomplishment.”

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