Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / June 24, 1998

LUTCHER – Erin Hymel pitched a shutout in the first game and Lutcher rallied in the second to cap off an undefeated Metro League season Monday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep of Riverside, 3-0 and 7-5.

The teams played two five-inning contests to make up for a game that was canceled earlier this season.

Hymel, the Class 3A state most valuable player, went the distance in the opener, allowing two hits while striking out five. Riverside’s TanyaTeague matched her, giving up seven hits while striking out eight over five innings.

Lutcher, which was the visiting team in the first game, loaded the bases with one out in the top of the first on singles by Toni Riley, Amber Boe and Michelle Roussel. But Teague came back to strike out Christie Melanconand Amy Hebert to get out of the jam.

Lutcher broke through for three runs in the third. With one out, Boe beatout a grounder to first and scored as Cindy Guidry doubled down the third base line. After Roussel reached on an error and stole second, both runnerscame around to score on a wild pitch by Teague, giving Lutcher a 3-0 lead.

Teague would settle down after that to retire eight of the final 10 batters, allowing only singles by Riley and Guidry in the fifth.

Meanwhile, Hymel was retiring nine in a row after giving up a single by Amie Graugnard to open the second. In the fifth, Nicole Lambert singled toleft but Hymel came back to get Teague to hit into a force out and Heidi Richard to pop up to second to end the game.

In the nightcap, Lutcher jumped out on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first off Lambert, the Riverside starter. Riley led off by reaching on an errorand scored as Boe singled to left field. A wild pitch sent Boe to third andHeather Morgan brought her in with a grounder back to the mound.

Riverside rallied to take the lead in the top of the second. Jessica Wattsopened the inning with a double down the right field line and after advancing to third as Cassie St. Amant reached on an error, scored on awild pitch by Roussel.

One out later, Leslie Lambert sacrificed her to third and Mandy Luminais walked. St. Amant then stole home as Luminais broke for second on a stealattempt. Luminais would come in to score as Guidry’s throw went past thebag, giving Riverside a 3-2 lead.

Lutcher would bounce ahead in the bottom of the third as Roussel walked with two outs. Courtesy runner Kassie Waguespack then stole second andscored as Melancon lined a double into the left-center field gap. AfterCandice Keller singled to center, Melancon gave Lutcher a 4-3 lead by scoring on a wild pitch.

Riverside tied the score in the fourth as St. Amant reached after strikingout, went to second on Richard’s ground out and scored on two wild pitches.

Lutcher went back ahead in the fourth. Natalie Louque led off the inning bygetting hit by a pitch and went to second on a passed ball. One out later,Boe beat out a bunt and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Lambert then fielded Morgan’s bunt and threw Louque out at theplate with both runners moving up a base.

A wild pitch brought in Boe to give Lutcher a 5-4 lead. Guidry followedwith a single to left to score Morgan. Waguespack, running for Guidry,advanced to third on a wild pitch and passed ball and scored on Roussel’s single to center, giving Lutcher a 7-4 lead.

Riverside rallied once again in the fifth. With one out, Vanessa Tarominareached on an infield single and beat Roussel’s throw to second on Kelly Louque’s grounder back to the mound.

A two-base throwing error by Roussel on Graugnard’s grounder cut the deficit to 7-5. But after a visit to the mound by Lutcher coach JohnBentivegna, Roussel bounced back to get Watts to pop up to second and St.

Amant to ground back to the mound to preserve the victory.

Bentivegna said playing Metro ball gives him an opportunity to use his younger players. Most of his returning starters are playing tournament ballwith Hymel the only one playing Metro so that she can get some pitching in during the summer.

“It helps players who don’t see much action to get more playing time,” Bentivegna said.

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