Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / May 6, 1998

ALEXANDRIA – The Riverside Lady Rebels may have come short of their goal of capturing their first ever state title but as coach Matt White said afterwards, they certainly had nothing to hang their heads about.

Certainly not after rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the semifinals against District 2-2A champion Dequincy and starting pitcher Amie Rosalis Saturday, a day after she struck out 15 Epsicopal batters and pitched a shut out in the quarterfinals.

With the score tied at two with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brandi Falgoust drew a walk from Rosalis. Ashley Bourgeois then lined atwo-strike single into left field. Right fielder Kristen Edwards bobbledthe ball as Jennifer Guidry, running for Falgoust, rounded second. Guidryrounded third and dashed to the plate, sliding in ahead of the throw and giving the Lady Rebels a 3-2 victory.

The victory sent the Lady Rebels to their first appearance in the state finals. Riverside had advanced to the state semifinals in 1996.The game started out with Rosalis and Riverside starter Tanya Teague locked in a pitching battle. Teague struck out the side in the first, withRosalis countering by striking out seven of the first nine batters she faced. Dequincy first baseman Jaime Owens was the only batter to reachbase in the first three innings, reaching on an error to open the second, and she was thrown out trying to steal second by Katie Brady.

Dequincy broke through first in the top of the fourth as Jennifer Pinder reached on an error by third baseman Courtney St. Amant with one out.After Linda Cox flied out to Marcy Remondet in center, Owens singled to left. Kari Brummett followed with a double into the right-center field gap,scoring Pinder and courtesy runner Nicki Meche to give the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead.

Remondet fired up the team between innings with a pep talk and then by opening the bottom of the inning by reaching second on a throwing error by Monique Overmeyer in her bunt attempt. One out later, Melissa Martinsacrificed Remondet to third and Brady brought her in with a single to center, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The Lady Rebels tied the game as Bourgeois reached on an error by second baseman Cassy Moore with two outs and scored as pinch hitter Amie Graugnard doubled over Leslie Lambert’s head in center field.

DeQuincy threatened in the top of the sixth as Rosalis drew a walk and was sacrificed to second by Pinder. But Teague got Cox to fly outRemondet and Brummet to pop up to Brady in foul territory to end the inning.

Teague went the distance, allowing just three hits while striking out eight. Rosalis allowed four hits while striking out 13 and walking one.DeQuincy ended its season at 20-4.

Riverside 10, North Vermilion 4 The Lady Rebels jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning before holding off a North Vermilion comeback in a 10-4 victory over the Lady Patriots in the quarterfinals Friday afternoon.

Riverside scored on walks by Bridget Lambert, Courtney St. Amant andBrandi Falgoust, singles by Katie Brady, Mandy Roussel and Ashley Bourgeois and a triple by Melissa Martin to take a 5-0 lead in the opening frame.

North Vermilion came back as Shanon Meaux reached on an error and Carrie Desormeaux singled to open the third inning. Riverside starter TanyaTeague struck out Brooke Montet and Sara Steward before walking Haley Methvin to load the bases. A single by Keisha Pontiff and a triple byBrittany Hebert drove in four runs to cut the deficit to one.

But the Lady Rebels came back to open their lead in the bottom of the inning as Falgoust, Bourgeois and Marcy Remondet scored to make it 8-4. Atriple by Lambert was the big blow of the inning.

“It was a 5-4 ball game but we were able to break it back open and that let us breathe again,” Riverside coach Matt White said. “Bridget’s hit wasjust what the doctor ordered. At 5-4, It could have been anybody’s gamebut that gave us a cushion to work with.” The Lady Rebels blew the game open with two runs in the fifth. With oneout, Lambert singled to left. Martin followed with a single to right thatgot by Courtney Broussard, allowing Lambert to come in to score. Martinwas thrown out at third on the play.

Brady kept the inning alive with a single to right. After courtesy runnerJennifer Guidry stole second, Roussel singled to right. Broussard tried tothrow Roussel out at first but her throw went past the bag as Guidry scored.

Teague went the distance, striking out 12 while allowing four hits.

North Vermilion, the District 4-2A runners-up, finsihed its season at 18- 7.

Return To News Stories