Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / July 8, 1998

LAPLACE – In this year of the hitter in the major leagues when Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa and Greg Vaughn all have 30 homeruns by the all-star break, one local little league team is also using their bats to lead them to the parish championship.

The LaPlace Braves recently won the 11-12 year olds St. John the BaptistParish Recreation League championship, finishing the season with a 9-1 record after a victory over Lebro Monday night. The Braves’ only loss cameat the hands of the Slammers, the team that they edged out for the league championship.

Patrick and Terry Millet, the Braves’ coaches along with Carl Stemley, said that the team’s strength is its hitting.

“Once you get three outs and we come up, you are going to be out there for a while,” Terry Millet said.

The team’s lineup is strong from top to bottom. Seven batters are battingover .600, led by Trevon August’s .941 average. Terry Millet said thatseven of the nine batters are also subject to hit a home run at any time.

“If you try to find someone to pitch around, it is going to be tough,” Patrick Millet said.

Coach Patrick Millet said the team’s pitching was also strong, led by Ryan Perrilloux and Patrick Millet.

Both coaches said that the Braves and Slammers were the two strongest teams in the league with the two splitting their games during the regular season. The league all-star team will be comprised mostly of players fromthose two squads.

Nine of the Braves were selected to the all-star team – Marcel Joseph, Patrick Millet, Tomako Gray, Dauren Howard, Joshua Sylvan, Trevon August, Ryan Perrilloux, Carvase Perrilloux, Corey Brown and Jeffery Anderson. The parish all-stars will play in the Dizzy Dean all-startournament this weekend in Belle Chasse.

Other team members contributing to the team’s success were Dequincy Stemley, David Stewart and Tremond Alvis. The Braves were sponsored byStockhausen in Garyville.

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