ANDRE BURL / L’Observateur / May 9, 1999

BOUTTE – Jeff Williams scored from second on a two-out single by Brandon Kelly in the eighth inning, giving Hahnville a 3-2 victory over Baton Rouge Central in the Class 5A bi-district playoffs Thursday afternoon.

Hahnville (23-7) advances to the regional playoffs where they will play Sulphur, a 5-4 winner over Slidell Thursday. Central, a wild card out ofDistrict 4-5A, finished at 20-8.

Hahnville’s Brian Risinger and Central’s Tanna McClure pitched shut out ball through the first three innings. The Tigers threatened in the bottom ofthe first as Kelly singled behind first base and Chris Hawkins was hit by a pitch with one out. Dewey Matherne then lined a hard shot past third intoleft field. Kelly tried to score from second but was cut down at the plateby a one-hop throw from left fielder Collin Smith.

Williams singled and Teddy Schmill walked with two outs in the bottom of the second but McClure again pitched out of the jam. Hahnville also putrunners on in the third as Matherne was hit by a pitch and Erik Donnaud hit a ground-rule double to center with two outs but could not push a run across the plate.

Central’s Andy Oglesby broke the deadlock in the fourth, stepping in and blasting a hard line drive that flew over the right-center field wall for a home run, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Central had two batters reach onerrors in the inning but Risinger came back to get out of the jam without further damage.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Tim Sirmon slapped a single past a diving B.J. Richard at second and was moved along on a sacrifice bunt byWilliams. Kade Rogers then lined a two-out drive to the wall in center fora stand-up double, scoring Sirmon with the tying run.

After a scoreless fifth, Oglesby regained the lead for the Wildcats with his second home run of the game, a solo shot to right-center. Risingerretired six of the next seven batters he faced, keeping the deficit at 2-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

Rogers led off the seventh by drilling a 3-2 pitch through the left side for a single. One out later, Hawkins walked to put runners at first and second.After a balk by McClure advanced the runners, Matherne was walked intentionally to load the bases. Donnaud followed with another walk,forcing in Rogers from third with the tying run.

Central coach Randy Blanchard called in lefthander Wes Eaton to pitch.

Eaton delivered, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.

Risinger (9-2) retired the side in order in the top of the eighth. Williamsforced a walk to open the bottom half of the inning for the Tigers. After awild pitch advanced Williams to second, Eaton got the next two Tigers to fly out.

With two outs, Kelly took a 1-1 pitch and hit a bouncer through the right side. Williams was waved around third and slid in with the winning run asMatt Bossier bobbled Mike Forbes one-hop throw to the plate.

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher