L’Observateur / June 2, 1999

It was another successful softball year for the River Parishes, with five teams advancing to the state playoffs and Riverside and Lutcher going back to the state tournament. MVP Tanya Teague and Coach of the YearJohn Bentivegna helped the Lady Rebels capture their third-straight district title and advance to the state tournament for the fourth-straight year.

Tanya Teague Senior Pitcher Riverside Most Valuable Player

Riverside coach Matt White said in softball a pitcher can take you places.

Where Teague took the Lady Rebels was to Alexandria, home of the state softball tournament, for four straight years. That run includedquarterfinal appearances in 1996, ’97 and ’99 and a championship game appearance in 1998.

Teague was L’Observateur’s St. John Parish MVP her freshman year andcontinued to get better. The last two years she dominated District 9-2Aplay, winning district MVP honors both seasons.

Teague led Riverside to its third straight district title in 1999 and helped the Lady Rebels advance to the Class 2A quarterfinals. For the season shecompiled a 26-6 record with a .21 earned run average and had 16 shutouts.In 177 innings, Teague struck out 272 batters while allowing only 82 hits.

Teague saved her best game for last, striking out 17 of the 23 batters she faced in the Lady Rebels’ 1-0 loss to South Beauregard in the quarterfinals.

Teague will take her game to the next level next season, having signed with Chipola Junior College last weekend. White said she could be evenmore effective with the longer distance from the mound to the plate in the college game.

“She had a heck of a career,” White said. “She was fun to coach.”

Matt White Riverside Coach of the Year

Returning just four starters from the 1998 Class 2A runner-up team, White faced an uphill battle to get the Lady Rebels back to Alexandria.

After all, the Lady Rebels were going to have to compete in a district that included 1998 Class 2A state champion St. Charles Catholic as well asRidgewood and Ecole Classique.

White adjusted Riverside’s style of play, going from a bunting and slap hitting team to one that could swing for the fences. The Lady Rebelsresponded, going undefeated in capturing the District 9-2A title. Riversidethen defeated Port Barre to advance to the state tournament, where it lost a nailbiter to South Beauregard.

The Lady Rebels finished the season with a 27-6, bringing White’s two- year record to 53-13.

Fallon Cancienne Junior Pitcher Hahnville

Cancienne went 10-5 to help the Lady Tigers advance to the state regionals and was named to the all-District 6-5A team.

Erin Hymel Senior Pitcher Lutcher

Hymel was L’Observateur’s River Parishes MVP last year and did not miss a beat her senior year. She led the defending Class 3A state championsback to the state tournament where they defeated Abbeville before falling to Kaplan, 1-0, in the semifinals.

Hymel was superb in the state tournament, allowing just six hits while walking six and striking out 21. Against Abbeville in the quarterfinals shepitched a one-hitter while striking out 11. In the Lady Bulldogs’ fourplayoff games Hymel allowed a total of two runs.

The tournament capped a season in which Hymel went 20-6 with a ERA of .81. She faced a total of 631 batters and walked only 43 while striking out209.

Marci Martin Junior Pitcher St. Charles Catholic

Martin has been another regular on the all-River Parishes team. The juniorhelped the defending Class 2A state champions reach the regional playoffs where they fell to Ouachita Christian, capping a 22-11 season.

Martin finished the season at 19-9 overall with a 2.12 ERA and 150strikeouts. She helped herself out at the plate, batting .413 with 15 RBIsand a .554 slugging percentage.

Katie Brady Senior Catcher Riverside

Brady formed a formidable battery with Teague. A fine defensive catcher,Brady made Teague an even better pitcher and was selected to the all- District 9-2A team. In her senior year she batted a team-high .451 withthree doubles and 27 runs batted in.

Melanie Delaune Freshman Catcher Hahnville

Delaune was named to the District 6-5A first team after leading the Lady Tigers with a .457 batting average.

Holly Gagliano Senior Catcher Destrehan

Gagliano was one of Destrehan’s top hitters, finishing with a batting average of .301 with four doubles and a team-high 22 RBIs. She also stole15 bases in 15 attempts.

Erin Crisham Junior Infielder Hahnville

Crisham provided the spark for the Lady Tigers out of the lead-off spot and at shortstop.

Christie Melancon Senior Infielder Lutcher

Melancon provided steady defense and offense for the Lady Bulldogs on their run to the state tournament. An all-District 10-3A selection,Melancon capped her prep career with a .345 batting average her senioryear.

Candice Millet Senior Infielder Lutcher

Millet was the big gun for the Lady Bulldogs in the clean-up position. InLutcher’s game against E.D. White to decide the District 10-3A title latein the season, Millet had a big three-run home run to break the game open in the sixth inning. The senior first baseman capped her career with a .350batting average in 1999.

Holly Richard Sophomore Infielder Riverside

Richard stepped in to fill a hole at shortstop and immediately stepped up.

Starting for the first time, the sophomore batted .413 with eight doubles,24 RBIs and seven stolen bases.

Michelle Roussel Sophomore Infielder Lutcher

Roussel is the top candidate to replace Hymel as the Bulldogs’ ace next year. As an all-district shortstop in 1999, she batted a team-high .400.

Courtney St. AmantSenior Infielder Riverside

St. Amant made the move from third base to first base with littledifficulty this year. The senior batted .333 with 11 doubles, 21 RBIs andsix stolen bases.

Courtney Vicknair Junior Infielder St. Charles Catholic

Vicknair also made the move to first base this season and finished with a .963 fielding percentage. At the plate, the junior batted .326 with 21 RBIsand a .554 slugging percentage.

Brandi Falgoust Junior Outfielder Riverside

Falgoust was another player who stepped it up to lead the Lady Rebels to the District 9-2A title this year. The junior batted .333 with a home run,26 RBIs and six doubles this past season.

Nicole Peltier Junior Outfielder Destrehan

Peltier led Destrehan with a .333 batting average to go along with twodoubles and five RBIs.

Jenee Weber Senior Outfielder Lutcher

Weber is making her second straight appearance on the all-River Parish team. Weber set the table for the Lady Bulldogs out of the lead-off spot,batting .370. She opened Lutcher’s quarterfinal game against Abbevillewith a triple and scored the game’s lone run on a sacrifice fly by Becky Lambert. Was also instrumental in the Lady Bulldogs’ district clincheragainst E.D. White, collecting three hits.

Shannon Dolive Senior Utility St. Charles Catholic

Dolive concluded her prep career with a .305 batting average with 16 RBIsand a .451 slugging percentage in her senior year.

Bridget Giroir Senior Utility Reserve Christian

Giroir helped lead the Lady Eagles to the blink of the playoffs in their first season in Class B. Giroir led Reserve Christian with a .509 averagewith a home run and 11 runs batted in.

Jessie Zeringue Junior Designated Hitter St. Charles Catholic

Zeringue stepped in for catcher Kori Guillory and made sure there was no drop off. The junior batted a team-high .449 with 21 RBIs and a .674slugging percentage.

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