MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 5, 1999

RESERVE – Bo Louque, pitching for the first time in 19 days, gave the Lutcher Dugout Club five strong innings as the Bulldogs defeated Reserve Post 159, 6-3, at Fernandez Field Wednesday afternoon.

Louque (1-0), who hadn’t pitched since the Class 3A state championship game May 15, gave up two runs on four hits while walking five and striking out three and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the first.

“Bo did a good job,” assistant coach Kim Lacombe said. “Defensively, wewere pretty solid. We had a few outstanding plays early.”The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth. With two outs,Lane Vicknair was hit by a pitch by Rebel reliever Damion Melancon and came in to score as Trent Bourgeois lined a double into the right-center field gap.

Reserve Post 159 (0-2, 0-2) came back in the bottom of the inning. Withone out, Seth LeBlanc walked and stole second. Britt Wagues-pack thenlined a single into center, scoring LeBlanc with the tying run. Waguespackadvanced to third as Brandon Delaneuville slapped a single to left on a hit- and-run and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sean Delaneuville.

The Lutcher Dugout Club (1-1, 1-1) regained the lead in the top of the sixth. Tray Haydel led off by beating out a grounder to second and Louquefollowed with a walk. A walk by Damian Ursin loaded the bases for DustinDeslatte who lined a single to left, bringing in Haydel to tie the score at 2.

Courtesy runner Rusty Crosslin came in to score on a passed ball, giving the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. Melancon got out of further trouble, striking outBen Martin and Lee Poche and getting Vicknair to pop up.

The Bulldogs added three runs in the top of the seventh. Bourgeois andJeremy Martin drew walks from reliever Gary Entremont and Haydel followed with a home run over the left field fence, making it 6-2.

Reserve Post 159 got a run in the bottom of the inning against Ursin, who had came in to relieve Louque in the sixth. LeBlanc led off with a singleoff Ursin’s glove. Waguespack followed with a grounder to second withLeBlanc going to third as Vicknair’s throw to second went into left field.

After Ursin struck out Brandon Delaneuville, Sean Delaneuville lined a single to right to score LeBlanc. Ursin then struck out Bradley Hodges withcourtesy runner Seth Johnson being thrown out at second on a double steal attempt to end the game.

Both Louque and Riverside starter Brandon Delaneuville were helped out by their defense early. Sean Delaneuville went into the hole at third to grabPoche’s grounder to end the second inning with Deslatte on second. In thebottom of the third, Haydel dove to his right to grab Brandon Delaneu- ville’s grounder after Wagues-pack had singled with one out. And ScottOcmond ended the third inning with a diving catch down the left field line with Ronnie Mason on second and two outs.

Both teams are using the summer to fill holes for next year. The Bulldogslost four starters from their Class 3A state runner-up squad of this past season.

“We have to work out some kinks,” Lacombe said. “We’re going to try somepeople at different positions.”The Rebels have to replace six starters from the team that advanced to the Class 2A semifinals this season.

“We have a good corps coming back but we also a new group of guys,” Reserve Post 159 coach Marshall Crooks said. “They are looking for theiridentity and their new leaders. They are learning the system and what toexpect, learning on the job.”

Return To Sports Stories

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

Internet services provided by NeoSoft.

Best viewed with 3.0 or higher