MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 16, 1999

RESERVE – Otto Candies had to weather a few storms literally and figuratively in its game at Reserve Post 159 Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers overcame 35 minutes in rain delays and held off a Rebels rally for a 11-5 Second District East victory. The victory improved Otto Candiesto 2-3 in district play and 3-5 overall. Reserve Post 159 fell to 1-6 and1-6.

Both teams threatened in the early innings that were disrupted by a 20- minute delay in the top of the second due to lightning and a 15-minute rain delay after the third inning. Otto Candies put runners at second base withone out in each of the first two innings but Post 159 starter Brandon Delaneuville was able to pitch out of trouble. Post 159 also put runners onin the first three innings but Otto Candies starter Matt Caire was helped out by double plays in the first and third innings.

Otto Candies broke the stalemate in the top of the fourth. With one out,Tim Sirmon walked, stole second and advanced to third on an error. After awalk by Jeff Williams, Caire singled to right to score Sirmon. Williamsthen stole third and scored on an errant pick-off throw to make it 2-0.

Post 159 started a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning as Blake Duhe singled to left and Chris Bourgeois and Damion Melancon walked to load the bases. Caire then came back and got Jeff Roccaforte to ground out tosecond to end the inning.

Chris Hawkins and Tommy Theriot walked with one out in the top of the fifth against Melancon who had come in to relieve Delaneuville. Sirmonthen laid down a bunt with courtesy runner Dustin Roussell coming in to score on an errant throw by Melancon. Williams followed with a sacrificefly to left to score Theriot with Sirmon coming in to score on an errant throw to third by Duhe. Caire made it 6-0 with a home run to right.Post 159 came right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. GaryEntremont and Seth LeBlanc led off with walks with an errant throw by Caire on Seth Johnson’s bunt attempt scoring Entremont. After Johnsonwas caught stealing, Delaneuville reached on an error. LeBlanc then stolehome on a double steal attempt to make it 6-2. Delaneuville made it athree-run game by scoring on an error as Post 159 loaded the bases on a walks by Duhe and Melancon and a single to left by Travis Klibert.

Brian Risinger then came in from right field to pitch and struck out Roccaforte to end the inning.

“He did a really good job in a tight situation,” Otto Candies coach Britt Oubre said of Risinger. “You couldn’t ask for a better guy to come in.”Post 159 loaded the bases again with one out in the bottom of the sixth as LeBlanc was hit by a pitch and Johnson and Delaneuville reached on errors.

But Risinger again pitched out of the jam, getting Sean Delaneuville to fly out to short center and Duhe to ground out to third.

Otto Candies broke the game open in the top of the seventh. Theriot openedthe inning with a home run to left against Post 159 reliever Bradley Hodges.

Sirmon followed with a single off the third base bag and Williams walked.

After a sacrifice by Teddy Schmill, Risinger doubled into the left field corner, scoring Sirmon and Williams for a 9-3 lead. Kade Rogers thenhomered to right-center, making it 11-3. After a walk by Brandon Kelly,Derrick Louque came in to pitch and got Hawkins to fly out to center and struck out Erik Donnaud to end the inning.

Post 159 got two runs in the bottom of the inning. Klibert reached on anerror and Hodges singled to left to open the inning.

Two outs later, LeBlanc lined a single to left, scoring both runners to make it 11-5. Risinger then got Johnson to ground out to third to end the game.

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