MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 3, 2000

RESERVE – Trailing 11-5 going into the bottom of the eighth inning of their Class B regional playoff game against Doyle, the Reserve Christian Eagles had no doubts they could come back.

After all, they had just done it from a four-run deficit the inning before to send the game into extra innings.

But this time, the Tigers were able to withstand the Eagles’ onslaught, holding on for an 11-6 victory. Doyle now heads to the quarterfinals wherethe Tigers will play the winner of the Pitkin-Runnels regional contest. ReserveChristian finished its season at 12-10.

Neal Johnson opened the eighth for the Eagles by drawing a walk from Doyle reliever Chase Cade and advancing to second on a wild pitch. Nathan Louquefollowed with a two-strike single to right, plating Johnson to cut the deficit to 11-7. Cade then got Paul Labiche to fly out to center and struck out SethFolse before walking Dustin Young to keep the inning alive. But Cade cameback to strike out Jason Coons on a pitch in the dirt with catcher Jesse LaBello throwing to first to end the game.

Doyle scored five runs in the top of the inning as Chris Smith led off by drawing a walk from Labiche. After pinch runner Eric Ouber went to secondon a wild pitch, Cade hit a ground-rule double to left-center, scoring Ouber for a 6-5 lead. Cade then went to third on a wild pitch as Mike Cox walked andscored on another wild pitch with LaBello at the plate. Coons came in torelieve Labiche and threw a wild pitch that brought Cox home. LaBellocompleted the walk and Terry Allen followed with a bloop single to left. BlakeSullivan then put the capper on the inning with a home run to left-center field, giving the Tigers an 11-5 lead.

Labiche took the loss, allowing eight runs, two earned, on six hits and six walks while striking out 13 in seven innings. Cade got the win in relief for theTigers.

“My kids showed a lot of character,” Reserve Christian coach Timmy Byrd said. “Paul gave us everything he needed to do and it should have beenenough to win. We just didn’t play enough defense behind him.”Reserve Christian had rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the bottom of the seventh behind some clutch two-strike hitting. Labiche led off the inning against Cadeby slapping a two-strike grounder to third and reaching second as Cole Megers threw past first. Seth Folse followed with a two-strike grounder toshort with Aaron Norris throwing past third on the attempt to get Labiche, putting runners at the corners with none out.

Young kept it up, drilling a two-strike double to left-center, bringing home Labiche. A ground out to third by Coons and one to short by Matt Jacksonbrought home Folse and Young to cut the deficit to 5-4. Pinch hitter JaredSimoneaux kept the Eagles’ season alive with a two-strike single up the middle. Josh Labiche followed with another two-strike single to center,scoring Simoneaux with the tying run. Cade cut the throw home off andthrew to second to get Labiche for the third out.

Doyle jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Terry Allen led off bydrawing a walk from Labiche, stealing second and going to third on an errant throw by Louque. Blake Sullivan then drove a double over Jeremy LeBlanc inleft, scoring Allen. After a ground out by Cody Harrison, Norris drilled asingle to left, bringing home Sullivan to make it 2-0.

Smith, the Tigers’ starter, retired the first 11 batters he faced before Paul Labiche drilled a one-out home run to left field in the fourth inning to cut the deficit in half. Smith then sat down the next five batters before Josh Labichesingled with one out in the sixth. Cade came in to pitch and got Johnson andLouque to ground out to end the inning.

By that time, the Tigers had taken a 3-1 lead as Megers led off the sixth by drawing a walk, going to second on a single to short by Smith, advancing to third on a passed ball and scoring on a wild pitch.

A two-out rally in the top of seventh gave the Tigers a 5-1 advantage.

Harrison kept the inning alive by drilling a double to right, going to third on a wild pitch and scoring on a throwing error by Louque. Norris then walked,stole second, went to third on Louque’s throwing error and scored on a throwing error by Josh Labiche.

“We had a lot of firsts this season,” Byrd said looking back on the season.

“Last year they won just one game and this year they went 12-10 and won the first playoff game. Their expectations were high. I’m proud of them. I’mproud of the way they fought back. They showed a lot of character.”

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