MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 27, 2000

LULING – Brandon Stevens’ three-run double capped a four-run first inning as Destrehan-Pick defeated Destrehan-Maggiore, 9-4, for the St. CharlesParish 13-14 Franchise League championship Friday night at the West Bank Bridge Park.

Tyrone Wethers opened the rally for Pick with a one-out single to center and went to second on an error. One out later after a walk by Nick Usnerand a hit by pitch by Jonathan Pick, Wethers scored on a wild pitch by starter Brandon Maggiore to make it 1-0. Emile Broussard walked to reloadthe bases and Stevens followed with a drive to center, clearing the bases for a 4-0 lead.

Maggiore had threatened in the top of the inning after Jacob Long was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on two wild pitches by Usner, the Pick starter. But Stevens threw Long out at the plate on Beau Jones’ fly ball toleft to end the inning.

Maggiore kept his team in the game by pitching out of jams in each of the second and third innings. In the second, Travis Wethers and TyroneWethers were both hit by pitches and advanced a base on a wild pitch with one out. But Maggiore came back to strike out Usner and Alex Boudreaux toend the inning.

In the third, Stevens reached on a force out and Chris Degruy singled to short with two outs before Maggiore got Shawn Luce to ground out to end the inning.

Maggiore came back to make it a one-run game in the fourth. With one out,Jasper Vinnett walked and was forced at second by James Pierce. Piercethen stole second, went to third on a throwing error and scored on Long’s single off the glove of Broussard at third.

Long stole second and came in to score as Jones dropped a single into shallow right. Jones went to second on the throw to the plate, advanced tothird on a wild pitch and scored on Gerald Vinnett’s single to short. Pickgot Maggiore to ground out to second but not before the lead had been cut to 4-3.

Pick got those three runs back in the bottom of the fourth. Travis Wetherswalked and Tyrone Wethers singled to center to lead off the inning. Bothrunners moved up on a wild pitch and scored as Usner lined a double into right-center. Usner went to third on an error on the play and scored asBoudreaux’s followed with a fly ball to right, giving Pick a 7-3 lead.

Maggiore got a run in the top of the fifth. Josh LaBiche led off the inningwith a single to short and stole second. Josh Smira followed with achopper over third, advancing LaBiche. One out later, LaBiche came in toscore on a squeeze by Vinnie LaBerto down the third baseline.

LaBerto reached on the play to put runners on the corners but Usner came back to get the next two hitters to end the inning.

Pick added two runs in the bottom of the sixth after Usner retired the side in order in the top of the inning. Tyrone Wethers led off with a walk, wentto second on a wild pitch and stole third. One out later, Boudreaux scoredWethers with a triple to right field. Pick then grounded to second withBoudreaux beating the throw home to make it 9-4.

Gerald Vinnett was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on two wild pitches with two outs in the seventh. LaBiche reached on a catcher’sinterference but Unser came back to strike out Smira to end the game.

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