By CALEB FREY

Sportswriter

RESERVE — It was hot and muggy Sunday afternoon as the undefeated home-team Hawks of the Sugar Cane League took the diamond against the Yellow Jackets in a game the Hawks needed to secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Hawks may be the best kept baseball secret in town judging by the attendance. Which while small in stature, it was swarming with energy from the fans that did brave the heat. Playing their home games out of East. St. John High, the team consists of college athletes keeping fresh in the summertime while school is out, as well as a couple of minor league ball players from the professional ranks of the MLB.

This is serious baseball happening in St. John complete with shoestring catches, diving stops, and monster homeruns.

The Yellow Jackets fell behind to the Hawks early trailing 5-2 in the top of the third inning. With no outs and nobody on, Yellow Jacket second baseman A. Taylor managed to shave a run off the Hawks lead with a solo shot but the Hawks held on to keep their lead at 5-3.

In the bottom of the third inning, left fielder Eric Brown took Jackets pitcher R. Lewis’ offering way over the left field wall to give the Hawks a 6-3 lead

After a barrage of hits by the Yellow Jackets in the top of the 5th, bad base movement leads to only one run again as the hawks cling to a 7-4 lead. The Jackets score three more runs with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to narrow the gap to 7-6.

After a beautiful textbook six-four-three double play started by shortstop Rondon Anderson in the top half of the inning, the Hawks would put the game out of reach in the bottom half of the following two innings.

Catcher &#8220T-Boo” Anderson slugged a towering three-run shot to right field to put the Hawks lead at four runs, which would be all the cushion they needed.

Starting Pitcher Trent Marlboro chalked

up the win for the Hawks who improve to (11-0). Pitcher R. Lewis took the loss for the Yellow Jackets who fall to (8-2) on the season.

The Hawks take on the New Orleans Royals and the Baton Rouge Black Sox before returning home for the playoffs, which start August 6.

For more information on the Hawks and the Sugar Cane League, call Alvin &#8220Peter” Brown at (504) 462-4178.