By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

RESERVE – The Plaquemines Dodgers had River Parish’s Hawks team right where they wanted them. That was up until the fifth inning.

That’s when the Hawks warmed up, pushing in three runs before taking the lead in the sixth off of a grand slam by Theron &#8220T-Boo” Anderson and the eventual 7-4 win.

It was the second game of the Sugar Cane League this season for the Hawks as they topped Baton Rouge last week in a 22-1 blowout. Damon Ursin took the for this week’s game and helped start a win streak as he went seven innings while striking out six. The River Parish squad got their first taste of adversity as Plaquemines started out scoring and took a 4-0 lead by the top of the fourth. But after stranding runners in three of the first four innings, the Hawks got their first run in the fifth and made it a 4-1 game.

That sent it into the top of the sixth with the home team at a three-run deficit. After Ursin retired the side, Eric Brown opened the inning at the plate. He singled, bringing up Wes Loupe, who pulled a line drive down the third base line. Darwin Pittman followed that right down the same line with a grounder right at the bag, allowing Brown to score. Rommel Anthony bloopered next to score another, and Terry Charles refused to give up the first out of the inning, beating out a sacrifice grounder that scored Pittman.

Dusty Smith came up next and doubled to deep, deep center field and made it a one-run game when Anthony crossed the plate. Dodgers pitcher Mario Iglesias, who threw for Southeastern last season, walked Brandon Mason in the hopes of getting a force out to end the inning. But that all backfired when Anderson stepped to the plate and drove the ball over the right center field wall for a 7-4 lead and the first of two grand slams on the day.

After that, Pittman came off of second baseman in relief and managed to hold the Dodgers off-balance for the final three innings while the home squad closed out the victory.

Anderson finished the game with four hits in five at-bats and was credited with more than half of the Hawk’s 18 runs. Loupe was also 4-for-5 with a home run in the seventh.

With the win, the River Parish squad stands at 2-0 heading into their first road game this Sunday against a team based out of Delise, Mississippi.

&#8220[Delise] has won this league a couple of times since it started,” said Hawks Coach Alvin &#8220Peter” Brown. &#8220So they keep a pretty good team over there. But as long as we have our pitchers back this weekend, it should be a good one.”