By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Destin Vicknair pitched a no-hitter and Riverside put up a pair of big innings to key a bi-district round playoff victory Saturday night over Pickering.

The Rebels (22-8) scored six runs in the second inning and then four more in the fourth to close out the Red Devils (10-9) in five innings by the 10-run rule.

Riverside advanced to the regional round with the victory and is now one win away from returning to Sulphur for the state softball tournament.

The Rebels will face the winner of No. 13 DeQuincy and No. 20 Thomas Jefferson. The teams were set to face off Tuesday night after press time.

Vicknair struck out eight and allowed just one baserunner, a hit batter.

Kori Bourgeois helped lead the Rebels at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Megan Stein and Hailey Tassin each went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs at the plate.

“We did a good job putting it in play and executing our bunts to move runners when we needed to,” said Riverside coach Kristy Hebert. “Once we adjusted to their pitcher, things opened up. It was the kind of effort I’ve been waiting to see (at the plate).”

Hebert was happy with Vicknair’s strong effort to begin the postseason, as well as that of the defense around her.

“She faced 17 batters and they put nine balls in play. We had no errors,” said Hebert. “So you have to be pleased with that. It was a total team effort.”

Riverside has not faced DeQuincy this season, but is already familiar with Thomas Jefferson, having defeated the Jaguars, 13-0, in the St. Charles tournament at the beginning of the season. Thomas Jefferson is 16-7 this season, the co-champions of District 9-2A.

DeQuincy, meanwhile, is 15-6 and runner-up in District 4-2A. It enters the postseason on a roll, having won seven straight and 14 of its last 16 games.

Hebert said that in her mind, DeQuincy is one of the more dangerous teams in the field.

“I felt like they were underseeded,” she said. “They went through some trouble this year when they lost their pitcher, and that hurt them. But I was shocked to see them end up where they did.”

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