By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

After turning over much of its team from 2011 to 2012, the Riverside baseball team turned in a special season, making a run all the way to the Class 2A state championship game.

That team, however, replaced many of its departed starters with seniors ready to step up.

But next year’s team looks to be a very young one now that the core of the 2012 team has graduated, and a promising one at that — the Rebels’ summer varsity team won their second game of the summer last Friday, 6-3 over Livonia in the E.D. White tournament.

“We’re playing a lot of young guys,” said Riverside coach Matt White. “Last year we were replacing seniors with seniors. This year, we’re seeing a lot of eighth and ninth graders see action. It’s a big difference.”

It was the only game Riverside played at the tourney, as the rest of its scheduled contests were rained out.

Riverside led 6-0 at one point in the game.

Tanner Lawson earned the win for Riverside on the mound. He went the complete game and struck out seven.

Lawson will be a sophomore next season and expected to be one of the Rebels’ top pitchers after the departure of top senior pitchers Tate Scioneaux and Ryan Broussard.

“Tanner pitched well,” said White. “The impressive thing was this was his first action since the last J.V. game of the season back in April. Tate and Ryan were the guys we leaned on in the playoffs. But he did a nice job for us.”

Mason Vicknair and Jeremy Leshore each collected a hit and a pair of RBIs to lead the Rebel hitters.

“Mason’s a seventh grader heading into eighth,” said White. “Jeremiah Berteau is seeing a lot of time. Evan Veron, our DH last year, is playing in right and playing well. Brandon Hymel’s done a good job at catcher. We’re seeing some definite bright spots.”

Riverside has summer wins over Livonia and Lutcher while dropping games to Rummel and Hahnville. The Rummel game was a close one, a 3-2 loss that came down to the final inning.

The Rebels’ varsity saw their game with Lutcher rained out on Thursday.