By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — East St. John was denied its first win of the baseball season Monday, falling to Karr after a late innings Cougar push, 8-7.

Karr scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to emerge with the home victory over the Wildcats (0-7). 

Chase Henderson, Derek Jackson and Amani Martin each went 2 for 4 for East St. John, leading them at the plate.

The Wildcats have struggled a season after the graduation of leading pitcher and hitter Daniel Franklin, but ESJ coach Shan Williams sees better times ahead. 

“We just haven’t put a complete game together. Some games we’re hitting well but not pitching, others we pitch well but we don’t  hit or play defense. I feel like that complete performance is coming. We have to put it all together soon.”

Seniors I’Kee Brown, Ryan Foster and Derek Johnson, he said, are providing reasons for optimism, as well as junior Phil Adams and Amani Martin. 

Foster, in particular, is off to a strong start on the mound. He and Brown, Williams said, are capable of turning in a winning performance on any day of the week.

“(Foster’s) having a productive year. We didn’t play well behind him last time out,” said Williams. “Our earned runs as a staff are down a whole lot. Our ERA is right around four for the first time in awhile. With those two guys at the top, I have a lot of confidence in our pitching.”

East St. John returns to action today at the South Lafourche tournament against Covenant Christian. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.