Casual onlookers might have wondered what Reid Simpson was thinking.

By leaving first base before the pitcher started to throw home, he all but ensured that he would be out.

But Simpson knew exactly what he was doing &045; helping his team win by moving the winning run across the plate for Vidalia against Tecumseh Friday night.

&uot;That play we called, we hadn’t even been over that in two years, probably,&uot; Vidalia head coach Johnny Lee Hoffpauir said. &uot;We used to call it ‘the demon.’ Only our seniors remembered it, but luckily we had two seniors on base.&uot;

The demon is a special play designed to give up one out while allowing a run to score. It only works with one or no outs and runners on first and third. In the play, the runner at first breaks toward second, forcing a throw to first to get him out. When the ball is thrown from the first baseman to second base in an effort to run out the baserunner, the runner at third breaks for home with plenty of time to score before the ball can be thrown to the catcher.

&uot;It puts the defense in a bind. You have to force a throw from first to second. As soon as the ball leaves the first baseman’s hand, the runner at third takes off,&uot; Hoffpauir said.

SHORT START &045; Adams Christian’s hitters were bracing for Oak Forest’s hard-throwing righty Toby Easterly, and that’s what they got.

For only two innings.

Easterly, a Bossier Parish Community College signee, went just two innings and held the Rebels to just one run on one hit. The only run came when he walked Ray Simpson to lead off the game and allowed the run to score when Simpson tagged from third on a Dustin Case sacrifice fly.

Oak Forest head coach Joe Weaver, a former Pine Hills coach, used four pitchers in the 10-8 contest.

&uot;He was on a pitch count,&uot; Weaver said. &uot;We’ve got Centreville coming up Tuesday, which is a district game. We held him on a 45-pitch count, and I think he threw 41 pitches. He had to come out. That was just bad luck. That had something to do with it.

&uot;This game was important, but district is what gets you in the playoffs.&uot;

Easterly is one of two Yellow Jackets to play at the next level. Shortstop Richie Field signed with LSU-Eunice.

The Rebels, however, stayed on the mound with Timmy Foster, who had command of his changeup and threw some good curveballs near the end.

&uot;Timmy threw a super changeup tonight,&uot; AC head coach Gill Morris said. &uot;They hit some pitches I didn’t believe they would hit, and they hit some pitches I was pretty sure they would hit. Timmy is up to 100 pitches on his pitch count right now. He’s right where we want him to be.

&uot;This was the second game in a row his fastball got stronger as the game went on. From the middle innings on, we started busting them inside.&uot;

THE STAFF WAITS &045; Cathedral may get the services back of Jeremy Davis on the mound soon, one of two pitchers coaches have been waiting on to get better and back in shape to pitch.

Davis played outfield for Thursday night in the Green Wave’s win over Bogue Chitto after spending much of the last two weeks at first base. The Southern Miss signee has been nursing a sore quad.

The Green Wave are also hoping to get Preston Hicks back on the mound soon now that Division 7-1A play is getting into full swing. No one has nailed down that No. 1 starter spot, although Patrick McDonough made his best pitch for it Thursday with four solid innings.

&uot;I was planning on using four different pitchers (Thursday),&uot; CHS head coach Craig Beesley said. &uot;I left Patrick in there. He does a good job of hitting his spots and getting ahead of the batters. He’s pushed himself up to the No. 1 spot, but I still would like to put Jeremy and Preston in the No. 1 spot, but they still have the injuries. I don’t know if we’ll get them back or not.&uot;

Davis was considered a strong candidate to get the top starter’s job, but he hasn’t pitched since the Cathedral tournament about a month ago.

&uot;We need to get those two back,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;Jeremy has been getting in the whirlpool the last couple of days. Hopefully we can get him over that pulled muscle.&uot;

HEADSPIN &045; One of the pitchers Cathedral does have healthy got the scare of his life Saturday, but not on the mound.

Zack Calhoun stepped to the plate in the fifth inning of his team’s win over Monterey ready to get another hit after getting a grand slam home run in his previous at-bat. But he got something else entirely, a pitch right to the head. Without enough time to get out of the way, Calhoun was hit on the batting helmet with a dull thud that resounded throughout the ballpark.

&uot;I got hit in the head. I can’t really feel my ear, but it doesn’t really hurt. It was ringing but not any more,&uot; Calhoun said after the game. &uot;I just got hit right up near my temple. That’s why I just hit the ground.&uot;

Calhoun laid on the ground for a few seconds before picking himself up and going down to first where a courtesy runner was inserted for him.

&uot;It’s strange. Usually balls just glance off the helmet, but that was a solid lick he took,&uot; Beesley said.

TAKING IT SLOW &045; Trinity Episcopal is being careful with the return of Stevan Ridley to the mound.

The sophomore right-hander threw three innings Monday night in a win over Amite School Center and threw sparingly Thursday against Franklin Academy. Ridley can bring it with the fastball and struck out six against the Rebels, but he’s battling a sore arm that no one is willing to rush.

Ridley threw one inning against Franklin Academy.

&uot;I think we just have to put him on a lot of days rest before he throws,&uot; Trinity head coach Matt Mason said. &uot;It’s in the muscle. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, but we’ve got to give him rest before throws. He’s been working hard to rehab it.&uot;

SUNNY DAYS &045; Vidalia’s softball field is a pretty nice place to play.

That is unless you’re a second baseman on a particularly sunny afternoon. Second basemen for both Vidalia and Monterey had trouble fielding pop flys Thursday as the sun obscured balls.

&uot;This field is tough if you’re on that side,&uot; Vidalia head coach Gary Paul Parnham said. &uot;Home plate really should have been put right about here (where first base is) so that the sun wouldn’t get in your eyes.&uot;