Allen County-Scottsville center fielder Andy Caldwell (left) makes a catch in the outfield while avoiding right fielder Zach Cooke on Friday.

It can’t completely make up for the pain felt in last year’s Fourth Region Tournament, but Warren East got a dose of redemption to open this season.

The Raiders’ 2005 campaign ended when they fell 4-3 to region champion Allen County-Scottsville after East held 3-1 lead going to the bottom of the seventh.

This time East held onto its two-run lead and beat the Patriots 5-3 in the Raiders’ season opener Friday.

&#8220These guys wanted it a little bit,” East coach Wes Sanford said. &#8220I think that paid off for us. With the first game of the year, I was kind of worried about our energy and how we played. But they came out with a lot of excitement.”

Forgive East if it had flashbacks.

Allen County-Scottsville brought the possible winning run to the plate with nobody out in the seventh after Andy Caldwell walked and Brian Jones reached on an error.

But closer Hunter Studle recorded the final three outs for the save.

&#8220There was a little bit of a concern because of what happened last year,” Sanford said. &#8220But we hung with our guys and they did a great job.”

Allen County-Scottsville coach Kerry Harwood added, &#8220You could see the pressure was all on them. But we just tried to do a little too much, tried a little too hard in that situation. We’ve got to learn from that.”

It also made Sanford a winner in his head-coaching debut. Sanford was an East assistant last season before taking over the program this year.

&#8220Very exciting,” Sanford said. &#8220I was pacing in the dugout a lot, but it was a good first win. I don’t know if we can start out any harder.”

Ironically, it was Allen County-Scottsville’s first loss to a Fourth Region team in exactly one year. And that last loss came at Warren East on March 31, 2005.

The Patriots had won 20 consecutive Fourth Region games entering Friday.

The Patriots didn’t take advantage of early opportunities against East starting pitcher Ross Hammonds.

Allen County-Scottsville left six runners on over the first three innings and scored only two runs on Jones’ single and when Ryne Towe was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

&#8220It came down to left on base and missed opportunities for us,” Harwood said. &#8220We had a lot of opportunities, we just didn’t produce.”

Warren East didn’t have many opportunities, but took full advantage in a four-run third inning. Following an error and infield single, Ryne White belted a two-run triple.

After White scored on a wild pitch, Nick Crawford crushed a solo home run to left field that put East up 5-2.

&#8220We want to get ’em on, get ’em over and get ’em in,” Crawford said. &#8220We got enough in that one big inning and took advantage of some things.”

Crawford also threw three innings of relief and gave up only three hits and one run, when Jones doubled and scored on Joel Steele’s single to center field.

Steele threw 3 2-3 innings in relief of Towe and didn’t give up a run.

&#8220Joel Steele came in and did a great job,” Harwood said. &#8220He kept us right there. But we didn’t get it done.”

Warren East (1-0) returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Franklin (Ind.). The Patriots (2-1) visit Fort Walton Beach, Fla., on Sunday.

Allen County-Scottsville 200 010 0 – 3 8 3

Warren East 104 000 x – 5 7 2

W: Hammonds L: Towe S: Studle HR: Crawford