MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 25, 1999

METAIRIE – Ridgewood jumped out to a 5-0 lead and Jeremy Collins made it stand up, striking out 14 St. Charles Catholic batters, as the Eaglesdefeated the Comets, 8-3, in District 9-2A play Tuesday afternoon at Mike Miley Stadium.

Riverside (22-5-1, 9-1) defeated Ridgewood (21-9, 7-3), 15-5, for the District 9-2A title Thursday afternoon. St. Charles Catholic (23-5, 8-2)clinched second place with a 9-1 victory at Ecole Classique Thursday.

Collins (5-3) went the distance for the Eagles, allowing five hits, four in the sixth inning. He had at least two strike outs in six of the seventhinnings and did not allow a walk until two outs in the seventh.

Courtney Bonura (5-3) took the loss for the Comets. Bonura pitched intothe sixth inning, allowing five earned runs and eight hits while walking two and striking out six. John Price came to relieve Bonura in the sixth.Collins gave an indication of things to come in the top of the first, striking out Jarrett Maurin and Steven Faucheux to open the game. Pricefollowed with a single and went to third as Wayne Stein reached on an error. As Stein broke for second on a steal attempt, catcher Brad Rodriguethrew down to third to pick off Price.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, Keith Champagne, Rodrigue and Lane Dugas reached on errors to load the bases. Collins then ripped asingle to center, scoring Champagne and courtesy runner Jared Daigre.

Jason Lisotta then bounced a grounder to second that got by Nick Monica, scoring Dugas. But Collins was ruled out for obstruction and Dugas wassent back to third. Bonura then struck out David Culotta to end the inning.Ridgewood got another run in the second as Jody Vidrine, Bryan Sentilles and Bryson LeBlanc opened the inning with singles. After Champagnestruck out, Rodrigue walked to force in Vidrine to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles made it 5-0 in the fourth. Vidrine led off by getting hit by apitch. Sentilles struck out but LeBlanc came up with a double down theright field line, sending Vidrine to third. After Champagne popped up toPrice at first, Rodrigue stroked a single to center, scoring Vidrine and LeBlanc.

Collins retired 12 straight batters before getting into trouble in the sixth.

Brandon Laiche and Monica led off with singles to left. Collins struck outMaurin and got Faucheux to hit into a force out at second to put runners at the corners with two outs. Price then stepped in and on a 3-2 count,launched a shot over the 328-foot mark in left-center for a three-run home run, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Stein followed with a single toshortstop and stole second but Collins struck out Bonura to end the inning.

Ridgewood got the runs right back in the bottom half of the frame. Vidrinesingled to left and Sentilles walked to open the inning. After Price camein to pitch, LeBlanc beat out a bunt along the third base line to load the bases. A walk to Champagne forced in courtesy runner B.J. Raines and gavethe Eagles a 6-3 lead.

Rodrigue followed with a single to right to bring in Sentilles. Dugas thensent a long drive to left that Stein tracked down near the warning track, bringing in LeBlanc to make it 8-3. Price got out of the inning by grabbingCollins’ grounder and turning a double play.

Collins got the first two batters in the seventh before walking Laiche.

Collins then struck out Monica to end the game.

“Their pitcher pitched extremely well,” St. Charles Catholic coach FrankMonica said. “You have to give them credit. They played extremely well anddeserved the ball game. Their pitcher made some tough pitches. We battledback and made a game of it, but we had given them too much.”

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