By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

While Riverside lost three games over the weekend at the Comet Classic tournament at St. Charles, it also collected its first win –and it was a big one.

Wade Delaneuville pitched seven innings of two-hit ball to pace the Rebels in a 9-5 victory over host St. Charles on Saturday, the Comets’ only loss of the round-robin style tournament.

Riverside (1-5) trailed 4-3 entering the fifth inning, but scored three runs in that inning and the sixth to break open the game.

For Riverside Coach Britt Waguespack, it added up to his first victory as the Rebels’ coach, and the significance wasn’t lost on him.

“It’s understood that when you play St. Charles (2-2-1) in anything, it’s got almost a state championship atmosphere surrounding it,” said Waguespack of the rivalry. “It’s a good feeling. We knew what these kids are capable of after what felt like a lot of games against teams giving us their best shot.

“I just felt like we were a time bomb waiting to explode.”

Said St. Charles Coach Paul Waguespack: “I’m happy for Coach Britt, that’s his first win there. I remember what mine was like. They outplayed us, that’s all there is to it.”

Delaneuville walked eight batters in the game, including four scoring runners in the second inning, but was otherwise as good as could be. He struck out 12 Comet batters, and allowed no hits through four innings on his way to the win.

“You’ve always got a chance when Wade Delaneuville’s on the mound,” said Britt Waguespack. “We knew he had to go right at them with the fastball, and he did that. It gave our hitters a chance to take over.”

Jake Roussel gave Riverside its first lead in the first inning, his RBI single driving in Jade Falgoust and putting them ahead 1-0.

In the second, Remi Poirrier’s double brought in Jamie Simon. Then, Poirrier stole third, leading to a score on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Delaneuville got wild in the bottom half of the inning, though. Four Comet runs scored, all as a result of walks.

Poirrier struck again in the fifth, though, this time tying the game at four. He stole third on a wild pitch, and scored when Falgoust drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

After a Delaneuville double in the same inning, Roussel socked a home run that put the Rebels up 6-4.

In the sixth, Poirrier’s two-run double and a RBI on a groundout by Falgoust gave the Rebels a 9-5 lead, and the breathing room it needed.

Poirrier finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Roussel finished 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.

For St. Charles, Corey Reed went 1-for-3 with a walk.

Brandon Becker (0-1) pitched 4.2 innings and took the loss. He gave up five runs, three earned, four hits and walked two. He struck out four Rebels.

Riverside’s next contest came at the tournament Sunday against Jesuit. The Blue Jays prevailed 9-3 in a six-inning game that ended early due to a time limit.

Riverside cut a 4-0 Jesuit lead to 4-3 after three innings. But the Blue Jays scored three runs in the fourth, and one in each of the next two innings to ice the win.

Bryant Tassin (0-1) took the loss, going 5.2 innings and allowing eight earned runs on nine hits. He struck out five Blue Jay batters.

Delaneuville and Tassin each had RBIs for the Rebels, who had three hits in the game.

Earlier in the tourney, De La Salle outlasted Riverside in a five-inning scorefest, winning 14-11 in another game called for time.

De La Salle scored ten-runs in the third inning to take an 11-1 lead, but Riverside outscored the Cavaliers 10-3 over the next two innings to climb back into the mix before falling short.

De La Salle out-hit Riverside 15-13.

Falgoust went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Roussel went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Poirrier was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Delaneuville was 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Jamie Simon, Ritchie Terrio and Justin Vicknair each had RBIs for the Rebels.

Falgoust took the loss, striking out five but allowing nine runs over 2.1 innings.

Riverside fell to Sterlington 12-2 in its first loss of the tournament on Friday.

The Panthers led 2-1 entering the second inning, where they scored six runs to seize control.

Timmy Teague took the loss for Riverside, allowing eight earned runs in 1.1 innings and striking out three.

Falgoust led Riverside, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.