By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

A five-run fifth inning was the difference for Neville last Wednesday, as the Tigers defeated St. Charles at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, 9-4.

It was the fourth straight victory for the Tigers (19-4).

St. Charles (13-8-2) tallied eight hits in the game, but fell short in a number of key spots with runners in scoring position, particularly in the first two innings. That, and a scoring surge by Neville in the fifth and sixth innings, added up to a Comet defeat.

“They’ve got a good team. They’ll go a very long way in the playoffs,” said St. Charles coach Paul Waguespack. “We had our chances. We didn’t get the timely hit with runners in scoring position. If we do that, maybe things go differently.”

Neville scored a run in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead. St. Charles answered with a run in the fourth inning.

But Neville put five on the board in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Matt Bonnecarre led off with a walk, and Alex Marse singled. Both advanced on a wild pitch.

Brandon Becker grounded out, but scored Bonnecarre in the process. Jonathan Cancienne singled to bring home the inning’s second run, and stole second. He would score on an error on a ball hit to the shortstop by Nick Reine, drawing St. Charles within three, 7-4.

But that was as close as it would get. Neville scored twice in the sixth inning, and the Tiger pitching shut the door the rest of the way.

Marse led the Comets at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double.

Jared Keating (3-2) went 5.1 innings and allowed nine hits, with five earned runs. He struck out two and walked one.

After a hot start, St. Charles has lost four of five games. Waguespack says he’s been working with his team on hitting with men on base, which has been an issue in recent games before the game with Neville. If the Comets had done that, Waguespack points out, the games might have turned the other way.

“A break here or a break there, and the outcome could be different. That’s the way we look at it,” Waguespack said. “We’ve been stressing to just do your job. When runners are on, get a bat on the ball. Advance the runners. Doing the little things are how you win games, and we haven’t been doing those things.”