By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

For St. Charles-based Townsend Homes, Monday’s game with Riverside-based Fatty’s Restaurant was all about pride.

Townsend entered the game having lost three of its first four summer contests, and a district loss to its crosstown rival would put an exclamation point on a slow summer start.

But after falling behind 3-0, Townsend Homes stormed back – and how. The team scored 13 runs combined over the third and fourth innings to finish Fatty’s by the 10-run rule in five innings, 15-4.

“We worked extra hard in the batting cages today,” said Townsend shortstop Alex Marse, who had three RBIs on the day. “It’s a rivalry, and it was about pride, building our confidence again.”

Walks proved devastating to the Fatty’s Restaurant (2-4, 1-1) cause. Fatty’s pitchers walked 10 batters in four innings, including two with the bases loaded in Townsend’s six run third inning.

“They walked a couple of guys, and we knew we needed to take advantage,” Marse said.

Indeed, when there were runners on, the Townsend (3-3, 2-0) batters took full advantage, racking up six extra base hits with runners on.

“I’m still a little disappointed in the pitching so far,” said Townsend Homes Coach Paul Waguespack. “But we did a decent job swinging the bats. I’m excited about that.”

Fatty’s struck first in the game after Chase Bazile and Dylan Becnel singled in the second inning and Bobby Smith walked to load the bases. Fatty’s scored its first run on a passed ball, then another on an error that Austin Vicknair reached on. Kane Keller’s RBI single gave Fatty’s a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, RBI singles by Marse and D.J. Wesley cut the lead to 3-2.

In the third, Townsend took over for good. Grant Authemont singled with one out to start the Townsend surge. After four consecutive walks, the 3-2 deficit had blossomed into a 4-3 lead.

Brady Hitt scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Then Marse’s deep drive turned into a two-run double, extending the lead to 7-3. Wesley’s sacrifice fly scored a run to make it 8-3, entering the fourth.

    Keller smacked an RBI double to cut the Fatty’s deficit to 8-4, but Townsend received run scoring doubles by Wesley, Marc Picciola, and Nick Reine in the fourth to help extend the lead to 15-4.

On the mound, Picciola slammed the door in the fifth inning, earning the win after going the complete game. He struck out seven.

    It was the second 10-run rule win of the day for Townsend, after defeating St. Martin’s earlier in the day 11-1 after five innings.

    Townsend scored 11 runs on 13 hits. Nick Reine (1-1) picked up the victory on the mound.

    Picciola was 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Reine hit a two run home run. Bonnecarre was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. D.J. Wesley was 2-for-4.

    Waguespack says that overall, at this point, he’s disappointed that the team has started slowly.

    But if Monday’s games are an indicator that Townsend is wide awake, it bodes well for this week: contests with Hahnville-based Otto Candies, as well as Shaw and St. Paul’s based teams await.

    “This is a tougher schedule than we’ve ever played before,” Waguespack said. “We’ll see what we’ve got.”