By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Destrehan-based Valero St. Charles continued its rampage through the summer this week, with a 7-1 win over Service Master (John Curtis) and a 7-0 win over Fatty’s Restaurant (Riverside).

Valero (18-1, 7-0) is alone in first place in the Second District West Division, one game ahead of Hahnville-based Otto Candies and two ahead of St. Charles-based Townsend Homes.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Valero’s record so far is that it has maintained its high level of play despite the recent losses of Josh Rochelle and Hunter Tyree to injury. Both are key parts of the team’s rotation, as well as its lineup – Rochelle was batting .583 at the time of his injury, Tyree .456.

“I think things have been outstanding so far,” said Valero Coach Marty Luquet. “Playing without those guys has allowed others to step up in their place, and they have. But it also lets us know how good we could be when they return.”

    Valero’s John Pain (4-0) threw a one-hitter against Fatty’s Restaurant on Monday to lead his team to victory on Monday. He struck out seven in the game.

Sam Carriere was 2-for-3 with two runs scored leading off for Valero. Devin Damare was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

On Wednesday, Byron Clark (3-1) allowed only three hits as Valero took an early lead and never looked back to beat Service Master.

Andrew Suffrin went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Carriere was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Pat Roth was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

This year, Luquet hopes this start leads to a postseason surge. Last season, Valero made it into the Southeast Regional. This year, if they again are one of the two teams to advance out of the Second District West, they will go on to the Southwest Regional in Gonzales.

Likely to be waiting for them is Gauthe-Amedee, a team combined from players at East Ascension, Dutchtown and St. Amant.

“That would be a really difficult team to beat,” Luquet says. “But we’d like to be able to qualify and have the chance to face them.”