By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

St. Charles went to Monroe last Thursday and returned with the best start its had in six years intact.

The Comets went 3-1 on its trip, besting Menard, Calvary Baptist and Eunice to move to 8-1-1 on the season.

While SCC fell for the first time all season on Thursday against Ouachita Christian, but make no mistake – SCC coach Paul Waguespack will take it.

“You have to be happy with the result,” said Waguespack. “You travel up here, and it prepares your guys for playing on the road, in a hostile environment. It’s all part of preparing yourself to have a chance to make a run at the end of the season.”

The weekend began in lackluster fashion for SCC, as it fell to Ouachita Christian 5-3. Three OCS (6-2) runs in the fifth inning gave the Eagles the lead for good.

The loss spoiled a strong performance by pitcher Henri Faucheux (1-1), who struck out 11 batters and allowed only two earned runs on three hits. But SCC committed four errors, allowing three unearned runs to cross home. Compounding matters was that the team left seven runners on in the first two innings.

“I feel like we lost one we should have won there,” said Waguespack. “Faucheux threw the ball well. When you strike out 11, there’s half of your outs right there. We didn’t have to make many plays, but we let them hang around and they beat us.”

Brandon Becker was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Alex Marse went 2-for-3 with a double.

SCC resumed its winning ways on Friday. Brady Hitt’s RBI single in the sixth inning gave the Comets a 10-9 come-from-behind win over Menard (4-5).

Hitt singled in Nick Reine, whose triple scored two runs to tie the game.

Becker (2-0) earned the win on the mound in relief, pitching two innings and allowing a run on four hits. Jared Keating earned the save.

Reine finished the day 2-for-4 with four RBIs. D.J. Wesley, Marse and Hitt also each collected two hits.

SCC committed another four errors, though, which was one reason  that Waguespack was less than enamored with the performance.

“Honestly, this was the opposite of the night before,” Waguespack said. “It might have been our worst performance of the year. We won one that we shouldn’t have. We were sloppy, we didn’t play well. But we’ll take it.”

But the coach had few complaints after each of the next two SCC wins. First, St. Charles defeated Calvary Baptist (2-8) on Saturday, 7-4, in extra innings behind three eighth inning runs.

Wesley’s RBI single provided the go-ahead run. On the same play, Grant Authement scored from first base on a Calvary throwing error to home plate. Wesley advanced to third, and James Krawczyk brought him home on an infield single.

Becker (3-0) picked up his second win of the tournament. He went eight innings, striking out 11. He allowed eight hits, four runs and walked two.

SCC finished its trip with a 4-2 win over Eunice (5-4) on Saturday.

Keating (2-0) went the complete game, allowing two runs on eight hits.

Marse was 2-for-4. Authement hit a two-RBI triple in the second inning to give SCC its first lead.

“I thought we woke up and played really good baseball in the last 11 innings of the trip,” said Waguespack. “We made a few mistakes, but we played well.

“It was good competition. It won’t get any easier. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. You play good teams, and it only helps you get better for what lies ahead.”

ST. CHARLES 3, HOLY CROSS 1 –Hitt’s complete game two hitter paced the Comets as it outlasted Holy Cross last Tuesday.

Hitt (1-0) also notched two hits of his own in the game.

SCC scored its three runs over the first two innings.

Marse hit a solo home run in the win.