By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — There were plenty of “Southern Miss” references at St.Charles on Monday as SCC-based Townsend Homes picked up its first Second District victory of the summer.

Just like the previous night’s College World Series battle between Texas and Southern Miss (A Texas victory), the winning run crossed home plate via a walk. Jared Keating drew one with the bases loaded to score Matt Eymard and lift Townsend Homes to a 4-3 victory in nine innings over Hahnville-based Otto Candies.

“We hadn’t played St. Charles baseball in the past week,” said Townsend Homes coach Paul Waguespack. “We didn’t do it Wednesday, we didn’t do it Thursday. Really, had we lost today, I’d have been okay with it. I just want our guys to play hard and give ourselves a chance at the end. It’s all I care about.”

The win came with a big time lift from the bullpen, including lefthander Henri Faucheux, who began the seventh inning. He would strike out the first eight batters he faced, and nine of the first 10 in all.

While it seemed he was baffling hitters, Faucheux said the gameplan was simplistic.

“It was all fastballs and maybe one curve,” said Faucheux. “Tied at 3-3, I knew I couldn’t walk anyone. I had to throw strikes.”

Said Waguespack: “Henri can be as good as he wants to be. I can’t say enough about what he gave us today. When he shows up ready to pitch, he can be special.”

Townsend Homes (2-5, 1-3) began its half of the ninth inning when Eymard drew a walk. Keith White followed by legging out an infield hit. After both runners advanced on a passed ball, Otto Candies coach Kade Rogers elected to intentionally walk Brady Hitt, leaving Keating to walk in the winning run on five pitches.

Keating also drove in the first run of the game in the first inning, as his double to left field followed Hitt’s double to right.

Otto Candies (2-6, 2-1) answered by loading the bases in the second inning and scoring on an errant pickoff throw from catcher Matt Bonnecarre to Eymard at first base,scoring $$$ Ford from third.

Dillon Boudreaux would lay down a perfect bunt down the third base line to bring home another run, before Keating (who started) would get out the inning.

Three consecutive Otto Candies singles in the third chased Keating with one out.

Nick Reine would enter in relief with the bases loaded. He’d escape with no damage after a strikeout and a groundout.

Tyler Cooper’s RBI groundout in the third put Otto Candies ahead 3-1, but the lead wouldn’t last.

After Shane McNeil doubled with two outs, Bonnecarre reached on an error. Eymard knocked in Townsend’s second run of the game.

In the fifth. Reine’s squeeze bunt scored Hitt to tie the game, after Hitt and Keating singled and doubled respectively to lead off the inning.

Reine finished with 3.2 innings of work, allowing two hits, walking three with one earned run.

Then Faucheux came in and slammed the door.

And none too soon, he admitted after the game.

“If we didn’t win, they threatened to make us participate in the kids camp tomorrow,” he joked. “This was an important one for us.”Ì-