By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

BATON ROUGE — Nick Reine’s bases-clearing double proved to be the difference as St. Charles held off Dunham to notch an 8-6 non-district victory.

Reine’s double with the bases loaded in the fourth inning gave St. Charles (19-4) an 8-4 lead in the fourth inning. Dunham added a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning, but neither team would score again.

Reine finished with five RBIs on the day after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning.

Cody McMurray earned the victory to move to 5-1 on the season.

Reine’s second inning home run put SCC ahead 2-1. Dunham (13-6-1)scored three runs in the bottom of the third to reestablish its lead at 4-2.

But in the top of the fourth, Jared Keating, Donnie Savoie and Brady Hitt all reached on two singles and an error, respectively. McNeil scored on the error to make it 4-3, and Marc Picciola grounded out, but knocked in the tying run. Grant Authement was hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run before Reine broke things open.

McMurray allowed three hits, no runs, and struck out five in 3.2 innings of relief work after entering for starter Marc Picciola. McMurray walked no batters.

Dunham was ranked No. 14 in the Class 2A power rankings as of Friday morning. St. Charles was in a tie for second with Evangel.