By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE — St. Charles has made it to the state softball tournament in Sulphur in all four years Ty Monica has spent as head coach. They’re a win away from making it five for five.

The seventh-seeded Comets took care of business early against No. 24 Mangham, 15-0 in three innings in a Class 2A bi-district playoff game. The game was called after three because of the 15-run rule.

“There are 32 teams in Class 2A that had the same goal, to win today or tomorrow and be able to practice the next day,” said Monica. “We get to be one of the 16 that do.”

St. Charles (21-5) will face the winner of No. 10 Sterlington and No. 23 Lakeside in the regional round. That game was set to be played Tuesday.

Megan Louque pitched a one-hit shutout but was even more impressive at the plate. The Comets’ senior went 2 for 2 with two home runs and a walk. Fellow senior Katie Terrio doubled twice and collected three RBIs.

Mangham (14-12-1) threatened to take an early lead in the first inning as Karley Poindexter walked and Meagan Duchesne singled to put two on with one out. But Louque and the SCC defense got a fly out and a groundout in succession to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, Chelsea Loupe walked to set up Louque, who hit a rocket almost on a rope to dead center field, clearing the fence and putting the Comets up 2-0.

Duchesne was able to limit the first inning damage to those two runs from the mound, while Louque followed suit, retiring all three batters she faced in the third while striking out two.

The second inning left no doubt about who would be advancing, as St. Charles piled up eight runs. With one out, Terrio started it off with a double, then Heather Orillion singled. Kati Duhe singled home the third run of the game, then Louque did the same for the fourth. The Comets got a fifth run when Duhe scored from third on a passed ball. Louque walked and Emily Tregre singled to load the bases for Raven Becnel, who walked to force home a run. That made it 6-0. Jaymie Remondet did the same, walking in a seventh run. With two outs, Terrio ended the inning as she began it, with a double — this time, it cleared the bases to make it 10-0.

“We hit it really well today,” said Tregre. “In clutch situations we were able to come through and move runners into position, and it helped us come out with the victory.”

Louque then blasted a second home run, a two-run shot, in the third inning.

“I learned from my last at-bat how they were pitching to me,” said Louque. “I changed my approach and it worked out.”

Said Monica, “It was one of her more impressive at-bats of the year, just in how she adjusted. She’s been really seeing the ball well.”

Becnel and Remondet added RBI singles and Jessica Mire scored the 15th and clinching run from third on an RBI single by Duhe.

“We had some really good at-bats today,” said Monica. “At-bats where we got ahead in the count and made it tough on their pitcher. At the same time, there were some I’d like to have back, like a pop-up in a spot where we needed something else, things like that. So we can continue to improve on that.”

After defeating Central Catholic and earning a dramatic win over Covington last week (something both Louque and Tregre said was big for building momentum), the Comets have won four straight.

A fifth would punch their ticket to Sulphur for the fifth straight season.

“Of the 16 teams that’ll be left, they’re all good teams,” said Monica. “Anyone can make a run.”