By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

CHALMETTE — St. Charles Catholic-based Townsend Homes began its summer with a pair of victories that came on the back of late inning heroics.

But its last two games have seen the pendulum swing in the other direction.

After falling to Shaw-based Refuel, 4-3, on an RBI single in the seventh inning, the Comets fell 2-1 Monday at Chalmette to the Owls-based Gulf Coast Bank on an RBI single in the seventh inning by Alex Smith.

“I just looked to hit it hard,” said Smith. “And whatever happens, happens. It feels good to get out with a win, because we’ve been struggling.”

It was the first win of the summer for Gulf Coast, which now sees its record improve to 1-5.

Smith, who started on the mound for Gulf Coast, and Townsend starter Connor Smith each pitched gems. Errors helped account for the first two runs of the game after five scoreless innings.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better job,” said Townsend Homes coach Paul Waguespack. “He battled his butt off. And it’s disappointing to me that we didn’t make the adjustments at the plate to take advantage. I feel like they wanted to be here a little more than we did.”

The game appeared destined for extra innings in the bottom of the seventh. With the score tied 1-1, Smith struck out the first two Gulf Coast batters of the inning. But the top of the order came through — leadoff man Devin Baldridge started things off with a drive to the gap in center field. Then Scott Maillet singled up the middle and Smith dropped one into left to end the game.

In the top of the sixth, Townsend’s Jeffrey Hall was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Donnie Savoie bunted him over and Chad McNeil got Hall to third when he grounded out on a chopper. That brought up Macky Cortez, who reached on an errant throw to first base. Cortez stole second and reached third on a passed ball, but Smith got out of the inning with no further damage.

Smith would draw a walk in the bottom half, and advanced to second on a Cameron Sims ground ball. With two outs, a Townsend error allowed the game to be tied when a ball hit by Sean Beckwith to the right side of the infield equated to a tough play and a wide throw.

Townsend Homes (2-2) had another chance to do some damage in the top of the seventh when Nick Montagut singled and Ahmani Martin drew a walk with two outs. That brought up Hall, and both runners would advance on a passed ball during his at-bat. But Hall grounded out to end the threat.

“We need to do a better job with runners in scoring position. Again, it’s adjustments,” said Waguespack. “We’re staying with the same approach, regardless of situation. We’re not thinking late. And we’re not going to score runs doing that.”

Smith, a sophomore lefthander, had allowed just two hits before the final inning.

Nick Montagut tossed a complete game against Refuel in a losing effort Friday, allowing six hits on the day.

Montagut’s RBI single in the sixth inning tied the game at 3-3. But an error in the seventh would open the door for Refuel to score on a single to win the game.

“It was the same type of thing,” said Waguespack. “We have the potential to be good. But after four games and a jamboree, we’re not getting it done right now.”