By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

MARRERO – After dropping three straight games to conclude last weekend’s Lutcher tournament, St. Charles Catholic’s coaches nor players were satisfied with the way their season was unfolding. So with no game scheduled on Sunday, the Comets held a “back to basics” practice, focusing on refocusing on the little details it takes to win.

The lessons seemed to take on Wednesday at John Ehret, where the Comets rolled to a 12-1 victory that pulled SCC’s record to an even 9-9.

The Comets scored 10 runs in the first two innings of play to all but seal their victory early.

“That’s something we really haven’t done this season,” said St. Charles coach Paul Waguespack, fresh off of his recent 200th career coaching win. “We don’t feel like we’ve been playing up to our capability. After losing those three at Lutcher, we went back out there on Sunday and went back to our old way of doing things.

“We’ve still got a ways to go. But, knock on wood, we’re error free over the last three games, which we hope to see continue.”

The win was the third straight for St. Charles, after the Comets won 18-1 and 15-0 in a home doubleheader against district foe Donaldsonville Tuesday.

John Ehret fell to 8-9 with the loss, the Patriots’ seventh straight. Ehret began the season with eight wins in its first 10 games.

The Comets’ Brandon Zimmer socked a 3-run home run in the second inning to help break things open.

“We haven’t taken anything or anyone for granted this week,” said Zimmer. “We came out here with a must win attitude. I think if we maintain that, we’ll have a lot more success going forward.”

Zimmer said he got a good read on a first pitch fastball and made his swing count.

“I concentrated on keeping my hands inside and just happened to drive it over the fence,” said Zimmer.

Chad McNeil started the game but went just two innings of no run ball; Waguespack said that the early lead afforded the team a chance to rest McNeil for the weekend’s action. He struck out four and allowed just one hit, moving his record to 4-1.

Austin Weber pitched the final three innings in relief. He struck out six batters, allowing a single run on four hits and one walk.

Ehret’s Aaron Appleberry, Devin Johnson and Warren Garrett each doubled in the game.

Blair Thornton started for the Patriots, taking the loss.

McNeil also had a strong day at the plate for St. Charles, going 2 for 4 with three RBIs, including a first inning two-run double.  

Dylan Gillies also collected two hits to go along with  three RBIs.

The Comets reshuffled their lineup recently, moving Kameron Keller and Mason Bordelon into the top two spots while shifting Austin Weber to the cleanup role behind McNeil; Keller, Bordelon and Weber had hit second, sixth and first respectively before that.

Along with some other shifts throughout the lineup, Waguespack feels the changes bring some needed balance to the team’s offensive attack.

The Comets experimented with a similar lineup during the American Legion season last summer.

“We had too many big guys in a row. Now, we’re going fast-slow, fast-slow,” said Waguespack. “We’re trying to even that out.

Kameron’s a good leadoff hitter, he showed that when we had him doing a little of it during the summer. “

The Comets had a big Class 3A matchup against Eunice at home Friday, then return to district action Tuesday at Comet Field against Port Allen.