LAPLACE — St. Charles Catholic and John Curtis have waged some wild, unpredictable battles on the baseball diamond over the years.

Tuesday’s clash might just qualify.

The Comets sent the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning after falling behind by as many as 11 runs, but Curtis reliever Kody Schexnayder got SCC’s Dane Authement to fly out to end the threat and the game, the Patriots holding off the Comets in an 18-15 District 11-3A slugfest.

“It seemed like we might be able to run away early, but even in the first inning I warned our guys St. Charles wouldn’t go away,” John Curtis coach Johnny Curtis said. “I thought the strike zone was a little bit smaller and St. Charles dug in. The result was an 18-15 game.”

Curtis (11-3, 1-0) scored 16 of its 18 runs with two outs, including an eight-run first inning that saw Curtis send 10 straight batters to the plate after SCC starter Nick Scioneaux got two flyball outs to start the game.

The Patriots collected 18 hits on the day, while the Comets (10-6, 0-1) had 13.

St. Charles trailed 14-3 in the bottom of the fourth and then 18-7 in the bottom of the fifth, each time answering with three runs in the frame to stave off a 10-run rule decision.

“I felt less like we lost and more we just ran out of time,” St. Charles coach Wayne Stein said. “Obviously, a ton of credit goes to Curtis. 16 of 18 runs with two outs is a testament to those guys. We knew they could really hit the ball.

“But I’m extremely proud of my guys. From nearly being 10-run ruled twice to make that kind of rally … to me, it comes down to our seniors. Austin Weber and Eian Mitchell keep leading, whether we’re up or down, whether they’re having good games or down ones. You saw a team led by those two guys today. And we can’t wait to get back to work.”

The Comets began their comeback in earnest in the top of the sixth, when reliever Zack Roussel entered and retired the side in order, representing the first inning that Curtis did not add to its run total.

In the bottom half, Justin Loupe and Zachary Weber each singled to lead off the inning. A pair of wild pitches plated two SCC runs to make it 18-12.

“’Let’s just win an inning,’ was kind of the mantra, and we just couldn’t put up a zero to save our lives,” Stein said. “We finally won one (in the fourth) and then in the sixth, and it kick-started us.”

Roussel blanked Curtis in the seventh as well, setting the table for a final SCC charge

Kody Schexnayder recorded a strikeout to begin the inning, but Justin Ory followed by drawing a walk. Kobie Houston reached on an error, then Loupe kept his hot bat alive by smashing a triple to right, plating two runs. Weber then drove in a run on a ground ball and reached safely on an error before Nash drew a walk.

But with two outs, the Comets couldn’t finish the rally.

Curtis took control in the first inning via a string of hard hit balls, beginning with back-to-back doubles by Daniel Cabrera and A.J. Huff, the latter plating a run. Nick Wilson, Kody Schexnayder, Jay Curtis, Jacob Bordelon, Mason Matherne and Cabrera all collected RBI hits, with Cabrera doubling for the second time in the inning to drive in JCC’s eighth run. Cabrera, Curtis’ 3-hole hitter, later added a two-run home run to cap a big day at the plate.

For the second straight game against a fierce rival, Loupe carried a scorching bat. He finished 4 for 5 with five RBIs, including a double and triple. Austin Weber plated three runs and collected three hits while Ory drove in two and had two hits.

St. Charles has scored 10 runs or more in each of its past five games. It entered with seven wins in its previous eight games.

CURTIS 10, SCC 4 — The Patriots added a second victory in a week’s time over St. Charles Thursday evening, toppling the Comets 10-4 at home to take a decisive advantage in District 11-3A.

St. Charles led 4-0 after the top of the first inning, getting to LSU commitment Daniel Cabrera early. Justin Ory, Brady Newman and Justin Loupe each delivered RBI hits.

But Curtis answered in kind in the bottom of the first, A.J. Huff’s home run punctuating a three-run frame.

A pair of wild pitches allowed Curtis to take a 5-4 lead in the second inning. Then two more runs in the third inning established control of the game for JCC, Kody Schexnayder’s RBI single and a passed ball making it 7-4. Myles Washington’s sixth inning home run pushed Curtis’ lead to 10-4.