LAPLACE — Though St. Charles Catholic dropped a nailbiter to Dutchtown last week, the Comets picked up two welcome 10-run rule victories over District 11-3A foe De La Salle last week to get back on track.

SCC defeated De La Salle Thursday, 15-4, and March 31, 10-0, each game going five innings. The Comets’ loss to Dutchtown went into extra innings, the Griffins scoring a 1-0 victory in eight innings.

“We needed (the De La Salle) wins,”  St. Charles coach Wayne Stein said. “We were reeling a bit after a tough week, losing two to John Curtis and then another to a top E.D. White team. We couldn’t afford to feel sorry for ourselves and we went out and, I thought, played no truly bad innings.”

That was an important target, Stein said, because while the Comets (12-9, 2-2) have been explosive this season offensively, the big inning has gone against them as well.

“We’re kind of the team of the big inning,” Stein said. “We put up six-run and 10-run innings last week against De La Salle, and we’ve done that a few times this year. On the flip side, when we’ve lost games, we’ve had some big innings go against us in that way. I thought last week we were really consistent inning-to-inning and hopefully that’s something we can build off.”

In Thursday’s win, the Comets’ Dane Authement went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Justin Loupe went 3 for 4, while Eian Mitchell and Zach Roussel each went 2 for 3. Nick Scioneaux picked up the victory on the mound in relief.

In March 31’s victory over the Cavaliers (4-13), Austin Weber earned the win by tossing a 1-hitter.

Zach Weber went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Dane Authement went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Loupe went 2 for 2 and Eian Mitchell went 2 for 3.

The third inning was again the striking point for SCC, the Comets scoring six in the frame.

Roussel went eight strong innings for SCC against Dutchtown (11-13), but the Griffins earned the win via an 8th inning home run.

SCC had chances to close the game out in the 6th and 7th, but an errant suicide squeeze play in the 6th and a runner tossed out at home in the seventh ended those threats.

“I told our kids, if we’re going to win in the playoffs, and we’ll see games like this, we need to execute in those situations,” Stein said. “No matter how good you are offensively, you’re going to have a time where you need to lay down a bunt or execute a hit and run.”

Authement’s bat has begun to heat up for the Comets. And Loupe has been among the hottest batters in the area, hitting over .400 on the season and over .600 in the past three weeks.