MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / March 15, 2000

RESERVE – St. Charles Catholic had been getting good pitching and defensegoing into the East St. John Tournament this weekend but the Comets werestill waiting for their bats to come around.

The Comets got all three phases of the game Saturday afternoon, defeating East St. John, 12-1, in the tournament finale. St. Charles Catholic (5-5-1)went 2-0-1 in the tournament, defeating Higgins, 12-2, Friday, before tying Berwick, 3-3, Saturday. East St. John (4-7) defeated Higgins, 17-8,Thursday before losing to Berwick, 15-13, Friday.

Jason Waguespack went the distance for the Comets against East St. JohnSaturday, giving up one earned run on five hits and one walk while striking out five. Roderick Marshall started for East St. John, going 4 1/3 innings,giving up three earned runs on two hits and eight walks while striking out three. Mike Brown pitched 2/3 of an inning while Robert Dauzat came in topitch the sixth.

Mike Mustian led off the game for the Comets by drawing a walk from Marshall. A single to left by Waguespack and a hit by pitch by Toby Jacobloaded the bases with one out. Nick Monica followed with a fly ball toright. Mustian came in to score but catcher Tie Reese caught courtesyrunner off second to end the inning.

St. Charles Catholic got two more in the top of the second. With one out,Andrew Revall and Jason Rauch walked and advanced on Chris Cancienne’s chopper back to Marshall. Mustian then fouled off eight straight pitches ona 1-2 count before lining a single to center, scoring both Revall and Rauch to make it 3-0.

East St. John threatened in the fourth as Mervin Williams led off with astand-up double to left-center. One out later, Darwin Pittman beat out agrounder to third and Tie Reese walked to load the bases. Waguespack thenstruck out Terron Charles and got Louis Gardner to ground out to short to end the inning.

Jacob made it 4-0 in the top of the fifth by reaching on an error by Gardner and scoring on a wild pitch by Marshall.

St. Charles Catholic broke the game open with eight runs in the top of thesixth. Mustian walked to lead off the inning. Dauzat came in to relieveBrown and walked Waguespack and gave up an infield single to Dustin Braud to load the bases. Jacob brought home Mustian with a single to shortright field. Monica and Randy Madere followed with singles to center,increasing the lead to 7-0.

Jason LaPorte grounded out to Pittman for the first out with Jacob scoring on the play. After Derrick Gaubert struck out, Justin Chauvin reached on atwo-base throwing error by Gardner. Monica and Madere came in to scoreto make it 10-0. Mustian followed with a walk and scored along withChauvin on Braud’s single to center, giving the Comets a 12-0 lead.

East St. John came back in the bottom of the inning as Williams reached onan error. Roydell Williams forced Williams at second but advanced on athrowing error. Pittman followed with a single to right, scoring Williamsto make it 12-1.

Jacob pitched a one-hitter in the Comets’ victory over Higgins Friday.

Braud went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Revall andWaguespack each went 2-for-2 with Revall driving in two runs. Braudwent on to hold Berwick in check in the first game Saturday.

“The last week, we have gotten good pitching,” St. Charles Catholic coachFrank Monica said. “We’re getting players out as long as we are around theplate. We don’t have an outstanding offense but our defense and pitchinghas been good. I learned a lot about this team this weekend, about theircharacter and their demeanor.”In East St. John’s tournament opener against Higgins, Pittman went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs. Gardner and Mervin Williams each had three hitsin three at-bats with Williams driving in two runs. Marshall added twohits in three trips to the plate. Dauzat picked up the victory to improve to1-1 on the season. East St. John jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first andended the game with a six-run fifth.

Charles homered and drove in two runs in the Wildcats’ game against Berwick Friday as East St. John’s rally fell just short after trailing 15-5in the fourth. Pittman had two hits and three RBIs while Reese had twohits and two runs batted in.

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