By GEORGE MAHL – Sports Editor

LUTCHER – The E.D. White baseball team certainly didn’t play St. Charles Catholic Monday afternoon the way they played them last week. A five-run first inning was all the Cardinals would need in a 5-0 victory over the Comets.

The victory made E.D. White the 10-3A district champs.

“When you’re down 5-0 right off the bat it takes you out of the game,” said SCC head coach Paul Waguespack.

“Give E.D. White credit they made all of the plays and we didn’t,” he said.

E.D. White starter Lee Simon threw seven innings and only allowed one hit.

Two errors in the first inning cost the Comets dearly.

A lead-off walk to Robbie Falgoust and another walk to Rene Ritchie put runners on first and second with one out. A single by Blake Naquin scored Ritchie from second base, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. After Josh Waguespack grounded out for the second out of the inning, the Comets made the first error of the game. A throwing error by third baseman Jesse Martin put runners on first and second with two outs. The second error of the inning, this one from Matt Heltz, scored two more E.D. White runs, making the score 4-0. After a walk to Matt Marcello, BJ Gravois singled home Jared Waguespack for the inning’s final run.

In the first inning, St. Charles Catholic starting pitcher Jeremy Catoire pitched to 10 batters and gave up five runs, three of which were unearned.

Cardinals starting pitcher Lee Simon had little difficulty with Comet hitters, allowing only one hit and walking three.

The lone hit for the Comets came in the top of the second. With two outs, catcher Jeremy Poche nailed a single. He could, however, not advance any further as Adam Millet grounded out to end the inning.

Catoire managed to get out of a jam in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second and one out, Josh Waguespack hit into a double play to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third, E.D. White threatened again, but could not score.

With the first two Cardinal hitters reaching base, Catoire settled down and got the next three E.D. White hitters out to end the threat.

Catoire was replaced in the fifth inning by Heltz, who allowed two base runners in two innings of work.