By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

After blowing seventh inning leads in each of the last three games, you could certainly excuse Townsend Homes Coach Paul Waguespack if he were holding his breath when Townsend entered the seventh inning protecting a 4-3 lead on Wednesday.

But when Townsend catcher Robbie Eichorn threw out a Service Master base runner to record the 27th and final out of the game, the dubious streak came to an end. St. Charles-based Townsend Homes had defeated John Curtis-based Service Master, 4-3, at St. Charles.

“It’s good just to get a win,” said Waguespack.

 Townsend (4-5, 3-2) now finds itself a game out of second place in the Second District Western Division, behind Valero-St. Charles and Otto Candies.

Waguespack said that his team’s play hasn’t been perfect lately, and wasn’t on Wednesday – three Townsend baserunners were picked off, costing the team potential runs. But, he said, it was good enough for a win.

“I haven’t doubted our effort,” he said. “It’s been there. We’ve just been a little short on execution. We had some mental lapses today…but things just seemed to work out.”

Marc Picciola went 3-for-3 in the game to lead Townsend. Nick Reine was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Service Master (1-4 in Second District) scored runs in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead.

But Matt Bonnecarre’s two run double in the bottom of the second tied the game at two.

James Krawczyk came in as a courtesy runner for Bonnecarre, and stole third. Alex Marse’s sacrifice fly would plate him for the go ahead run, as Townsend took a 3-2 lead.

In the third, Picciola singled, then advanced on a wild pitch. Reine singled to drive him in for the team’s fourth run.

Service Master scored once more, in the fifth, but it would go no further.

Lefthander Jared Keating (1-1) notched the win after going four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out five.

Henri Fauchier successfully closed out the game, allowing one run and three hits in three innings.

    “We got good pitching at the end of the game, and we made plays,” Waguespack said. “We haven’t been doing that.”

    With his team finally back on the winning side, he says he can take at least one positive from the last stretch of games.

    “The one thing I feel good about is if (Otto Candies and Valero) are the best teams in this division, we were up on both of them late,” Waguespack said. “We know we can play with them. It may have slipped away, but the next time around, anything can happen.”