By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. Charles Catholic senior third baseman Karli Terrio said that the goal of every softball team is, ultimately, to reach the state softball tournament in Sulphur.

The Lady Comets are one victory away from doing just that.

Terrio went 3 for 3 at the plate and Chelsea Loupe pitched a perfect three-inning game as St. Charles rolled past visiting Farmerville Monday, 15-0, in a Class 3A bi-district round playoff game.

The game ended after three innings due to the 15-run rule. St. Charles (20-6) scored 13 runs in the bottom of the third inning to close the game out, sending 17 batters to the plate in the frame.

“We started off a little slow while we adjusted to their pitcher. But after we went around the order once, everyone did really well,” said Terrio, who scored three runs and collected an RBI.

“I feel like we’re really coming together. We’ve been working extremely hard over the past week and I think it’ll pay off for us going forward.”

St. Charles will face the winner of No. 10 Loranger and No. 23 Patterson in the regional round.

Loupe struck out seven over her three innings of work and moved her record to 19-6 on the season.

“You never know what to expect in a game like this,” said St. Charles coach Ty Monica. “You’re not sure how your team will respond, if they’ll have jitters … then you don’t know much about the other team, given they’re from the Monroe area. It took us a little while to get going, but Chelsea held them intact. She only faced nine batters today, which is always good to see.”

After Terrio singled to lead off the game, Jessica Mire doubled to deep left to put the Comets ahead 1-0. Mire stole third before Destiny Wesley drove her in to make it 2-0.

The floodgates opened for SCC in the third. Terrio collected an infield single, Mire walked and Loupe singled to load the bases. Wesley hit a ball that resulted in an error at short and two runs scored to make it 4-0. Emily Triche singled home the team’s fifth run and advanced to second on the throw home.

Franklinton’s defense fell apart from there. Three consecutive errors saw the score climb to 8-0. Terrio singled home Morgan Nobile, who’d stolen third, to make it 9-0. Mire’s singled home her second RBI of the day to make it 10-0. Cori Millet, Paige Williams and Megan Ruiz each singled home runs to close things out, Ruiz’ single to left officially clinching the game.

Farmerville officially finished the season with a record of 12-10.

The Comets have regrouped after a tough two-game stretch that included a 6-0 loss to Brusly and then a 13-0 loss to Riverside.

Since then, SCC has won four straight games, including a pair of close wins over formidable foes in E.D. White and Central Catholic.

“We changed our practice mentality and habits a little bit after that,” said SCC coach Ty Monica. “I think it’s helped us in the way we approach certain things. Aside from that, we just went back to the drawing board and figured out what we needed to accomplish to make people better at what they do.”

The Comets have been to Sulphur every year under Monica during his six-year tenure.

“You just want to get there. That’s your goal at the beginning of every season,” said Monica. “Because God knows what can happen once you’re there. We’re one game away from stetting foot on that turf.”

Terrio and her fellow seniors have been to Sulphur in each year of their tenure. She said that the plan is to finish it that way.

“It’s just all about wanting it,” she said. “If this isn’t where your passion is, then why play? The seniors are going to do whatever it takes.”