By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – With his team off to a slow start this summer at 3-6, Townsend Homes coach Wayne Stein made a request to his St. Charles Catholic-based American Legion squad: just find a way to get to .500.
On the final day of the regular season, Townsend got there in impressive fashion, besting Rummel-based Deanie’s Seafood 9-2 Monday.
Townsend Homes (7-7-1) closed on a tear, beating Destrehan, Holy Cross and Rummel-based squads as it won three of four, losing only a hard-fought 8-6 decision against Jesuit-based Retif Oil last Wednesday.
“I’m just pleased with the way we’re playing right now,” said Stein. “We’ve definitely exceeded where I expected to be this summer. We’ve finally adapted to playing the kind of ball we need to play to win. We haven’t hit a home run this summer, but we’ve cut down our strikeouts, we’re more aggressive on the bases, we’re executing bunts.”
Eian Mitchell and Austin Weber each had big offensive days. Mitchell collected two hits and three RBIs while Weber produced two hits and two RBIs. Dane Authement and Mason Bordelon each collected two of Townsend Homes’ 11 hits.
“It’s our third game in a row with double digit hits,” said Stein. “With the wooden bats, that’s something that doesn’t happen often.”
Both teams pitched by committee in the game, with both Stein and Deanie’s coach Nick Monica not wanting to tax their staffs on the eve of the district playoffs. Brandon Klibert earned the win for Townsend, going three innings. He, Colin Bosco, Zack Roussel and Weber combined to allow four hits.
Townsend led throughout after posting three first inning runs. Townsend scored one in the third and two in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead before all but closing the door with a three-run sixth inning.
Townsend’s defense stepped up as it has all summer, turning two double-plays in the game.
“I honestly expected this from our defense. We return all of our infield with the exception of Chad (McNeil),” said Stein. “Our pitchers are pounding strikes in and giving us a chance.”
The win over Deanie’s provided an extra boost of momentum before the Second District playoffs, where Townsend Homes was to attempt to advance from a double-elimination tournament with Hahnville-based Otto Candies and Destrehan-based Shell Motiva. Townsend was set to play two nine-inning games Tuesday. The top two teams will advance, with the first team to lose twice eliminated. Townsend split with Shell Motiva this summer while falling twice to Otto Candies. Three of the four games were decided by one-run.
But no matter how that goes, Stein said that he saw his players step up this summer, which makes things a success.
“(The slow start) might have been my fault. I wasn’t putting a lot of emphasis on the wins and losses side of things,” said Stein. “When I started to do that a little more, they really responded.
“We’re playing our best ball right now. I like our approach going in.”