LAPLACE — Coaches like to think their teams have a chance against any opponent, but sometimes they come up against one they just can’t beat.

Her name is Mother Nature.

April Showers may bring May flowers, but February and March have brought storms, floods and even a tornado to Southeast Louisiana, wreaking havoc with baseball practices and schedules across the area. A whole slew of Friday games were canceled, including the first day of the annual Lutcher Tournament.

Things got much better (and cooler) on Saturday and Sunday.

Riverside Academy

Riverside coach Frank Cazeaux said his team has been “hot and cold” through its first 15 games of the season, which includes a 2-2 performance at last weekend’s Lutcher Tournament. The Rebels lost to St. Charles and Lutcher, but scored wins against Berwick and Karr.

“We have the capability of playing really good baseball, and we have the capability of playing really bad baseball,” Cazeaux said. “Other than one game (Jesuit), we’ve been in every game.”

Mason Vicknair took the loss to St. Charles for Riverside. In six innings he allowed no earned runs, walked five and struck out four. Vicknair helped the Rebels get the 6-2 win against Berwick with his bat, going 2-for-4 with a single and a double. Zack Gieger tripled. Pitcher Zack Breaud, in his first high school start, got the win. He gave up seven hits and no earned runs.

Jordan Loving struck out nine in Riverside’s 4-2 win over Karr. He gave up four hits and one walk.

Riverside tried to rally against Lutcher. Trailing 9-1, the Rebels scored four runs in the seventh inning. Jared Hymel and Cameron Roussel hit RBI singles. A Karr error scored two more Rebels runs.

Jordan Loving struck out nine in Riverside’s 4-2 win over Karr. He gave up four hits and one walk.

Riverside tried to rally against Lutcher. Trailing 9-1, the Rebels scored four runs in the seventh inning.

Jared Hymel and Cameron Roussel hit RBI singles.

A Karr error scored two more Rebels runs. The Rebels entered the week and begin District 12-2A play at 7-8.

St. Charles Catholic

The Comets  didn’t  play at all last week thanks to the weather and mid-term exams. When they hit the field in Lutcher, they went 4-0 in tournament play, beating Riverside, 3-0; Berwick, 6-0; Karr, 5-3; and Lutcher 4-0.

Brennan Gilberti got the win against Riverside after pitching a 7-inning shutout. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out four.

Jacob Jensen pitched a 1-hit shutout against Berwick, walking two and striking out five. Dane Authement hit an RBI double and Brady Newman hit a 2-run single in the fifth. Zack Weber scored one run and had two RBIs.

The Comets had to fend off a late rally by Karr. Newman drove in runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Justin Ory had an RBI double in the game. Evan Pfister got the win on the mound, giving up five hits, walking two and striking out five.

St. Charles broke open a scoreless game with three runs in the sixth against Lutcher. Newman broke the stalemate with a single in the sixth to score Authement. Zachary Roussel pitched the shutout victory, allowing four hits.

East St. John

East St. John Coach Jade Falgoust said his team also has been playing hot and cold — when it’s not wet.

The Wildcats are on a four-game winning streak with an overall record of 8-7 as they head into District 6-5A play this week. They have posted wins against Woodlawn (13-9), Covenant Christian (6-3), South Lafourche (10-3) and St. Martin’s (11-1) last week.

“It has been a roller coaster these first few weeks,” Falgoust said.

No one knows that better than senior pitcher I’Leke Brown, who has a 1-3 record but a 1.70 earned run average.

Falgoust also praised the play of outfielder Chase Henderson and C.J. Turner, who are the team’s top batters.

West St. John

The Rams are another team dodging raindrops. They’ve played only four games so far, going 1-3 as they head into district play.