By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — St. Charles Catholic-based Townsend Homes rallied from a four-run deficit to take a lead but ultimately fell to Brother Martin-based Peake BMW at home, 6-5, in eight innings Thursday. 

Peake scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning before Townsend answered with five. But a Townsend error allowed Peake to tie the game in the sixth. Peake pushed another unearned run across after a Townsend mistake in the eighth to nail down the victory.

Townsend Homes (7-3) loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but could not plate the winning run.

“We couldn’t make it happen there,” said Townsend coach Wayne Stein. “We made a lot of mistakes today. I thought they were mistakes in spite of a focused team, and we can live with those. Coming off of our loss (to River Ridge) Wednesday, we needed to regain our focus level.”

Stein said he liked seeing his team immediately fire back with five runs after Peake broke loose for four in the fifth.

“I was excited to see us do that,” he said. “After the four, they easily could have tanked it late in a game like that and they didn’t.”

Zach Weber started and went 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits and a walk. Austin Weber came on in relief and tossed 3.2 innings of five-hit ball, allowing two runs (none earned). He walked one and struck out two.

Austin Weber also led Townsend at the plate, going 2 for 5. 

 

PATRIOTS 13, TOWNSEND 3 — River Ridge avenged an earlier defeat to Townsend with a home victory Wednesday, a seven-run fourth inning pacing John-Curtis-based River Ridge to a decisive victory.

Justin Ory, Austin Weber and Justin Dubose each collected two hits. Ory drove in all three Townsend runs. 

Jon Brown took the loss for Townsend.

“It felt like the kids had nothing left for this one,” said Stein. “It was one of those typical summer days. At the same time, credit to Curtis. They had 19 hits. This wasn’t an error fest, they came out and earned it.”

 

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TOWNSEND 12, KARR 0 — In a non-American Legion sanctioned exhibition game, Townsend secured a win over Karr behind a combined shutout performance by six pitchers. 

Justin Ory continued his hot start to the season, going 3 for 3 with three RBIs. Jon Brown had a double and two RBIs. Justin Dubose had two RBIs and Zach Roussel doubled home a run. 

Austin Weber started and pitched two innings, earning the win.

“We did a lot well,” Stein said. “Karr’s a good team. 

“They went 22-2 during prep. They were missing a couple guys, but their coach said they were committed so they’d play … We got to see some different guys out there on the mound and for the most part, everyone performed really well.”