By ROBERT L. LEE

DESTREHAN – The Cretin Homes St. Charles Catholic Comets and East St. Charles Post 366/195 Fighting Wil-dcats collided in Destrehan Wednesday, leaving the home team victorious, and the Comets frustrated.

Comets head coach Paul Waguespack said his team played well enough to win, but tripped on their four errors and fell to the Fighting Wildcats 3-1.

“They’ve got a good ball club, no doubt,” said Waguespack. “We just kicked a couple of balls around and we’ve got to make routine plays.”

The Fighting Wildcats Brandon Maggiore opened on the mound and gave up one walk before delivering two strike outs and gaining the third out via a pop fly.

Batting against the Comets’ Jeremy Catoire, East St. Charles’ Fred Smith gained a walk, then stole second and third bases. Trey Simon turned a shallow hit into a double when the Comets caught Smith in a run off between third base and home plate. Smith jumped and slid but was tagged out before reaching home plate.

The Comets completed enough plays in the first and third innings to land three runners in scoring position, but left the runners stranded and zero runs on the score board.

The Fighting Wildcats took the first lead after two single hits rotated Beau Jones around to third base. A second attempt at a sacrifice hit proved successful in diverting the Comets long enough for Jones to safely slide in for the 1-0 lead.

After putting three Comet batters up and three back to the dugout in the top of the fourth inning, the Fighting Wildcats placed Keith Johnson safe at first with one prior out. A high throw to check Johnson at first flew over the first baseman’s head and opened the door for Johnson to steal second and third bases. The Comets’ throw to third was even higher and Johnson strolled in for the 2-0 score.

The bad luck continued when a low pitch sent Jones running from first base to steal second. A Rustin Rebowe base hit was all Jones needed to round third and put up The Fighting Wildcats’ third point.

The Comets retaliated in the following fifth inning with a base hit and a double to place runners on second and third with one out.

A pop out gave the Comets their only run when Daniel Vitrano crossed home plate to score.

Jones stepped onto the mound in the sixth inning and struck out the first two Cretin Homes batters with a smile. The third batter was thrown out at first. The Fighting Wildcats left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, but defensively, Jones returned to finish off the Comets.

Jones’ struck out the first two Comet batters with four pitches each, then watched Brad Millet hit a two-and-two pitch for a base hit.

However, only three pitches later, Jones had the final strike out.

“I came in and my arm was fresh,” said Jones. “Coach told me to blow past them and I wanted to get it over as quick as possible. I was having lots of fun out there.”