MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 19, 1999

LAPLACE – With St. Charles Catholic facing adversity in a must-win gameagainst District 9-2A rival Riverside Tuesday afternoon, Comets coach Frank Monica knew he had the right man on the mound in Courtney Bonura.

The Comets had to overcome a home run by Keith LeBlanc on the first pitch of the game, the ejection of their third baseman and a grand slam by Sean Delaneuville that gave the Rebels a 7-3 lead in the fourth inning.

But Bonura, who had won 14 of his previous 16 decisions over the last two years and had been through adversity before, settled down to retire 10 of the final 11 batters he faced as the Comets rallied for a 9-7 victory at Comets Field.

The victory improved the Comets to 21-4 overall and 6-1 in district play.

Riverside fell to 18-4-1 overall and 5-1 in District 9-2A.

“I told the team, this is the guy that has kept the program going,” Monica said of Bonura. “He is the guy we have got to rely on. He has been throughsome tough spots before.”St. Charles Catholic faced a tough spot in the fifth inning, trailing 7-5against Riverside reliever Joey Poirrier and with the bottom of the lineup coming up. Matt Weber opened the inning with a walk and was forced atsecond on Darrin Gaubert’s bouncer back to the mound.

With Gaubert breaking to second on a hit and run, Brandon Laiche bounced a single through the spot vacated by the shortstop for a single. Nick Monicathen ripped a single to left, scoring Gaubert.

Jarrett Maurin followed with a walk to load the bases. Dustin Braud thenbounced a grounder to short. Brandon Delaneuville flipped the ball toDustin Zimmer for the force out but Zimmer’s throw to first sailed past Sean Delaneuville as Laiche and Monica came in to give the Comets an 8-7 lead.

Zimmer drew a walk with one out in the top of the sixth but was stranded as Poirrier flied out to deep left and Sean Delaneuville struck out. TheComets got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning on Wayne Stein’s home run to left-center. Bonura (5-2) then retired the side in order in theseventh.

“I had John (Price) ready to go but I felt I had to give him a chance to battle back,” Monica said of Bonura who had bounced back from a five-run fourth to retire the side in order in the fifth.

Riverside trailed 3-2 heading into the fourth inning before Blake Duhe led off by dropping a single into right and Kenny Clement walked. KeithLeBlanc followed with a chopper to short. Toby Jacob flipped the ball toMonica at second who dropped the ball as courtesy runner Casey Remondet scored from second.

Bonura got Brandon Delaneuville to ground out to third and Zimmer to pop up to first before walking Poirrier intentionally. Sean Delaneu-ville madethe Comets pay, launching a shot deep over the left field fence for a grand slam. Delaneuville also had a single and double in the game and drove infive runs.

St. Charles Catholic cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning.Laiche led off the inning with a chopper through the left side of the infield.

One out later, Maurin sliced a single to right, sending Laiche to third.

After Poirrier struck out Braud, John Price lined a double into the left- center field gap, bringing home Laiche and Maurin to make it 7-5.

Riverside, who had battered St. Charles Catholic pitching in a 11-4 victoryin the first meeting of the season, jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. KeithLeBlanc took Bonura’s first offering of the game and launched it over the right field fence for a 1-0 lead.

St. Charles Catholic loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inningagainst Riverside starter Casey Duhe before Duhe struck out Monica on a high fastball to end the inning.

Riverside added to its lead in the third inning. With one out, Zimmersingled to left and Poirrier was hit by a pitch. Sean Delaneuville followedwith a double to the left field wall.

Zimmer scored but Poirrier slipped coming around third and got back to the bag as Braud dropped the throw from the outfield. Bonura then kept thedeficit at two by striking out Rome and Bourgeois.

Maurin led off the bottom half of the inning with a single to left. Braud,who had come in to play third after Steven Faucheux was ejected in the first inning, took Duhe’s first pitch and sent it over the center field fence to tie the score. Duhe then walked Price and was relieved by Poirrier.Stein greeted Poirrier with a double down the third base line, putting runners at second and third. After Bonura struck out, Matt Weber laid downa suicide squeeze toward third base as Price broke for the plate, giving the Comets a 3-2 lead.

“St. Charles Catholic fought back all day,” Riverside coach MarshallCrooks said. “They got the hits when they needed them. They played a goodball game and our guys played hard. We stranded some people. We didn’t getthe key hits at times and they obviously did at times.”Monica said the difference from the earlier game was that Bonura was throwing strikes. Bonura struck out 10 and walked three.”They have no weaknesses,” Monica said of Riverside. “It probably takesthis kind of game to beat them.”

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