Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / May 4, 1998

LAPLACE – Steven Faucheux capped off a seven-run second inning with a grand slam as St. Charles Catholic opened the bi-district playoffs with a 12-2 victory over Rosepine Thursday afternoon at Comet Field. The Comets, who cliched the District 9-2A title last Friday with a 9-1 record, advances to the regionals at the winner of the Newman-Jewel Sumner contest Monday afternoon.

St. Charles Catholic improved to 19-8 overall with the victory. Rosepine, a wild card selection out of District 4-2A, finished its season at 13-8.St. Charles Catholic took the lead in the bottom of the first against Rosepine starter Heath McMahon. Ty Monica led off with a double over center fielder Todd James’ head and advanced to third on Jarrett Maurin’s fly ball to center. After John Price poppeThe Comets broke the game open in the bottom of the second as Horvath reached on an error by shortstop Shane Calcote. Courtney Bonura followed with a walk and Jon Clement was hit by a pitch to load the bases.Ty Monica then hit a sharp grounder down the first baseline. James McElroy dove for the ball, knocked it down and tagged first base as Horvath came in to score. Maurin walked to reload the bases and Price followed with a single between short and third, brTravis Carter came in from right field to pitch and walked Stein to load the bases before striking out Jason Gonzales for the second out of the inning. But Faucheux delivered the big hit of the inning, slicing Carter’s 1-0 pitch over the right field fenceBonura, the Comets’ starter, cruised through the first two innings, striking out the first five Eagles batters and retiring the first six hitters overall.

Rosepine reached Bonura for a run in the third. McMahon reached on an error by Horvath and went to second as Nelson Reid lined a single up the middle. Both runners moved up on Carter’s sacrifice bunt and McMahon scored on Calcote’s fly ball to right.Rosepine cut the deficit to 8-2 in the top of the fourth. After the Comets got the second out of the inning on a diving catch by Monica in center field, David Czuoek doubled into the right field corner and went to third on a wild pitch. Chris Frear broughTurner kept St. Charles Catholic in check through the middle innings, keeping the(See COMETS, Page 2C) Comets off balanced with his knuckleball.

The Comets finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth. Brandon Laiche led off the inning with a single deep in the hole to short and went to second on a wild pitch. Price followed with a walk and combined with Laiche on a double steal to put runnersStein followed by fisting a single into center field, scoring Laiche and Price to make the score 10-2. After Stein stole second, Gonzales drove him in with a single to left. Carter pitched two balls to Faucheux before being replaced by David Arnold. After Arnold completed the walk to Faucheux, he struck out Nick Monica for the first out. But pinch hitter Matt Weber then laid down a bunt on a suicide squeeze attempt, bringing Bonura went the distance, giving up four hits while striking out nine and walking none in improving to 8-0 on the season.

“I wasn’t coming in and doing anything special,” Bonura said. “I was just trying to hit my spots. I knew I had a good defense behind me. They hit the ball and I knew they would make the play.”St. Charles Catholic coach Frank Monica said his team looked a little rusty but were able to get a little separation in the second inning.”They swung the bat and made us make the plays,” Monica said. “We had a couple of nice defensive plays and Courtney did a good job. He threw strikes and kept the ball around the plate and let the defense make the plays for us.”

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