Baseball: SCC rallies past Covenant Christian, 8-5

LAPLACE – Coming off of a tough 2-1 loss to Holy Cross Saturday, St. Charles Catholic was determined to post an important power point victory Monday against Covenant Christian.

The Lions entered the game at Comet Field ranked second in the most recent Division IV power rankings while the Comets were sixth in the deep Division II power rankings.

After a slow start, St. Charles Catholic accomplished the goal Monday afternoon, downing Covenant Christian, 8-5.

Nick Lorio went six and a third innings, allowing four runs on five hits. He overcame a slow start, striking out eight. Lorio had to leave the game in the final inning after throwing 112 pitches.

Lorio gave up three runs in the top of the second inning before settling in to retire 10 in a row between the third and sixth innings. He helped his own cause with a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning.

“I started off and my arm felt a little off,” Lorio said. “As the game started going along, I started feeling better. By the end, I was really feeling good. I’m glad we got the win.”

Lorio’s home run came off of Covenant Christian starting pitcher Caleb Bergeron.

“He threw me an inside change-up and I just tried to get the barrel around it,” Lorio said. “I hit it good. I knew it was out as soon as I hit it.”

Covenant Christian (13-4) took the early lead in the top of the second, capitalizing on wildness by Lorio. Channing Halloway was hit by a pitch before Lorio walked Bergeron and Caleb Wilson to load the bases.

With one out, Austin Champagne grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Halloway to make it 1-0. With two outs, Cameron Olivier drilled a two-run double to the corner in right to make it 3-0.

Lorio opened the bottom of the second with a home run to left-center field to cut the deficit to 3-1.

The Comets (15-5) pulled closer in the bottom of the third inning as Bergeron walked TJ Lasseigne and Eli Ory, an error advanced both and Robby Gilbert delivered Lasseigne with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.

The Comets took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Lasseigne beat out an infield hit and that ended the day for Bergeron on the mound with Olivier taking over.

Peyton Broussard greeted him with a ringing double, moving Lasseigne to third. Ory then grounded to short, driving in Lasseigne with the tying run and reached on a throwing error as Broussard advanced to third. Gilbert then delivered a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Broussard to give the Comets a 4-3 lead.

Olivier then lost the strike zone, issuing bases loaded walks to Joe Chiarella and Caleb St. Martin to make it 6-3.

That brought Blaine Boudreaux into the game and he issued bases loaded walks to pinch-hitter Evan Roussel and Lasseigne to complete the six-run inning and it was 8-3 Comets.

Covenant Christian battled back in the top of the seventh inning. Wilson led off with a single and Lorio came out with one out and 113 pitches. Broussard took over and talked Champagne before Olivier delivered an RBI single to make it 8-4. Peyton John then doubled home another run to make it 8-5.

That brought the tying run to the plate in Boudreaux but Broussard was able to get him to ground into a fielder’s choice to end it.

Covenant Christian used four pitchers who issued eight walks and hit a batter.

“That was a scrappy club that we just played,” St. Charles Catholic coach Wayne Stein said. “I was proud of the way we fought back. We hadn’t really done that all year, we’ve kind of been in the front a bunch. It was nice to see us take the lead and extend the lead as the game went on. I can’t say enough about the way Nick threw. He was dominant after the second inning. I want our club to start playing like a championship team every single day. That’s what is going to take in this division.”

St. Charles Catholic returns to District 10-3A play Wednesday at 3 p.m. with a doubleheader against Donaldsonville while Covenant Christian opens District 8-1A play Tuesday at Varnado at 4 p.m.

“I think we’re looking pretty good right now,” Lorio said. “I think we’re looking at being around the sixth seed. We just need to focus in and win out and by the end of the year, we’ll look back, try to win state and go all the way.”

Final
CCA 030 000 2 — 5 6 3, 6 LOB
SCC 011 060 x — 8 4 1, 8 LOB
WP—Nick Lorio
LP—Cameron Olivier
Time of Game: 2:02
SB—Channing Halloway (2), Austin Champagne, TJ Lasseigne
2B—Cameron Oliver, Peyton Broussard, Roth John
HR—Nick Lorio