St. Charles Catholic stages dramatic rally in final at-bat to eliminate U-High in baseball quarterfinals

St. Charles Catholic has a reputation as a tough-minded, tough physically, execution-rich team.

The defending state champion and top-seeded Comets needed all of those qualities to survive their Select Division III quarterfinal series with No. 8 University Lab.

On the brink of elimination and trailing by three runs in their last at-bat Sunday, the Comets rallied with six runs to overcome the Cubs 8-5 at Comet Field.

Clean-up hitter Jackson Monica capped the winning rally with a dramatic, walk-off three-run homer.

In the winning rally, Hudson Heltz plated run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 5-3.

Brayden Bertucci then tied the game with a two-run single off reliever Bryan Olsson and Monica followed with the game-winner.

Cameron Robbins pitched well for U-High, going six and a third innings before giving way to Olsson.

Michael Hotard went the distance for St. Charles Catholic to pick up the win, allowing five runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Cole Connor had put U-High ahead, breaking a 2-2 tie in the top of the sixth inning with a three-run homer to make it 5-2.

U-High had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Jake McCann

St. Charles Catholic answered with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead before the Cubs tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Ethan Hopkins.

Leadoff hitter Ayden Authement had two hits and an RBI and walked once for the Comets, Bertucci had two hits and two RBI, Hotard had a hit and Brady Clement had a hit, a walk and scored twice for the Comets.

St. Charles Catholic (30-7-1) advances to Sulphur to take on No. 4 Dunham Wednesday at 11 a.m. The Tigers downed No. 5 Parkview Baptist in the third and deciding game to advance.

LHSAA baseball schedule at McMurry Park in Sulphur (May 9-13)

Semifinals

Tuesday

11 a.m. — Select Div. V — No. 1 Avoyelles Charter vs. No. 4 Claiborne Christian, Field 37

11 a.m. — Nonselect Div. V — No. 1 Choudrant vs. No. 5 Anacoco, Field 40

11 a.m. — Nonselect Div. V — No. 3 Pitkin vs. No. 7 Weston, Field 41

2 p.m. — Select Div. V — No. 2 Family Community vs. No. 3 Grace Christian, Field 37

2 p.m. — Select Div. IV — No. 1 Ouachita Christian vs. No. 4 Opelousas Catholic, Field 40

2 p.m. — Select Div. IV — No. 2 Ascension Catholic vs. No. 3 Glenbrook, Field 41

5 p.m. — Nonselect Div. IV — No. 1 Oak Grove vs. No. 12 Mangham, Field 40

5 p.m. — Nonselect Div. IV — No. 2 Logansport No. 3 DeQuincy, Field 41

Wednesday

11 a.m. — Select DIV III — No. 1 St. Charles Catholic vs. No. 4 Dunham, Field 40

11 a.m. — Select DIV III — No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Holy Savior Menard, Field 41

2 p.m. — Nonselect DIV III — No. 1 Kinder vs. No. 5 Berwick, Field 40

2 p.m. — Nonselect DIV III — No. 2 South Beauregard vs. No. 3 Doyle, Field 41

5 p.m. — Select DIV II — No. 1 St. Louis Catholic vs. No. 5 Vandebilt Catholic, Field 40

5 p.m. — Select DIV II — No. 2 E.D. White vs. No. 3 St. Thomas More, Field 41

Thursday

11 a.m. — Nonselect DIV II — No. 4 Eunice vs. No. 8 Lakeshore, Field 40

11 a.m. — Nonselect DIV II — No. 6 North DeSoto vs. No. 7 Iowa, Field 41

2 p.m. — Select DIV I — No. 1 Catholic-BR vs. No. 13 Archbishop Rummel, Field 40

2 p.m. — Select DIV I — No. 2 Jesuit vs. No. 6 Pineville, Field 41

5 p.m. — Nonselect DIV I — No. 1 West Monroe vs. No. 4 Sam Houston, Field 40

5 p.m. — Nonselect DIV I — No. 2 Barbe vs. No. 3 Sulphur, Field 41

Friday

11 a.m. — Select DIV V, Field 40

11 a.m. — Nonselect DIV V, Field 41

2 p.m. — Select DIV IV, Field 40

2 p.m. — NS DIV IV, Field 41

5 p.m. — Select DIV III — Field 40

5 p.m. — Nonselect DIV III, Field 41

Saturday

2 p.m. — Select DIV II, Field 40

2 p.m. — Nonselect DIV II, Field 41

5 p.m. — Select DIV I, Field 40

5 p.m. — Nonselect DIV I, Field 41