The second-seeded VC Eagles (27-7, 8-0) traveled to Morgan City on Saturday to battle with arch rival and 10th-seeded Central Catholic (19-10, 5-3) in a quarterfinal playoff game, but came short on their championship quest by an 8-2 margin.

Ryan Domingue got the start on the hill for VC, going 4 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run on five hits. He struck out three and walked none.

Ryan David got a single in the first to set the stage for cousin Aaron David, who launched a two-run shot to left center to give Domingue an early 2-0 cushion.

Central Catholic answered with a run in the bottom of the frame, though, and the score was 2-1 after one inning.

VC got around four errors in the fourth inning when, with two on and two outs, CC’s Josh Singleton laced a shot to left field. VC’s Stephan Guidry made a blue-star diving catch, though, to keep the home team from scoring on the play.

CC managed to tie the game one inning later, though, when Barron Courtney blasted a solo homer to left field, making the score 2-2.

VC ace Mark LaPorte came in to relive Domingue on the mound in the fifth inning. With runners on first and third with two outs, LaPorte coaxed a lazy fly to center to get out of the inning on one pitch.

However, Central Catholic would send ten men to the plate in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on seven hits facing the usually unhittable LaPorte to take a commanding 8-2 lead into the top of the seventh inning.

“99 times out of 100 (LaPorte) is going to get through two innings clean,” said VC head coach Danny McMurtry. “Unfortunately this one time, they were able to push the ball through. But, we’d put him right back out there again if we had it to do over... He’s earned that.”

The Eagles attempted a rally in final frame, with Ryan David getting a two-out RBI double to center field to make it 8-3. But, it would not be enough as Central Catholic drove the nail in the rivalry for this year.

Ryan David went 3-for-4 in the game with an RBI and a run scored.

Broussard and Shay LaPorte were each 1-for-3.

Central Catholic goes on to the 1A state tournament in Ruston next weekend.

For the senior-heavy Eagles, a promising season ends with them coming up just short.

“We’ve beaten (Central Catholic) five straight times,” said McMurtry. “But, they won the big one.”