The Carson High School Baseball team had hosted a senior night of their own earlier tonight. The festivities took place before the game, which highlighted all of the seniors. This year’s class of 2014 ball players include: Dustin Dutcher, Dominic Norton, Chase Blueberg, Todd Thomsen, Jace Zampirro, Gehrig Tucker, and Charles Nystrom.
The rivalry was real in this one, with the umpire talking to both benches multiple times and even an ejection of one of the coaches.
The first pitch of the game Kaleb Foster got hit by a pitch. Cale Kynett would capitalize immediately with an infield single deep enough to the right to reach first and send Foster to third. Then, with a walk issued to Dillon Lopez, the bases were juiced. Dutcher was able to strike out Santos to get the first out, and a pop out to right by Johnson, it would appear that the Senators were about to get out of the jam. But Zach Davies was able to hit an infield single deep enough to the short stop to score the game’s first run. Finally the eventful top of one would come to a close after another pop out to left.
The Senators would also go straight to work with a huge double to right by Gehrig Tucker. After a wild pitch, Tucker would advance to third. Chase Blueberg stepped up to the plate after a strike out, and hit a ground ball to the short stop to score the run on a fielder’s choice and record out number two. Immediately after Jace Zampirro slapped a single down the line for a single, followed shortly after by a booming double to dead center by Norton to score Zampirro all the way from first. Finally a strike out would end a very exciting first inning with a score of 2-1 Carson.
Carson then made quick work of the Douglas offense with no hits, no runs, no errors. Carson's offense would slow down too with only one hit, no runs, no errors to leave the score after two full 2-1 Carson.
Douglas would pick things back up with single to start of the inning by Lopez, followed by a balk, to put Lopez in scoring positions. Then, a single into center by Santos would score Lopez.
A 2-2 score was unacceptable for one Chase Blueberg who stepped up to the plate only to deliver and absolute shot over the left field fence to break the tie and give the Senators the advantage at the top of four 3-2. Douglas failed to respond with a relatively unproductive inning.
To start the bottom of four, Brandon Allen laid down a beautiful bunt for a single down the third base line. Shortly after Holton did his job to hit a sacrifice bunt to put Allen on second. With pinch runner Cody Azevedo on second, a single to center brought home a throw with a questionable call at the plate. Senators coach Chad Eaton would argue the call and finally be ejected after a very exciting minute of arguing with the home plate umpire.
The Tigers would capitalize on the momentum with a single by Lopez followed by a double by Santos to leave two on in scoring position. Next up was Johnson for Douglas who hit a ball to left center to score one on a sac fly. With another single to left by Davies the bases were juiced again. Finally after a sloppy ground ball to the pitcher, the third out would be recorded with the scored tied up again at 3 all.
The next inning would go three up three down for the Senators, but the Tigers continued to get the offensive rolling. The Senators put in freshman Bryce Moyle who would walk Foster, give up a single to Kynett, and with an error by the first baseman the bases were loaded with one out. Then, the Senators got exactly what they needed and rolled the 6-4-3 double play to get out of the jam with no harm done.
The Senators rallied back in bottom of six with a single by Allen, followed by a balk to put him on second. Then John Holton hit a ground ball up the middle to short stop Lopez who just couldn't quite get the ball to first base which would inevitably score Allen giving the Senators the lead again at 4-3.
The game would conclude with another 1, 2, 3 inning which gave the senators the W at home, against their rivals, on Senior Night in a shootout. Carson 4, Douglas 3.
I caught up with Moyle and asked him, “with the whole school watching, everybody relying on you, a freshman, did the pressure get to you?” He responded with, “I’ll admit I was nervous coming in, but slowly the confidence built up and I just tried to win it for the seniors.” Moyle is sure to be one of Carson premier relievers in the playoffs and throughout his high school career.