Staff Reports
The Senator pitchers struggled somewhat for the Carson High baseball team. But Carson continued to show development on Saturday.
Despite losing at Castro Valley, Calif., 5-4 on Saturday, Carson coach Ron McNutt said he was still pleased with his team's progress. The game figured to be evenly match since Carson was coming off an 8-7 win over Livermore, Calif., on Friday, a team that defeated Castro Valley 8-7.
"We played a really good ball club," McNutt said. "We found out a lot about our ball club. "We're getting better and better. The kids know we played a pretty solid game."
Several players had a chance to see more action this weekend. Catcher David Nelsen missed the weekend's two games due to a family funeral. Jason Knowles took his place and McNutt said he played throughout the weekend.
McNutt also praised the play of Kevin Schlange at shortstop and Royal Good at second base on Saturday. Schlange replaced Willie Bowman, who was bothered by a hamstring injury. Bowman was the designated hitter.
Carson's downfall was its pitching as Senator pitchers walked three and hit five batters. Still, Jason Alcasas pitched five innings and Mike Handley pitched one inning in the sixth and the two combined to hold Castro Valley to three runs.
But Castro Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win it, with a hit batsman forcing in the winning run.
"That was the determining thing of the game," McNutt said. "Our pitching just broke down."
The Senators only had four hits, but sent nine batters to the plate when they scored four runs in the second to take a 4-1 lead. Eric Melendez walked, Handley singled and both runners moved up on Schlange's sacrifice.
Alcasas followed with a two-run single and Jeff Hurzel was hit by a pitch. Aaron Henry then hit an RBI single. Good walked and Bowman's RBI sacrifice fly made it 4-1. Bowman also had a hit.