First-year coach Steve Cook admitted he is surprised at Carson High's quick start, especially when you consider the plethora of young players and a new coaching staff.
"Frankly I didn't think we'd be 13-2 at this point," Cook said after Carson won the consolation championship of the West Coast Classic inSan Jose Thursday afternoon with wins over Las Lomas (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and Vacaville.
"I thought we would play well; that we would have our ups and downs because of our youth," Cook added. "The kids have bought into the team philosophy. They are really jelling as a team. We're learning how to play as a team. We went 3-1 in this tournament."
Carson started the day with a 5-1 victory over Las Lomas thanks to a five-hit effort by Jack Jacquet, who fanned four and didn't walk a batter.
"Jack threw very well," Cook said. "We didn't know how long he would go. He kept his pitch count down. Then he got past the point of no return where we knew he couldn't pitch in the next game. We needed everybody else in the bullpen for the next game."
The Senators scored all the runs Jacquet would need in the first inning. Royal Good, Logan Parsley and Adam Anderson walked to load the bases. Murphy Gardner and Brooks Greenlee followed with back-to-back singles.
Carson made it 4-0 in the fourth thanks to an error, a walk, two passed balls and a run-scoring infield out by Jason Knowles. Las Lomas scored its only run of the game in the sixth, but Carson answered back with its final run when Greenlee reached on an error, moved to third on a single by Joe Skates and scored on Knowles' infield out.
In the 6-4 win over Vacaville, Nick Smallman blew a save opportunity in the bottom of the seventh when he allowed two hits and two walks, as Vacaville sent the game to extra innings.
Carson scored twice in the top of the eighth when Derek Shoaf was hit by a pitch, stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on Good's fielder's choice. Adam Anderson's infield hit scored the second run.
Smallman retired Vacaville in order to end the game, striking out the last two batters.
Parsley and Kevin Schlange led Carson's offense with two hits apiece. Good, Anderson, Shoaf and Knowles added a hit apiece.