Carson baseball rests starters, salvages split

Carson baseball rests starters, salvages split

Appeal Staff Report

Many outstanding teams can boast that their bench is just as strong as the starters. If Saturday is any indication, the Carson High baseball team can make that claim.

Carson rested many of its starters against Galena at the Manogue Tournament Saturday at Manougue High, but the Senators held their own in a 6-3 loss. Carson actually used that encouraging effort to build momentum for its final game of the tournament on Saturday, routing Spanish Springs 13-6.

Even though the top five hitters in the order were rested - Drew Good, Markus Adams, Kyle Stone, Paul Cagle and Rob Valerius - and even though Galena went with all of its starters and one of its best starting pitchers in Kevin Vilkin, Carson was able to stay in the game.

"I was encouraged with our play," Carson coach Steve Cook said. "That kind of gave us a shot in the arm."

Starting pitcher Stephen Sawyers allowed two runs on two hits through two innings before being pulled as a precaution after some arm soreness. "He's going to be all right," Cook said. "There's some tenderness in his arm."

Cody Barr gave Carson five strong innings, allowing two earned runs. Galena led 5-0 when the Senators scored two in the sixth inning. Brett Valley singled and scored on Tommy Preston's triple and then Preston scored on an error.

After Galena took a 6-2 lead, Carson scored in the seventh for the final margin. Tyler Smith singled, stole second and score on Tyler Hutcins' single.

Vilkin went six innings for the win while Levi Stafford pitched the seventh for Galena. Scott Underwood was 3-for-4 with three runs, Josh Evans was 2-for-4, Jake Hess had a double and two RBI and Eric Underwood added a hit for the Grizzlies. Barr and Jeff Butler added a hit for Carson.

Valerius pitched four shutout innings, striking out five and walking one while allowing four hits against Spanish Springs as Carson built a 13-0 lead. After Valerius came out, the Cougars scored six runs in the fifth. David Perce pitched a scoreless sixth and the game was called due to the time limit.

Carson scored five runs in the first, three in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth. The Senators scored five runs on just one hit in the first as Cagle had a two-run double, which scored Good and Stone.

In the third, Barr singled and Valley doubled before Adams hit a two-run double during the rally. In the fourth, Valley hit an RBI single and Matt Rutledge had a two-run single.

Cagle went 2-for-2, Hutchins went 1-for-2 with two RBI and Stone and Brooks Hutchins each added a hit.