Senator 2nd baseman Jace Keema completes a double-play to end an inning against Damonte Ranch Thursday at Ron McNutt Field.
Carson High’s baseball team controls its own destiny, and the Senators couldn’t be happier.
The Senators, thanks to a three-run rally in the fifth inning, knocked off Damonte Ranch, 6-5, for their seventh straight win Thursday night at Ron McNutt Field.
The win, however was marred by an unfortunate post-game incident. According to CHS players, Damonte’s Zac Ukitis slugged Carson’s Connor Pradere while the teams were exchanging post-game handshakes. Coaches quickly restored order, and both players were questioned at length by law enforcement personnel following the game.
The victory gave Carson a 14-4 record heading into Saturday’s doubleheader against league-leading Galena, which is 16-2. A sweep would gave Carson a share of first place and the all-important tiebreaker over the Grizzlies.
“It’s a really good situation,” Carson catcher Kyle Krebs said. “We control our own destiny to get the No. 1 seed. I don’t really care what seed we are. We are right where we need to be.”
“We’ve never been in position (like this) before,” CHS coach Bryan Manoukian said. “We’ve needed help in moving up before. This year we’ve done everything we’ve needed to do.”
During this streak, Carson has swept North Valleys, Wooster and Reno, and split with Spanish Springs.
And, Carson will send left-handed ace Bryce Moyle and righty Jared Barnard against the Grizzlies.
The Senators trailed 5-3 entering the bottom of the fifth. The Senators had left runners in scoring position in both the second and third innings.
Damonte starter/loser Tyler Oscarson walked Cody Azevedo to start the inning. After Krebs was retired, Terek Been was hit by a pitch. Jace Keema followed with a comebacker, and everybody was safe thanks to a poor throw to second base.
With the bases loaded, Abel Carter hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-4. John Holton tied the game moments later with a single to left. Oscarson plunked Bryce Moyle and Jesse Lopez, the latter forcing in a run, as CHS went ahead 6-5.
The Mustangs didn’t go down without a fight, however.
After CHS starter Trevor Edis walked a batter, Manoukian put in Joe Nelson.
It was Nelson’s first true pressure situation, and if you watched him warm up, you were probably covering your eyes. Quite simply, he was wild.
Facing former Carsonite Jesse Knorzer, Nelson got a key strikeout. Ukitis followed with a liner to right which stayed up long enough for Moyle to grab.
“Slider, slider and slider to Knorzer,” Krebs said. “Joe threw a change-up to Ukitis.”
Nelson, who got the win Tuesday in relief, worked a 1-2-3 seventh for the save. Lopez helped out with a nice running catch in left-centerfield. Oscarson lined out and Nelson struck out Trevor Schryer to end it.
“I looked horrible (warming up),” Nelson admitted. “I was pretty hyped up. It was the most meaningful situation I’d been put into. I was able to get it out of my system.”
“I thought Joe threw fantastic,” Manoukian said. “He got a five-out save in a clutch situation.”
And, if Nelson can continue getting the job done, it gives the Senators yet another arm to rely on as the regular season comes to a close and the playoffs begin.