The final three innings of Saturday’s second game were bizarre to say the least.
In that time, Carson put together a nine-run fifth inning, gave up four runs and the lead in the top of the seventh, and was the beneficiary of an illegal sub by Bishop Manogue in the top of the seventh before winning, 12-11, on a walk-off infield single by Amaya Mendeguia in the bottom of the seventh.
The win gave the Senators a split of their Northern 4A doubleheader with Bishop Manogue. The Miners won the opener, 10-8.
“It was outstanding,” Carson coach Carlos Mendeguia said. “We watched some film and let them know what our expectations were and how we believed in them. The girls went out and battled.
“We competed toe-to-toe with them in the first game. In the second game, we were down 7-1 and came back. I was a little disappointed that we gave up the four-run lead, but then we came back and got it at the end.”
The Senators were unable to close the deal in the top of the seventh, giving up four runs that tied the contest at 11. A one-out error by the normally sure-handed Kailee Luschar helped open the door for the Miners.
Kirsty Batastini’s single tied the game at 11. Hannah Blas also tried to score — what would have been the go-ahead run on Batastini’s hit — but was cut down at the plate by center fielder Lauren Lemburg. Batastini reached second on the play, and that’s when things got interesting.
Manogue tried to insert Allie Tallman as a pinch-runner. The only problem was that she had served as a courtesy runner earlier in the inning. The Senators protested the sub, and the umpires, after a short conference, ruled an out to end the inning.
Kailee Luschar led off the seventh with an infield single. Kedre Luschar followed with a chopper. Manogue elected to go to second for the force, but the ball was thrown away. Kailee Luschar never stopped running and took off for third. The throw to third was wild and struck Leah Wentworth, CHS third-base coach. Luschar broke for the plate, dove headfirst and was thrown out. Carson argued to no avail that the Manogue catcher blocked the plate without the ball.
The only positive out of the play was that Kedre Luschar was able to get all the way around to third. Kailee Luschar’s decision was an aggressive one, but maybe not the best decision at the time.
“Kailee has the green light out there, but I felt like tackling her (when I saw her round third),” Mendeguia said. “She has that elite type speed, and she always thinks she can take the (next) base. We always want to make sure we get the (back) runner to third on a play like that.”
Manogue intentionally walked Salciedo and Kassidy Cooley to load the bases, setting up a force play at home. Amaya Mendeguia hit a roller to short, but Manogue realizing it couldn’t throw out Kedre Luschar at the plate, was too late to throw out Mendeguia. Game over.
“I would have done the same thing (walking the two hitters),” coach Mendeguia. “It was good strategy.”
Mendeguia praised Lemburg, who came up with three RBI and the clutch throw in the seventh.
“I’m happy for her,” Mendeguia said. “She was down the other day at Reed after going 0-for-4. She stepped up today.”
Kailee Luschar and Lemburg each collected three hits, while Kedre Luschar, Salciedo, Mendeguia and Cooley contributed two hits apiece. Salciedo had three RBI in the nine-run fifth inning and Lemburg had two.
In the opener, Jailene Salciedo hit a three-run homer to spark a five-run third inning that gave the Senators a 5-3 lead. Manogue regained the momentum with four in the top of the fourth, two coming on a double by Hailey Merlino.
Carson cut the lead to 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth when Jailene Salciedo singled infield, moved to third on Kassidy Cooley and scored on Amaya Mendeguia’s infield out.
Merlino, who went 4-for-4 with five RBI, smacked a two-run homer to make it 9-6. Consecutive doubles by Kailee and Kedre Luschar made it 9-7 after six. Tallman’s single in the top of the seventh made it 10-7.
Alex Salciedo gave Carson some life with a two-out solo homer, but Cam Quilling was retired to end the game.
Kedre Luschar, Jailene Salciedo and Cooley all had two hits for Carson.