Carson High’s Jose Fausto tags Spanish Spring’s runner Luke Hutson during the league game between the Carson Senators and the Spanish Springs Cougars at Carson High School.
Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage
Carson High baseball (4-8) had a chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday night against Spanish Springs (now 5-5).
Trailing 4-2 with two runners on, Kobe Morgan drew a two out walk to load the bases.
Morgan, who was 3-for-3 heading into his last at-bat, fought his way to a full count before drawing a walk on a pitch wide of the zone.
The next at-bat ended the contest, as a bouncing ball to third base resulted in a force out to cap a 4-2 final.
“There is no rest in this league, we have to put this one behind us,” said Carson head coach Bryan Manoukian. “We have a huge doubleheader with Reed Saturday. We are in a dogfight for those bottom four spots.”
Senators grab lead in fourth
Through three innings of work on the mound, Senator starter Jade Stotts had allowed one earned run and three hits.
In the fourth, Stotts surrendered back-to-back leadoff base knocks which the Cougars moved over to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
The next hitter to the plate also bunted up the third base line, but a heads up play by Stotts cut down the Cougar runner trying to take home on the bunt.
“He’s a pretty good athlete. He’s a fielder hiding in a pitcher’s body sometimes,” said Manoukian. “… I thought he did a really good job of keeping us in the ballgame and working with what he had.”
A walk to the Cougars leadoff hitter put Stotts in another tough spot, but the senior responded with his third strikeout of the evening to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the fourth, Morgan roped his first of two doubles on the night with one out.
Dillon Damico got some help with a Cougar error, before Bryce Baker knocked in Morgan on a groudout to the right side of the infield.
Ian Fontaine and Tanner Hunt each recorded singles in the Senators’ next two trips, scoring Damico and giving Carson a 2-1 lead.
However, it was short lived as Spanish Springs responded with two runs of its own in the top half of the fifth.
Three of Carson’s seven total hits came in the fourth frame and Manoukian felt Carson could have done a better job in box against a Cougar pitcher in Bryson Green, the Senators had seen before.
“I don’t think we had a good approach all night,” said Manoukian. “His ball tails away from the right handers. You have to drive that. … When you’re facing a good pitcher like that and you have opportunities, you have to take advantage of them.”
An error allowed Spanish Springs to tack on an insurance run in the sixth.
UP NEXT: As Manoukian eluded to, Carson (4-8) is battling for regional postseason positioning. Saturday, the Senators will welcome Reed (5-7) for a doubleheader, starting at 11 a.m.
