Capitols celebrate graduation

Quick now, try to think of a fitting way to celebrate your high school graduation.

Joe Mercer, Ken Heald and Tony Faulkner celebrated their graduation from Carson High at the ballpark on Saturday.

After picking up their diplomas earlier in the day, all three exchanged their caps and growns for caps, gloves and bat to help the Carson Capitols summer baseball club sweep a twi-night doubleheader from the Danville (Calif.) Hoots at Ron McNutt Field.

Mercer hit 3-for-3 with four RBIs, to go along with a defensive gem at third base, and Faulkner delivered an RBI single to help the Caps take a 10-0 victory in the first game. Then Heald took the mound and beat the 1999 California state American Legion champion Hoots 4-0 on a three-hit shutout.

"Today was special for all of us; leaving school one last time with a grin on our face," said Heald, a second-team all-conference pitcher for Carson High this spring. "After we lost at state, we said, we weren't ready to hang our gear up; this summer is special to us because we know it might be the last time we get to play together."

Heald looked special in the nightcap. The right-hander struck out the side in the seventh inning to finish with eight for the night, he walked two and retired 11 batters on ground balls.

"I've always relied a lot on my infield and these guys were wonderful tonight," Heald said. "They played flawless."

Danville's Dane Dobrinich pitched a complete-game two-hitter in a losing cause.

In the opener, Mercer delivered two hits to ignite a seven-run fourth inning rally that broke up a scoreless duel and put the Capitols in the driver's seat.

That was more than ample support for left-hander J.P. Howell, who pitched a one-hit shutout and struck out nine in his Capitols debut. Howell, the staff ace as a junior for Sacramento Metro League champion Jesuit High this spring, only allowed four baserunners over six innings, none of which ever got as far as third base.

He was supported by a defense that played errorless ball in both games, a step up from Friday night, when the Capitols committed four errors in a 4-1 loss to the Hoots.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia flashed some defense when he charged a high chopper to get the out on a bang-bang play at first base for the second out of the third inning. After Dane Dobrinich singled for Danville's only hit, Pedroia combined with shortstop Pete White and first baseman Brett McMillan to turn a 6-4-3 double play to end the fifth.

Mercer got in on the defensive act, too. With two outs and a runner on second in the fourth, Kevin Mangels hit a slow roller down the third base line, Mercer charged in to make a barehand pickup and sidearm a strike to first base for the third out.

The good defensive play was followed by two hits in the bottom half of the inning. The lefty-swinging Mercer lined a single into left to lead off the inning, and he scored the game's first run after three walks. Then Faulker made it 2-0 on a sharp infield single down the third base line. Pete White walked another run home, and Pedroia drove in two more runs with a single to right. Mercer capped off the rally when he slapped another single to left, this time bringing two runs home.

The Capitols put the 10-run rule into effect with three runs in the sixth, thanks to Mercer's two-run double down the first base line and McMillan's sacrifice fly to left.

The Capitols begin a six-game swing through the Sacramento area on Monday when they play a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Elk Grove.