Senators hold on to beat Livermore
Staff Reports
It wasn't a conventional double play, by any means. The timing was perfect, however, as the Carson High School baseball team got two outs on a rundown play to end the game and preserve an 8-7 victory against the Livermore Cowboys Friday afternoon in Livermore, Calif.
Scott DeFriez pitched five solid innings to earn the win and helped his own cause as he hit a pair of solo home runs for the Senators (9-1) in the opener of a two-game road trip to the Bay Area.
"It was a good for us," Carson coach Ron McNutt said. "We made some mistakes defensively that we need to correct, but I was pleased overall. The team stayed in there and battled when the game was on the line."
Livermore (7-6) pulled to within one run in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a bases loaded, one-out single into the gap in left-center. Carson center fielder Aaron Henry came up throwing and third baseman Eric Melendez caught one runner off third base for one out. Melendez then threw to Willie Bowman covering second base to start a rundown that ultimately resulted in the final out.
Mike Handley, in his first action on the mound this season after recovering from a broken wrist, pitched the seventh and was credited with the save. Dan Rotter came on to pitch in relief of DeFriez and worked one inning in the sixth.
Carson held a 13-5 advantage in the hit column, led by Henry's 3-for-4 with a double and one RBI. Bowman also hit 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the first inning, Cameron Leck was 2-for-3 with a two-run double in the third, Melendez was 2-for-3 with one RBI, DeFriez 2-for-3 with two homers, while Jeff Hurzel and Kevin Schlange each contributed one hit.
DeFriez homered to lead off the third inning and added his second blast with one out in the fourth.
The Senators wrap up their road trip today with a 1 p.m. game at Castro Valley. Livermore was an 8-7 victor over Castro Valley on March 9.
