Baseball: Conquistadores need to go the distance
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Chatsworth may have gotten the upper hand on El Camino Real on Wednesday, but it wasn’t all gloom-and-doom for the Conquistadores following their 9-4 loss.
The problem with ECR was that it couldn’t finish what it started. The Conquistadores had 12 hits, but five of them came with two outs in the inning, and a bases-loaded double play in the second also blew a prime scoring opportunity. As a result of these gaffes, they stranded eight runners.
Oh, and a five-run fourth inning by Chatsworth spearheaded by Matt Moreno‘s grand slam didn’t do much for the Conquistadores’ chances, either.
‘[Chatsworth] took control of the game throughout the matchup,’ ECR Coach Vince Orlando said. ‘They executed in certain situations better than we did. They got the big hits when they had the chance, and we didn’t -- it’s as simple as that.’
Still, don’t expect the Conquistadores to go belly up on Friday when these teams meet again. Their No. 1 pitcher, Michael Booth, who hit a solo homer on Wednesday, is expected to get the start, and I’m sure ECR is eager to erase the bad memories from what is now its seventh consecutive loss to the Chancellors.
However, these three things have to happen if ECR wants to break its nasty streak:
- Get hits early in the inning.
- Prevent Chatsworth from battering the scoreboard early in the game.
- Don’t go high in the strike zone when Moreno is at the plate with the bases juiced.
By the way, the guy in the photo is reliever Max Mackey, who pitched 3 2/3 innings. Mackey, who was called up from the junior varsity squad two weeks ago, allowed five hits and one run. Orlando said this kid should see plenty of time on the mound over the remainder of the season.
Also, here’s a visual and audio representation of what I’m talking about (think baseball instead of ‘60s Japanese anime racing, though):
