Jack Gregson delivers a pitch in Tuesday’s victory over Carpinteria. (Presidio Sports Photos)
Clinging to a one-run lead in the top of six inning, Bishop Diego was in a tough spot against rival Carpinteria. The Warriors had the bases loaded, just one out, and already two runs across in the inning.
But Cardinals senior pitcher Jack Gregson induced a double-play liner that ended the threat and boosted Bishop Diego to a 6-4 non-league victory on Tuesday.
Gregson pitched a complete game to earn his sixth win of the season but had to pitch out of several jams to get there. The Warriors loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth innings, plus had two runners on in the top of the seventh.
Scott Mandrell slides past the tag of Carpinteria shortstop Marcus Hutchinson.
The Cardinal defense came up with big plays when they needed to, highlighted by the double play that ended the Warriors’ sixth inning with the bases full. With the score 5-4, a hard liner was caught by second baseman John Rios, who quickly flipped a short throw to shortstop Scott Mandrell who beat the Carpinteria baserunner back to the bag for the double play.
In the fifth inning, Nolan Tooley limited the Warriors’ damage to a single run by chasing down a drive to the gap in left-center by Nick Walker. The two-out running catch saved two runs.
Mandrell, Tooley and the rest of the top half of the batting order produced the runs needed, as the No. 1 through No. 5 hitters accounted for all six runs and six of the Cardinals’ eight hits.
Mandrell and RJ Cordeiro both scored twice and reached base three times apiece. Tooley also reached base three times and scored once. Tooley and Mandrell recorded the team’s two multi-hit games while John Salda socked the game’s only extra base hit, a double to right field in the fifth inning.
The Warriors were limited to three hits by Gregson but took advantage of four errors and five hit batsmen to score their four runs.
The Cardinals also got help, as both teams were equal with two earned runs each.
Derrick Moore gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single. Marcus Hutchinson was hit twice and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Mo Sanchez scored a run and finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
Both teams don’t play again until next week.
The Warriors will play three games in five days, starting with a non-league game on Monday with Thacher followed by a two-game Frontier League series with Santa Clara.
Bishop Diego will play a Tri-Valley League home-and-away series with Oaks Christian.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the audio recordings of post-game interviews were regrettably lost.
BOX SCORE
Carpinteria 100 012 0 – 4 3 1
Bishop Diego 103 011 x – 6 8 4C – Hutchinson, Damron (4), and Stein. BD – Gregson, and Salda.
2B: BD – Salda
