Carpinteria suffered a tough 4-3 loss to Fillmore in a Frontier League baseball game on Friday.
Fillmore scored twice with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out the win. Carpinteria pitcher Mo Sanchez forced Fillmore to hit back-to-back comebackers with the bases loaded and got force plays at the plate. On the second play, Carpinteria’s catcher tried to throw out the batter at first for a double play, but the ball got away, allowing two Fillmore runs to score and end the game.
“We really did do every single thing to win except secure the final play,” Carpinteria coach Pat Cooney said. “We handled each ground ball on a tough surface, we pitched really well on a foreign mound, and we took advantage of our few opportunities. I cannot recall being that close to a win without getting it. “
The result leaves Carpinteria and Fillmore at 5-3 in league. The Warriors are 10-10 overall and Fillmore is 12-6.
Sanchez and the Warriors fell victim to just two misplays as he scattered 7 hits and was efficient throughout the game surrendering zero earned runs. Sanchez led the Warriors at the plate as well, going 2-3 with a solo home run in the third and a stolen base. Nick Walker was also 2-3 with a stolen base.
The Warriors got the go ahead run in the 7th on a lead off single by Stein, a sacrifice bunt by Sal Delgado moved him to second, followed by a Walker hit and a sacrifice fly by David Martinez.
Carpinteria is now in a four-way tie for first place with two games to play.
“There are scenarios which have us in a 5 way tie atop the league and there are scenarios in which we would be eliminated from the playoffs,” said Cooney.
On Saturday, Carpinteria is recognizing the 40-year anniversary of the 1974 CIF Baseball Championship prior to the 2014 Alumni Game. Twelve members of the 1974 Warriors are expected to appear. The pregame ceremony starts at 11:55 a.m. with the first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m.
