WC Electric / I4C Victory game story

Carp Loses See-Saw Battle with Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric 5-4
Victory Commit Six Errors on the Night

Things started off on the wrong foot for the Carp I4C Victory on Tuesday night in its game against Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric. A scheduling conflict with the Glen Cairn Men’s Fastball League had several Carp players racing from one diamond in Kanata all the way to Fitzroy Harbour. The ‘Trics had graciously allowed the game to start at 8:45 PM but even then the game was still delayed getting started and even required Carp Head Coach and General Manager Shawn Williams to make a substitution in the bottom of the first as he waited for a player to arrive who he had listed on the starting line-up.

However, even once all Carp players had arrive, the team was clearly not in sync. After going down in order in the top of the first, Carp’s defence was shaky off the start. Jon Daley started the game by reaching on an error and after being sacrificed to second he scored from there on a subsequent bunt and error which resulted in a huge collision at first between Carp second baseman, Pete Pettit and Mike Cavanagh of Fitzroy Harbour. The collision left Pettit dazed and he was removed form the game and replaced by Eric Rosenquist who went to left field with Russ Mitchell taking over for Pettit at second.

Carp mounted a comeback in the top of the fifth when Kyle Gourgon hit a single up the middle. He was out at second on an attempted sacrifice by Rosenquist who reached first on a fielder’s choice. Rosenquist stole second and Carp starting pitcher, Trevor Wood grounded out. Mitchell then walked. Then on a passed ball, Rosenquist and Mitchell moved up 60’ and were cashed in by a Brooks Paziuk double to make it 2-1 for Carp. Fitzroy Harbour Coach, Adam Brown then made a pitching change taking out starter Bud Hanlon and bringing in Brad Porter who retired the last out of the inning.

Fitzroy Harbour answered back in its half of the 5th when they started a two out rally. Trevor Barton reached on an error and stole second base on a close play that was hotly disputed by Carp. Mike Cavanagh then singled to score Barton and moved to second when Rosenquist bobbled the ball in left field. Shawn Rebertz then delivered and RBI single to make it 3-2 for the Harbour marking the end of the evening for Carp starter, Wood (2-0) who was replaced by Neil Cooke (2-1-1, 1 SV). Despite making an error on the first ball hit to him, Cooke struck out Steve “Beef” Johnson to end the inning and left two ‘Trics runners on base.

In the top of the sixth it was Carp’s turn to re-take the lead. Eric Colvin got his first hit of the year with a solid single and moved to second on a passed ball. Al Read then drove in Colvin with a double to the fence in centre and moved to third on a passed ball. He scored when he went off at the crack of the bat on a Kyle Gourgon ground ball to first and made a nice slide at home to score Carp’s fourth run of the game.

Then some fireworks erupted in the bottom of the sixth. Neil Murphy led off with a double before Cooke retired the next two batters bringing Jon Daley to the plate. Daley singled and scored Murphy from second. With Trevor Barton at the plate, Williams felt that Daley led off in his attempt to reach second base and protested loudly from the bench. There was no call from the base umpire. Then when Barton tripled to score Daley from second, Williams charged out of the dugout and onto the field to angrily protest what he felt was an obvious missed call and was ejected from the game for his efforts.

Mitchell attempted to ignite a Carp rally in the top of the seventh but after Porter struck out Paziuk and centerfielder, Mike Money, Colvin grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

On the mound, Wood went 4 2/3 innings giving up three runs (one earned), on four hits he walked one and struck out two. Cooke threw 1 1/3 innings in relief and gave up two earned runs on three hits. He issued no walks and struck out two. Carp made six errors on the night, breaking the previous high of five set in the teams' first ever Greater Ottawa Fastball League (GOFL) game against the Manotick Lomor Printers in May, 2006.

For the Electrics, Hanlon started and had no decision in 4 2/3 innings of play. He gave up a two earned runs on three Carp hits, walked one and struck out four. In getting the win in relief, Porter threw 2 1/3 innings allowing two earned runs on three hits, he walked none and struck out four. Fitzroy Harbour made no errors.

Leading the offence for Carp was Gourgon who was 2-3 with an RBI and Paziuk who went 1-3 with a double and two RBI’s. Mitchell went 1-2 with a walk and a run scored. Carp left five runners aboard.

For Fitzroy Harbour, Daley reached base three times, on a single and two Carp errors and he scored twice. Barton was 1-1 with a triple, reached on an error, had two sacrifice bunts, stole a base, scored a run and had an RBI. Fitzroy left eight runners on.

Carp’s next home game is this Thursday night at 8:30 PM when the Victory takes on the Ottawa Blitz at 8:30 PM at the Carp Fairgrounds. Admission to all games is free.