Maximizing miscues

Carrington may not win all the games they play this spring, but they seem to have a flair for the games that count.

The Cardinals improved their Region 3 record to 4-1 with a 7-3 win over their rivals up the highway, the SNR Black Sox, on Tuesday, April 30.

With the threat of precipitation looming, the game was moved up from its 3 p.m. starting time to 1:00, and starters Josh Bickett of the Cards and Keaton Cudworth of the Sox went to work early with two scoreless innings each.

SNR got the first run of the game in the top of the third on Thomas Allmaras's single, scoring Alex Weisenburger.

Carrington would answer in the bottom of the frame with a delayed double steal rundown perfectly executed by Grady Shipman leading off first base, allowing Tate Wolsky to break for home plate with the equalizer.

The Cards would go ahead for good in the bottom of the fourth, as Max Whitman got a hold of a Cudworth pitch and hit it to the right centerfield gap for a two-run double, bringing home Corbin Clifton and Ethan Roller. Clifton and Roller each had hits earlier in the inning.

Small ball and SNR errors would ultimately doom the Sox in the bottom of the fifth. Wolsky reached on a leadoff error, and would score on a bases-loaded contact play with an errant throw from third. Later in the inning, Jake Otto laid down a bunt which led to a two-run throwing error.

SNR got two runs back in the top of the sixth with a bases-loaded walk, and a short-hopped throw to first base on what would have been the final out of the inning brought the score to 6-3 in the sixth.

Bickett helped his own cause in the last half of the sixth with an RBI double, and got the last three outs for the win. He would finish with two hits for the Cards.

All getting into the hit column for Carrington in the victory, along with Bickett, were Corbin Clifton, Roller and Whitman, along with Wolsky.

Bradyn Collier finished with a 2-for-3 afternoon for SNR (5-3, 2-2 Region 3). Cudworth did not pitch badly considering the defensive lapses behind him, giving up four earned runs over six innings of work and six hits. He walked five, but struck out seven.

Bickett's "let the defense work for you" approach ultimately won out in the end. He gave up three hits and three runs, none earned, and worked around four walks while striking out just two Black Sox batters.

SNR has their own work cut out for them today (May 6) with a doubleheader against South Border, and they host Kidder County on Thursday.

Region 3 Baseball

Carrington 7, SNR 3

at Carrington

SNR 001 002 0 - 3 3 3

Cgtn. 001 231 x - 7 6 2

Josh Bickett and Corbin Clifton; Keaton Cudworth and Bradyn Collier. W - Bickett. L - Cudworth.

Carrington: Bickett CG, 3 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; 2-3, double, RBI; Clifton 1-2, 2 runs, RBI; Tate Wolsky 1-2, SB, 3 runs; Max Whitman 1-3, double, 2 RBI; Ethan Roller 1-3, run; Jake Otto 2 RBI; Grady Shipman run.

SNR: Cudworth CG, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 7 K; run; Collier 2-3, run; Thomas Allmaras 1-4, SB, RBI; Alex Weisenburger run; Easton Simon RBI; Connor Knatterud 2 SB.