Edgar Melik-Stepanyan
BABE HERMAN FIELD -- It was deja vu throughout the whole game
Wednesday in a District 16 Tri-Cities Little League Major Baseball
Championships contest. Haugen's hitters striking out, and Trotta Floor
Coverings capitalizing on their errors.
Trotta used nine strikeouts by starting pitcher Chris Johnson and
eight errors by Haugen's to win, 12-1, in a first-round game at Babe
Herman Field. The championships include 16 teams from seven different
leagues.
"We had first game jitters, but Johnson threw well and it feels good
to get the first game going." Trotta Coach Jerry Gorman said.
Trotta, coming off of a second-place finish in the Crescenta Valley
Little League, will advance to play the winner of the Cardinals and Star
Ford on Friday night. In the double elimination championship, Haugen's
will play the loser of Partyline and Joe Evans Tires on Friday.
Haugen's earned a spot in the tournament after finishing first in the
Jewish War Veterans League, but it was no match for Trotta.
Johnson (8-3) was dominant during the game, but he struggled in the
first. He started the inning with two straight walks and two wild pitches
that allowed Haugen's to score its only run of the game.
After a brief conference with his coach and catcher, he relaxed and
took control. He struck out the side in the first and third innings and
fanned two more in the second, and one in the fourth to finish with nine.
Along with Johnson, Trotta's pitchers Parker Haleen, and Danny Casey
combined to throw a one-hitter.
The lone hit came in the sixth inning with two outs. Casey had two
strikes on David Carrega, but Carrega managed to hit a bloop single over
the second baseman's head.
"Their pitching was great, and we just fell apart." Haugen's Coach Rob
Carrega said.
The Haugen's defense and offense couldn't execute. Three of its eight
errors came in the first, allowing Trotta to score three runs.
Trotta continued the assault in the second and third innings, scoring
two runs in each to put the game away.
Robert Carrega, the starting pitcher for Haugen's, wouldn't go down
without a fight. He struck out 11 and just four of the 12 runs he allowed
were earned.
Box Score
Trotta 322 014 -- 12 7 1
Haugen's 100 000 -- 1 1 8
Trotta IP R ER H BB K
Johnson 4 1 1 0 7 9
Haleen 1 0 0 0 0 1
Casey 1 0 0 1 2 2
Total 6 1 1 1 9 12
Haugen's IP R ER H BB K
Carrega 6 12 4 7 3 11
WP- Johnson (8-3) LP- Carrega (N/A)
2B: T- Becker, King
3B: T- Becker
HR: T- Casey
SB: T- Haleen, Crownover
