Successful mission
BENTLEYVILLE – Head coach Richard Krause said prior to Carmichaels’ key game Friday at co-leader Bentworth that his team had to win at least one of the last two Section 1-A games to be in a good position for a playoff spot.
Mission accomplished.
The Mikes scored three runs in each of the first two innings and never looked back in a 7-5 win Friday, but Krause is not going to let his team relax.
“This is big for us,” he said. “We lost to them a few weeks ago and have never recovered. Our kids have worked hard and hung with it because you always know that when you play Bentworth, you are playing a well-prepared team but we have to keep going.”
Bentworth coach George Linck, filling in for head coach Dion Jansante, was impressed with Carmichaels.
“Give Carmichaels credit (but) we spotted them too many runs,” he said. “When we beat them the first time (2-1), we had more fire.”
Carmichaels scored three runs in the first inning on three hits, the key one an RBI double by Joel Spishock.
The Mikes added three unearned runs in the second inning, thanks to a pair of Bentworth errors. Linck was not happy with the defensive effort.
“We won’t win many games playing defense like that,” he said of Bentworth’s five errors. “We have to play better defense and we also have to hit better. Our bats are not where they need to be.”
Part of the problem at the plate for Bentworth Friday was because of Carmichaels ace Jacob Kinsell.
The hard thrower entered the game in the third inning after replacing starting pitcher Matt Barrish and recorded 11 strikeouts through five innings.
“We didn’t want to see him go more than five innings because we may need him Monday (against Jefferson-Morgan),” Krause said. “We came down here and the guys came out fast and that is a good sign.”
Bentworth scored four runs on five hits in the second inning off Barrish with four different batters driving in a run to trim the Carmichaels lead to 6-4. Each team added a run in the fifth inning.
Spishock, with a single and double, and Reed Long, with two singles, paced Carmichaels while Josh Hughes led Bentworth with a single and a double.
Bentworth heads to California Monday with a share of the section title on the line while Carmichaels hosts Jefferson-Morgan.