Senior righthander Eric Crause pitched a complete game one-hitter Monday as Columbia High shut out La Center, 1-0, in Trico Division baseball action at Hecomovich Field.
Crause struck out eight and walked five to earn his second victory of the young season.
The game's only run came in the second inning on junior Casey Ferguson's RBI single, which scored classmate Jason Carlock.
Ferguson's hit was one of two off La Center ace Josh Williamson, who fanned seven and walked four in five innings of work.
Defensively, the Bruins (3-0, 3-0) played errorless baseball for seven innings. Carlock was the defensive standout for CHS, throwing out two would-be Wildcats base-stealers in two chances.
"Right now, our pitching and defense are carrying us," Bruins Coach Larry McCutcheon said after the game.
In three games encompassing 19 innings, Bruins pitchers have allowed four hits and two runs, both unearned.
Offensively, CHS hitters have mustered just 10 hits and 10 runs in 17 at-bats.
"We're definitely not swinging the bats the way we can," McCutcheon said. "The last two games, we've seen two of the best pitchers in the league. But the bats will come around. Hitting is infectious; once one or two guys get hot, it'll catch on."
La Center000 000 0 0 1 3
Columbia010 000 x 1 2 0
Batteries:
La Center: J. Williamson, C. Williamson (6) and Bloyed; CHS: Crause and J. Carlock. WP -- Crause (2-0). LP -- J. Williamson.
Highlights:
La Center: Josh Williamson, 1-3, 5 IP, 7 Ks, 2 hits. Columbia: Casey Ferguson, 1-2, RBI; Jason Carlock, run, 2 assists; Eric Crause, 1-3, 7 IP, 8 Ks, 1 hit.
At Columbia High 4, Castle Rock 0 --
Sophomore righthander Jon Bryan struck out 10 and yielded just three singles last Thursday en route to a complete-game victory in his first start of the season.
Bryan faced 26 batters -- five over the minimum -- walking two. Moreover, Castle Rock hit only five balls out of the infield in seven at-bats.
Senior shortstop Matthew Carlock extinguished a Castle Rock threat in the top of the sixth when he fielded a grounder to start a 6-unassisted-3 double play.
Columbia High led, 1-0, after five innings, but pushed three unearned runs across in the bottom of the sixth against Rockets relievers Nathan Roubicek and Caleb Ledford to give Bryan a more comfortable cushion.
Junior Brandon Verley scored two runs, including the game's first, and stole three bases in three attempts to spark the CHS offense.
Jason Carlock had Columbia's lone hit: an RBI single in the sixth.
Castle Rock starter Kyle Foster held the Bruins in check for three innings. The southpaw walked one but didn't allow a hit while striking out seven of the 11 batters he faced.
Castle Rock000 000 0 0 3 1
Columbia000 103 x 4 1 4
Batteries:
Castle Rock: Foster, Roubicek (4), Ledford (6) and Martinsen; CHS: Bryan and J. Carlock. WP -- Bryan (1-0). LP -- Roubicek.
Highlights:
Castle Rock: Caleb Ledford, 1-2; James Gehring, 1-2; Kyle Foster 1-3; Nathan Roubicek, SB. Columbia: Jason Carlock, 1-3, RBI; Brandon Verley, 3-3 SBs, 2 runs; Eric Crause, SB, run; Kenny Mace, SB, run; Jon Bryan, 7 IP, 10 Ks.
Columbia High 5, at Woodland 2 --
Eric Crause drove in two runs with a double and tossed three hitless innings to spark the Bruins to a season-opening road win March 18.
Crause had two of CHS's seven hits and got credit for the win, with relief help from lefthander Brandon Verley, who struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth.
They combined on a five-inning no-hitter, striking out nine and walking four. Both Woodland runs were unearned.
Defensively, the Bruins turned a double play in the second inning when shortstop Matthew Carlock scooped up a grounder, tagged second base and threw on to first to complete the twin-killing.
Columbia102 20 5 7 2
Woodland100 10 2 0 3
Batteries:
Columbia: Crause, Verley (4) and K. Mace, J. Carlock (4); Woodland: Bright, Isselhardt (5) and Livermore. WP -- Crause (1-0). LP -- Bright.
Highlights:
Columbia: Eric Crause, 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, 3 IP, 4 Ks; Brandon Verley, 1-2, RBI, run, SB, 2 IP, 5 Ks; Charlie Kitchin, 1-3, 2B, run; Dane Ludwig, 1-2, 2B, run; Casey Ferguson, 1-3, run; James Cowan, 1-2, run; Kenny Mace, run, SB.
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