CARLSBAD – Nine straight times over the last three seasons, the baseball teams at Torrey Pines and Carlsbad high schools have played one-run games.
The 10th meeting on Friday afternoon was no different.
Leading by five runs and the game seemingly firmly in hand, Carlsbad surrendered four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh before Jack Nolan came out of the Lancers bullpen with runners on first and second and no outs to get the final three Torrey Pines batters on a strikeout, a flyout and a grounder to preserve at 7-6 North County Coastal League win.
“My mindset was to come in and throw strikes,” said Nolan, who was pitching in just his sixth game and had an 8.50 ERA. “I don’t throw that hard, so I wanted to get ahead of the hitters, trust my defense and trust in God. I’ve been in a few games, but nothing like this, coming in with the game on the line.”
Leading 5-0, No. 3-ranked Carlsbad (11-6, 3-2) saw No. 10 Torrey Pines (10-8, 3-2) rally for four runs in the sixth to make it 5-4.
Carlsbad expanded the lead to 7-4 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Torrey Pines drew three straight walks to open the seventh.
A wild pitch and a Jack Swanberg RBI single made it 7-6 and Carlsbad coach Scott de Jong called for Nolan.
The right-hander got the final three outs, stranding two runners to earn his second save of the season.
“I had no idea I’d get into this game,” Nolan said. “The coaches told me to get hot. I went down and warmed up, then I was in the game.
“This was a big game. Any time you beat Torrey Pines it’s a big game. I’m glad they trusted me.”
Earlier this week, Carlsbad beat Torrey Pines 2-1 and Falcons right-hander Jason Jutronich threw a no-hitter and beat Carlsbad 1-0.
“Every time we play Torrey Pines, it’s a tight game,” DeJong said. “And weird stuff happens.”
Indeed, the umpires had to get together before ruling that a Ben Lopez drive to left was a double and not a home run.
Later in the game, the umpires huddled again after Tyler Ward fouled off a bunt attempt on a ball that appeared to hit him in the helmet.
“This was a huge win because we didn’t want to go to 2-3 in the league,” DeJong said. “We wanted to stay close to the leaders.”
Torrey Pines, Carlsbad, San Marcos and La Costa Canyon are all 3-2 in the league. Rancho Bernardo is 2-3 and Poway is 1-4.
Dolan Maher scored a pair of runs for Torrey Pines. Ethan Shi drove in two with a pinch-hit double while Cy Alexander and Aidan Stroot drove in runs.
Jett Kenady had a two-run homer for Carlsbad, his third homer of the season.
Rod Bering had a pair of singles and scored twice, while Bering, Max Adams and Lopez all had two hits. Bering scored twice, Adams drove in two and Lopez drove in one.
