HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Crawford’s Townsend Suffers First Loss

While one was running out of gas, the other was running out of time.

In an opening game of the AA division of the Lions baseball tournament against Crawford, USDHS pitcher Tom Shanner was pulled after the fifth inning with a two-hit, four-strikeout effort to his credit, and USDHS leading, 2-1.

“For four innings he was OK,” USDHS Coach Dick Serrano said, “then he ran out of gas.”

As Gavin Millay replaced Shanner, Crawford pitcher Chris Townsend, with an undefeated high school pitching record on the line, was hoping something would spark Crawford’s offense.

Nothing did. In fact, sixth-ranked USDHS scored again in the sixth and held on for a 3-1 victory Saturday morning at Valhalla.

Townsend, whose consecutive victory record was snapped at 13, had to adjust to his first loss in two seasons.

“It’s tough when pitch so well and end up losing,” said Townsend (4-1), who had seven strikeouts and gave up seven hits and three runs (one unearned). “We just got beat, I don’t really know what it was.”

What it was, quite simply, was USDHS scoring the winning run in much the same manner as Crawford had scored its only run at the top of the sixth.

After Shanner walked Sal Vidrios and Eric Brier with two outs, Vidrios scored from second on a throwing error to first base by the USDHS shortstop. Shanner got out of the inning on a force out at second.

“We only had one bad defensive play, and it cost us a run,” Serrano said.

Two batters later--Townsend struck out the first--the Dons’ Tom Tate doubled to left field. Gary Remiker filed out to center, and Tate scored from second to make it 2-1 when Crawford’s shortstop overthrew first.

“We made a few crucial errors,” Townsend said.

USDHS (11-3), which has lived, and won, by the one-, two- and three-run games this season, was relieved to gets some key hits against Crawford (10-3).

“We got some timely hitting and some good defense,” said Shanner (3-1).

Tate came out of a mild slump and went two for three, scored twice and had a stolen base.

“I was seeing the ball pretty well today,” Tate said. “(Townsend) pitched well, but I just tried to relax and wait for the right pitch.”

In the sixth, Tate drilled a shot to left field, stole second, stopped at third on a single by Remiker, then scored on a fielder’s choice when the throw home was a fraction late.

In the first, Jeff Desjardins scored for USDHS on David Sanchez’ RBI single.