Sea Hawks Defeat Carson 5-4, Pick Up First Win of Season

Travis Fischvogt did his part to put Redondo Union in position for its first win of the season, and his teammates did not let him down as the Sea Hawks picked up a clutch 5-4 win over Carson High on Monday.

Fischvogt, who has played seven positions in his Sea Hawk career, made his first start on the mound and pitched three scoreless innings.

After pitching a scoreless first inning, Fischvogt helped out his own cause in a big way when he stepped to the plate with Cameron Bennett, Dylan Hatch and Drew Kozain on base.

With two strikes, Fischvogt took Cesar Avila’s offering over the short 265 right-field fence for a grand slam.

“We have had some trouble offensively. I credit my coaches with helping me on my two-strike approach,” Fischvogt said. “I crowded the plate a little bit and the pitch was off the plate somewhat, but I got to it.”

Fischvogt went 3-3 on the day and drove in his fifth run when he singled home Matt Esparza in the third.

With a 5-1 lead, left-hander Hatch took the mound for Redondo in the fourth inning.

The first three Colts batters of the inning singled to pull Carson High within three, at 5-2. Mike Young reached base after Hatch and first baseman Alfredo Camacho had a miscommunication on Young’s sacrifice bunt.

With the bases loaded, the Colts took the idea of small-ball to extremes as Hector Lopez's bunt popped high and over Hatch’s head, dropping and scoring two runs in the process.

“It was getting a little tedious at that point in the game, but the situation was exhilarating,” Sea Hawks catcher Jake Jimenez said.

With Isaiah Pulido on third base and only one out, Aaron Martin made contact on a bunt that also went the aerial route. 

Jimenez stretched out for a diving catch and alertly went to third base, securing a double play and getting Redondo out of the inning at 5-4.

“They were playing small ball, and you had to expect more of that,” Jimenez said. “It was just a reaction. I saw it in the air and made a play on it.”

“It was just a huge play,” Redondo Head Coach Jeff Baumback said. “They kept bunting and squeezing. Jake laying out to make that play probably won the game for us.”

The Sea Hawks once again escaped trouble in the sixth when Kozain entered the game to face Lopez with runners at the corners and two outs.

Kozain coolly zipped consecutive strikes by Lopez, who went down swinging.

“You don’t always win the game in the seventh inning. The double-play and Drew’s strikeout to get us out of the sixth were the keys to us holding on,” Baumback said.

Kozain pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the save and gave the Sea Hawks (1-2) their first win of the season.

“Getting our first win is huge for us. The kids aren’t as worried about getting that first one out of the way anymore,” Baumback said.

The Sea Hawks came up with eight hits on the day. In addition to Fischvogt’s three hits, Hatch reached base in all three of his at-bats with two singles and a walk.

“We have had some trouble offensively,” Fischvogt said. “But we really feel we can hit and have high hopes of putting it together and (we'll) start mashing the ball.”