Carpinteria senior Miles Souza scattered three hits and struck out eight in a complete-game 3-0 shutout of Malibu in a Citrus Coast League Senior Day game at John Calderwood Field Tuesday.
Souza needed just 84 pitches, and faced down a threat in the seventh when the Sharks loaded the bases. Souza then caught Malibu’s Sam Marshall looking on three pitches for a game-ending strikeout, for his seventh win.
Souza also knocked in the game’s first run with a double to left in the first inning, scoring leadoff batter Luke Lounsbury, also a senior. With runners at second and third, senior Issac Castillo hit an RBI ground ball to short, and then freshman Oscar Velazquez drove a 2-out, 2-strike single to left, scoring Souza.
Those three runs in the first were all the Warriors needed.
“The battery of Souza and (Diego) Nieves could not have been much better,” Carpinteria coach Pat Cooney said. “They were on the same page and dominant. To have the seniors play major roles in the win could not have been better scripted. The Warriors were able to pay tribute and respect with good play. Today’s game was well played by both sides and memorable.”
The loss was the Sharks’ first of the league season, and the first for pitcher Jared Hughes. The two teams meet again Thursday in Malibu for the season finale. The Warriors are now 10-3 in CCL play and the Sharks have already clinched first place with a league record of 12-1.
Cooney added another Senior Day note, mentioning the team’s three seniors.
“A story that speaks to the leadership of this year’s group is that Luke Lounsbury took an AP calculus test today from 12 — 3 p.m. in his uniform,” Cooney said. “He ran straight from the test to the field and contributed immediately without so much as a warm up throw. (Seniors) Castillo and Souza have been adjustable and able like that all year. They are a source of Warrior Pride.”