Western Defeats Plantation To Give New Coach A Win In His Debut

What’s the best way to welcome in a new head coach in his debut appearance?

For starters, try a 350-foot, two-run home run in the first inning.

And follow that with a seven-run third inning that put the game out of reach.

And cap it off with some clean fielding.

That was the way it went for first-year Western coach Paul Barnes as his host Wildcats run-ruled Plantation 11-1 in the fifth inning in each team’s season opener.

Senior right fielder Lucas Carmen made the noisiest cracks of the bat. He began by connecting on a curve ball offering and deposited it over the 15-foot right-center field wall to plate Tyler Fichter.

In the third inning, Carmen continued his onslaught by drilling a two-run double down the right-field line.

But he wasn’t done. He led off the fourth by being hit by a pitch and came around to score on a wild pitch. He finished 2-for-2 with a home run, double, hit by pitch, four RBI and three runs.

“He had me two strikes, so I figured that he wouldn’t throw me another curve ball because I just hit it really hard foul,” Carmen said of the home run at-bat. “He brought me another fastball that was inside. So then I thought that he’s not going to throw me another fastball. So he threw me a curve ball that was outside, and I just went away with it.”

The third inning was where Western really took control.

The Wildcats (1-0) sent 13 batters to the plate while totaling six hits and two walks. They also reached base on an error and were hit by a pitch.

Fichter, the junior center fielder, did his job as the lead off man as he went 2-for-2 with two singles, two walks, two runs and a RBI. Senior designated hitter David Canty came up with a two-run single while shortstop Max Balter and left fielder Tyler Handt each had a run and an RBI.

On the mound, senior Cameron Hester worked three and two-thirds innings to pick up the win. He struck out three and allowed a run on three hits before giving way to senior reliever Zack Brown, who recorded the final four outs in order.

“The whole team was up on the fence first pitch to last pitch,” Barnes said. “They were here to win. Just about everybody contributed and was able to execute.”

For the Colonels (0-1), starting pitcher Mark Ramcharitar had a double, and third baseman Jeremy Viveros walked and scored a run on a RBI single by catcher Daniel Vasquez. Center fielder Adam Shorr singled and stole a base.

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