Mohan pitches complete game, Spartans sweep Elks
Spartans rout Elks to earn season-sweep and start the season 2-0 in district
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BURLESON – Connor Mohan struck out 10 batters in a complete-game performance as the Centennial Spartans varsity baseball team earned the season-sweep over the crosstown-rival Burleson Elks with an 8-1 victory Tuesday at Burleson High School.
The senior pitcher and Texas Tech-commit Mohan earned the win as he surrendered one run off one hit and two walks with 10 strikeouts through seven innings pitched.
Spartans head coach Art Senato said Mohan was dominating in his performance.
After the umpire called strike-three to end the game, Mohan took off his jersey to reveal a “Centennial ISD” shirt he and his teammates wore to troll their crosstown rival, who they beat 5-3 last week.
The Spartans got off to an early lead that they never surrendered as they scored three runs in the top of the first inning.
Spartans junior shortstop Max Irwin scored the game’s first run on a two-run single to right field from junior second-baseman Bryson Hatton, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead with no outs in the top of the first inning.
Irwin went 2-for-3 with a double and a game-leading two runs scored. He scored his second run of the game from third base as the Elks attempted to pick-off a runner on first-base, bringing the game to 7-1 in the top of the sixth inning. He also reached base on a hit-by-pitch in the first inning.
Spartans senior first-baseman Zach Applegate brought Hatton home from first base on a double to deep left field to bring the Spartans’ lead to 3-0 with no outs in the top of the first inning.
Applegate went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and a run scored and tied Hatton with a game-leading two RBIs. His second RBI came on a single to left field to increase the Spartans’ lead to 8-1 in the top of the sixth inning.
The Spartans scored three runs off four Elk errors to increase their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning.
Elks center-fielder Aviel Webster hit an RBI double to right field to cut the Spartans’ lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the third inning. Webster went 1-for-3 with the RBI double.
The Spartans (2-0 in district, 7-5 overall) are tied with the Joshua Owls (2-0 in district) for first-place in District 8-5A. The Elks (0-2, 2-9) are tied for ninth place.
Senato said it feels great to be 2-0 in district.
“To get these two games and come over here and win on the road – every road win in district is big,” Senato said. “And that’s a big one because at the end of the season they’ll be in the mix.”
Senato said he expects the Elks to be a playoff team despite starting 0-2 in district.
The Spartans and Elks will compete in the Johnson County Classic Tournament Thursday through Saturday before the Elks return to district-action hosting Midlothian-Heritage Tuesday and the Spartans take Tuesday off.