Hart played Canyon today in a "must win" game. DiGiacomo was on the mound for Canyon today and Hart expected to have their hands full. It looked like Hart could get to DiGiacomo early. In the 1st Shane Carlson getting at least 1 hit in every game, increased his streak to 15 games with a leadoff single. Ryan Petterson attempted a sacrifice bunt and beat it out. Ryan Gagnon sacrificed moving the runners to 2nd and 3rd. Pat Sarkissian walked loading the bases, but the rally ended on a tailor made 6-4-3 double play. Hart scored in the 2nd. With 1 out Brian Charnock hit a long double to right center. Donny Williams beat out an infield hit and when the 1st baseman misplayed the ball after Williams crossed the bag, Charnock scored.

Donny Williams started for Hart and pitched a great game. He was in trouble every inning, but managed to get out of most jams. In the 1st after 2 outs he gave up 2 hits but got an easy grounder to end the inning. In the 2nd he hit 2 batters and gave up an infield single, but catcher Matt Sreden picked a runner off first, and Williams got an infield fly then a flyout. In the 3rd with 1 out J.T. Adams smashed a homer to dead center to tie the score 1-1 at that time. In the 4th Scott Smith singled off Williams with 1 out, then Williams got a double play ball. Canyon made it 2-1 in the 5th. With 2 out Cody Crim smacked a double and rode home on a sharp single by J.T Adams. Williams gave up a 2 out bloop single to Scott Smith in the 6th but then got a strikeout. In the 7th with 1 out Blake McMartin reached on an error. With 2 out J.T. Adams got a walk, but again got a strikeout.

Hart came to bat in the bottom of the 7th down 2-1. Donny Williams opened with a double down the left field line that short hopped the wall. Jake Supowit ran for Williams. Andrew Briggs hitting for Kevin Baker singled to left sending Supowit to 3rd. Baker re-entered as a pinch runner. Shane Carlson grounded to 3rd, Supowit held 3rd, Baker took 2nd. Ryan Pettersen was walked intentionally, loading the bases. Ryan Gagnon hit a sacrifice fly to left scoring Supowit, and the left fielder dropped the ball so Hart still had the bases loaded with only 1 out. DiGiacomo then bore down and got an infield pop up and then a long flyout. However Hart had tied the score and we were in extra innings.

Nick Streit took the mound in place of Donny Williams to start the 8th. With 1 out he hit Tim Anderson. Streit got out of the inning getting a hard liner to deep left and a force out at 2nd. Hart also had a hit batter in the 8th but couldn't score. In the 9th against Nick Streit, Josh Pipho was hit by pitch. Streit got a strikeout and flyout then walked J.T Adams. Streit hit John Hay to load the bases. It was nervous time, but Streit got a hard line out to left to end the inning.

J.T. Adams who was a 1 man gang for Canyon going 3 for 3 with a homer, 2 RBI's and 2 walks came in to pitch in the bottom of the 9th. He promptly struck out 2 Hart batters with ease. Ryan Gagnon then hit a squibber about 6 feet up the 3rd base line that was going foul, but managed to come to rest, right on the chalk line. With Pat Sarkissian up, Gagnon stole 2nd. Sarkissian then came through in the clutch hitting a single to right. As soon as the ball hit the ground in a manner that caused the right fielder to have to do a turn to make the throw home, you knew that Gagnon would score as he slid face first into home plate.

Hart had a hard fought win. Hart is now 10-4-1 (3-1 in the Foothill League). Ryan Gagnon was 2 for 3 scoring the winning run in the 9th and driving in the tying run in the 7th. He also stole a base. Donny Williams was 2 for 3 with a double. Brian Charnock was 1 for 2, scoring 1, and had a double and stolen base. Pitching: Williams gave up 8 hits, struck out 5 hit 2 batters. Nick Streit got the win (his 3rd). Gave up NO hits, struck out 1, walked 1, hit 3 batters.

Hart next plays at Saugus on Tuesday April 12 at 3:15 PM.

Narrative courtesy of Mike Gaber.