A couple chances in the first and fourth innings never materialized into runs and the third-seeded Warriors fell to second-seeded La Center 11-0 on six innings on Monday in a Class 1A District 4 quarterfinal in Castle Rock.
Rochester (9-9), in its first season back in 1A, will face Castle Rock on Tuesday in an elimination game. Its downfall was four errors and La Center capitalized with a 4-0 lead after two innings, then added three more in the fifth and the final four in the sixth.
“When you’re playing a good team, you can’t afford to do that,” Warriors head coach Brad Quarnstrom said.
In the first, Rochester had two runners on with one out and the frame ended with a pickoff at second. Then in the fourth, it loaded the bases with two outs and a strikeout left them full of Warriors.
Sam Barth recorded two hits while Kole Smith and Ethan Rodriguez each had a hit for the Warriors.
“I think they’ll respond quite well,” Quarnstrom said. “They know what’s at stake.”
