LAS VEGAS - Nicole Freeman was 6-for-6 and pitched Carson High School's softball team to an opening-game win Monday, and the Senators enjoyed a fine start to the Las Vegas Invitational and swept games against Santana and Ganesha.
The Senators beat Santana out of Santee, Calif., by a 3-1 score to open the 40-team tourney, then beat Ganesha of Pomona, Calif., 6-1. Carson plays at 8 a.m. today against an undetermined opponent, and with a victory it will advance to the elite gold bracket against other teams that went 3-0. If it loses, the Senators enter the silver bracket, which contains teams that went 2-1.
"We played real well today," Carson coach John Sullivan said. "Nicole had a great day for us, hitting well and pitching well in the first game."
In the opener, Freeman fired a one-hitter and the Senators scored two runs in the third to take the lead for good.
Carson got its first run when Kellie Karasek sacrificed Freeman home with a fly ball in the first inning. After Santana tied it up in the top of the second, Chrissy Joseph doubled home Freeman and Brandi Cotroneo in the third inning.
Freeman struck out seven hitters and walked none for the complete-game shutout.
In the second game, Melissa Stone allowed only one run and the Senators pounded out 15 hits to blow past Ganesha.
Carson scored one in the bottom of the first to tie the game, then added four in the fourth and another in the fifth on Amanda Hoff's solo homer. Stone allowed only two hits and struck out five.
Freeman was 3-for-3, Joseph had an RBI double and Vicki Parsons had a single and two RBIs. Tricia Hudgins also picked up two hits for Carson.
Northern 4A Golf
RENO - Galena High School's Travis Whisman won overall honors to propel the Grizzlies to first place at the Northern 4A golf tournament at Wolf Run on Monday, while Carson struggled in the rainy conditions and finished fifth in the 13-team tournament.
Carson shot 427 as a team, four strokes behind Reed and Reno at 422. Galena won overall with a score of 412, five strokes better than Elko at 417.
Whisman shot a 75 to win medalist honors for the first time this season. Carson's John Chirila was just behind him at 77, but it wasn't known whether he'd finished second or third overall.
"The conditions weren't that great, and we struggled out there," Senator coach Paul Croghan said. "John shot well for us, although he was upset with his putting, but he's been our most consistent player."
Other Senators scores were: Nick Zappin, 82, Justin Bryant, 85, Josh Bratzler, 92 and Nick Carlson, 92.
Carson still is on track to easily make zone with one more conference tournament on tap. The Senators' next tourney is at 1:30 p.m. on May 2 at Rosewood Lakes in Reno.