RENO -- Everyone doubted the Reno Huskies and their 9-0 Sierra League record. After all, it came against the three worst teams in the league, although in convincing fashion.
Now, after sweeping Wooster last week and beating Douglas 4-2 on Thursday, the doubters have been silenced.
"They play solid baseball. They're not flashy," said Tiger coach Hal Wheeler after his team's defeat at Bud Foster Field. "They had some timely hits today and we didn't execute."
The Huskies (23-3 overall, 13-0 league) can clinch the Sierra League championship by sweeping Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers in Minden. Douglas, which needed to sweep Reno and hoped Carson beat the Huskies once next week for it to win the league title, now have changed its expectations.
"The idea that we can finish first in our division is just not there anymore," Wheeler said. "We're playing for second and third place and pride. I don't think it really matters who we play in the first round (of the Northern 4A Regional Tournament). The other side is so even."
Douglas (17-10, 8-5) went up 2-1 in the top of the fifth after Shane Cauley's triple to right center scored two runs after Jessie Weller's attempted diving catch backfired. Austin Graham then walked to put runners on the corners, but Jeff Schoenbachler struck out Cal Lewis to end the inning.
The Huskies, though, answered back in bottom half the inning, scoring three runs off two hits, highlighted by Brady Dolan's two-run homer, which proved to be the game-winning hit.
Darren Muren was solid on the mound for the Tigers, who managed only five hits off Schoenbachler, a crafty 6-foot-2 left handed sophomore. Muren scattered his eight hits and walked only one. Schoenbachler struck out eight and was replaced in the seventh by Drew Johnson after Erik Olson singled to lead off the inning. Johnson then struck out the next three batters.
"Darren certainly pitched well enough to win today," Wheeler said. "It just wasn't our day. I was real proud of the way the kids played."
Cauley ended up going 2-for-4 and Graham and Jake Nielson both went 1-for-2 for Douglas. Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double and Nik Kosach and Thomas Bills both were 1-for-3 for the Huskies .
Saturday's doubleheader starts at 10 a.m.