Reno baseball wins state title

Procter Hug and John Wallace can say they've done something awfully special at Reno High.

The two players can say the've played on state title football and baseball teams in the same school year. Reno completed its double by winning the NIAA 4A State baseball crown with a 12-2 win over Cimarron-Memorial on Saturday at Ron McNutt Field.

It was the first state baseball title for Reno since 1984 and only the third big schools title won in baseball by a Northern Nevada school in the last 25 seasons. But the North has won two of the last three 4A state crowns, with Wooster also winning the title in 2002.

Reno also won the state football title in 1984. But 20 years ago, the two titles didn't come in the same school year as the Huskies won the baseball crown in the spring before Reno won the football title later that fall.

The Huskies won the state title in football last fall and followed it up with the baseball title on Saturday. It's the only time Reno has won state titles in football and baseball in the same school year going back to the 1950s, according to NIAA records.

"The football sunk in, but the baseball hasn't sunk in, yet," said Hug, who was a receiver on last fall's football team. "I'm sure in a couple of days, it will sink in that I've won two state titles in one year."

Reno received plenty of help from Centennial as the Huskies needed just six hits to score 12 runs, taking advantage of five errors, seven walks and six hit batsmen. The game fittingly ended in the bottom of the sixth inning when Drew Johnson drew a four-pitch walk to bring home the game-clinching run as Reno won by the 10-run rule.

The support was more than enough for Mike Lienert, who pitched a complete game for the win. Steve Mays led the offense with five RBI and Ryan Simpson added a two-run home run.

Reno took a 3-0 lead on just one hit in the first when Wallace walked, Johnson was hit by a pitch and Mays walked to load the bases. Simpson hit a shot off the pitcher that was fielded by the first baseman, who threw in the dirt home for an error as Wallace scored. Davis Banks followed with a two-run single that made it 3-0.

In the second, Jake Johnson tripled and scored on an error on the play. Wallace walked, Drew Johnson was hit by another pitch and Mays followed with an RBI single that made it 6-0.

Jake Johnson was hit by a pitch, Wallace reached on a walk and Drew Johnson reached on an error to load the bases. Mays hit a bases-clearing double that made it 9-0. Simpson followed with a two-run shot to left against the wind that made it 11-0.

In the fourth, Cimarron scored its two runs after Joel Reese singled and Jorge Esquivel doubled. reese was barely able to score Josh Felker's sacrifice fly as he just beat Drew Johnson's throw from center field. Dustin Holland then hit an RBI single that made it 11-2.

In the sixth, Kyle Bertelson walked, Jake Johnson singled and Wallace was hit by a pitch before Drew Johnson drew his game-ending walk.

"It's incredible," said Wallace, who was a quarterback for Reno's football team this past fall. "I felt very lucky to be a part of both titles.

"i've got an opportunity to play for two great coaches and great teammates - a lifetime family."

Contact Charles Whisnand at cwhisnand@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1214.