Douglas baseball comes back vs. Damonte Ranch

Three games into the year, and the Douglas baseball team is already exhibiting the late-game discipline one would look for in the playoffs.

The Tigers put together a three-run seventh inning to come back from one down for an 8-6 win over Damonte Ranch Friday afternoon in south Reno on the second day of the Mike Bearman Memorial Tournament.

"I was just telling the guys that I really like to see that out of them this early in the year," Douglas coach John Glover said. "When they got down in the sixth inning, they could've hung their heads a little bit, but they didn't quit and they picked up a good win today.

"Now we're just going to work on having that spark throughout the entire game."

Douglas fell back 6-5 on a Damonte Ranch solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth, which chased starting pitcher Adam Burnside from the game.

For his part, Burnside pitched a solid game, striking out four in five innings while walking two.

Pat Lahlum came on in relief and retired three of the next four batters to bring Douglas into the top of the seventh.

Catcher Jordan Hadlock worked a two-two count to open the inning before hitting a laser shot over the left field fence to tie the game up at six.

Nike Saladis then singled to right and Nate Whalin drew an intentional walk. Cory Eilers loaded the bases when he reached on an error and Phil Mannelly singled Saladis home for the go-ahead run.

Brandon Bernard pushed the final run across as he grounded into a fielder's choice. A fly out to center ended the Tiger threat.

Hadlock, who caught the first six innings of the game, came out on the mound to pitch the seventh, making his pitching debut after two seasons on the varsity squad.

He struck out the side against the heart of Damonte's lineup on just 12 pitches to end the game and earn the save.

"Jordan gives us another option out there," Glover said. "We weren't really sure how we were going to use him this season, but he'll plug in well for some situational work. In a tournament like this where you have five games in three days, you have to get creative with how you use your pitchers."

Lahlum was credited with the win.

Earlier in the game, Douglas took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Mannelly doubled to center and was sacrificed to third by Troy Torres. He came around to score on a passed ball two pitches later.

Hadlock drew a walk to open the third, advanced to second on a throwing error and was sacrificed to third by Saladis.

Whalin also drew a walk to put two on and Eilers belted a shot to deep left, just over the 365-feet sign, to put Douglas up 4-0.

The Mustangs brought four runs across in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single and a two-run double and took the lead in the fourth on a run scored from a fielder's choice.

Douglas tied the game back up in the top of the fifth when Whalin stole second and the Mustang catcher rifled the ball into right-center field. Whalin came around to score on the error.

Mannelly led the Tigers (2-1) at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.