The Carson Cardinals baseball team began the summer in an impressive way on Wednesday, coming back to beat what has traditionally been Northern Nevada's top amatuer team.
Carson opened the Reno Knights Memorial Day Weekend Tournament by beating the Sierra Sun Devils 7-6 in eight innings at Wooster. Carson trailed 5-1 going into the seventh inning when it scored five runs to take a 6-5 lead. The Sun Devils came back to tie the game to force extra innings before Carson pushed across a run in the eighth for the win.
Matt Rutledge was the winning pitcher for Carson, going the distance. He allowed four earned runs and struck out seven. In the seventh, Drew Good walked, Brett Valley doubled and Tyler Smith reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Good was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, but Kyle Stone hit a two-run single and Markus Adams followed with an RBI single. After Rob Valerius walked to load the bases, Cody Barr hit an RBI groundout to tie the score 5-5. Adams then stole home to give the Cardinals a 6-5 lead.
In the eighth, Good singled and Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Stone lined a shot to left that scored Good as Stone got credit for an RBI sacrifice fly. Rutledge retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth, striking out the last batter he faced.
Adams was 3-for-4, Stone was 2-for-4 with three RBI and Valerius added a hit. Carson continues play in the tournament at 7:30 p.m. today against North Valleys at Ron McNutt Field.