RENO - The Carson Senators found out the hard way Wednesday that there is no margin for error in postseason baseball.
Carson's three errors in the fourth inning wasted a solid performance by junior Matt Rutledge, who struck out 10 and didn't allow an earned run in the Senators' 2-1 defeat to Spanish Springs in the loser's bracket of the NIAA Northern 4A Regional Championships at Damonte Ranch High School.
The loss, coupled with Tuesday's 12-8 defeat to Galena, ended Carson's season at 25-14, less than a week after the Senators finished the regular season on an 11-2 roll to claim the No. 3 seed headed into the playoffs.
Carson coach Steve Cook said the errors and his team's inability to get its bunts down ultimately led to the defeat.
"Maybe I was overly aggressive with the squeeze - there are a lot of what-ifs," Cook said. "I can't fault the kids for their effort. Stoner [third baseman Kyle Stone] climbed the fence to make a catch [in the fifth]. It wasn't for a lack of effort. Rut pitched his guts out. We came up on the short end of it."
Cougars starter Tony Robinson was also dominant on the mound. He overcame three fourth-inning Spanish Springs errors and struck out seven in pitching a three-hit complete game to improve his team to 15-11-1.
"It was Tony, Tony, Tony-that was the name of the game," said Cougars coach Mike Bosco. "He got ahead of their hitters all day. It was 0-1, 0-2 all day. He was able to throw his off-speed stuff for strikes. He was able to throw curveballs for strikeouts at any time in the count."
In the first three innings, Carson managed only a walk by senior shortstop Markus Adams, a fielder's choice by Stone and a single by senior first baseman Rob Valerius.
The Cougars got all of the runs they'd need in the top of the fourth. After center fielder Derrek Doutre lined out to second baseman Brett Valley to open the inning, Justin Agliolo reached base on an error by Adams. In the next at bat Riley Tauchon reached on an error by Stone.
Designated hitter Josh Viviano hit into a comebacker and Rutledge threw out Agliolo at third, but Stone's wild throw to first allowed Viviano to reach second and Tauchon raced home on the error.
Second baseman Garrett Moore's RBI double scored Viviano to make it 2-0.
Rutledge, who allowed four hits and three walks, had six strikeouts through four innings.
Carson had its best chance to either tie the game or go ahead in the bottom of the fourth. Stone led off with a single and subsequently advanced to third when Cougars center fielder Anthony Vierra dropped a popup by junior catcher Paul Cagle.
Stone cut the lead to 2-1 and Cagle advanced to second on an error by shortstop Cody Nickovich.
Robinson responded with a strikeout of Valerius before surrendering a chopping single to Rutledge, who advanced Cagle to third. But after Robinson fanned Tommy Preston, catcher Adam Miller threw to third, catching Cagle off the bag for the all-important third out.
Preston was the only Carson batter to reach base the rest of the way, hitting a single in the seventh with two outs. Robinson forced center fielder Drew Good to ground out to second to end the game.
"Our offense didn't do a good job," Bosco said. "Our one through four hitters were [2-for-12]. Obviously we have to bring a better offense to have a chance tomorrow. We're excited to extend our season. We don't have 1-2-3 pitching. We have 1A, 1B [Robinson] and 1C [Justin Fronberg]."
Bosco said Fronberg would start today.
"Three knocks. I thought we were a better team, which we've shown in the past," said Cook, who added that he was happy with his players' work ethic all season. "[Robinson] threw pretty well today. We had trouble zeroing in on his pitches. I feel bad for our seniors. They came out to play and things should've been better-different-for them. They weren't."
Spanish Springs will meet Galena, which lost 17-9 to Sierra League champion Reno, today at 1 p.m. in the loser's bracket finall. The winner will face Reno at 4 p.m. Both games are at Damonte Ranch High School
In other action, High Desert League champion Manogue beat Douglas 8-6 and Reed eliminated Damonte Ranch, 5-2. Reed and Douglas will meet in the loser's bracket final today beginning at 1 p.m. The winner will face Manogue at 4 p.m. Both games are at Manogue High School.