Tough night for Carson Little League all-star squads

GARDNERVILLE - It was a lost night for Carson City Little League all-star teams Monday night, as both the 10-11 and 11-12-year-old teams suffered District 1 setbacks at Aspen Park.

The 10-11-year-old squad dropped a 10-1 decision to Reno National in its pool-play opener, while the 11-12-year-old squad was knocked off 7-4 by Reno Continental.

The 10-11 team returns to action Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against North Valleys. The 11-12 squad returns to play Thursday at 8 p.m. against Reno National. The 11-12 squad is 1-1 in pool play.

The top four teams in each pool in each age group advance to the single elimination portion of the tournament which starts on Saturday.

RENO NATIONAL 10, CARSON 1

Reno broke open a 3-1 game with seven runs in the fifth en route to the easy victory as Roger Koci and Denny Peters combined on a six-hitter.

"We didn't play to our potential tonight," Carson manager Cris Holton said. "They (Reno) stepped it up. I'm not worried about it."

Reno took a 1-0 lead in the first against P.J. White when Peters reached on an error, stole second base and scored on a double by Jeremy Smith.

Reno added two more in the third, one coming on a homer by Smith. Hayes Riedeman and Orlando Lorang both singled. After two strikeouts, Carson made an error allowing the second run to cross.

Carson finally got on the board in the fourth when John Holton singled and came around to score to make it 3-1. The locals lost a chance at a bigger inning when coach Mike Leahy contacted baserunner Chea Zevnick at third, and Zevnick was called out.

White, who had pitched a solid game through four innings, ran into problem in the fifth, walking the first two hitters of the inning. Holton came on and the fourth batter he faced, Mike Heydon, delivered a two-run single to make it 5-1. Kyle Kunz didn't fare much better. He allowed two singles, walked one and hit a batter before retiring the side. When the smoke had cleared, Reno had a 10-1 lead.

Ryan Pope ht a one-double in the sixth, but the next two hitters were retired to end the game.

RENO CONT. 7, CARSON 4

Homers by Austin Lahue and Colton Brantner paved the way for three second-inning runs, and Reno Continental held on for the win.

Carson managed just seven hits off Chase Brown, who worked 5.2 innings. Jeff Tung recorded he final out of the contest.

"We were really flat," manager Jim Andrews said.

Carson scored a quick run in the first when losing pitcher Josiah Pongasi singled, stole second and scored on a throwing error.

Austin Lahue powered a Pongasi fastball over the fence in left-centerfield, tying the game at 1. After Tung was hit by a pitch, Colton Brantner powered another Pongasi fastball over the fence to make it 3-1. He retired the next three hitters to end the inning.

"He got the fastball up a little," Andrews said. "It was my fault. I was calling for high fastballs and they turned on them. I'll take the heat for that. Josiah is a gamer. He gives it his all. When things don't work out it affects him sometimes. That's why I went out and talked to him."

Carson took a brief 4-3 lead in the third thanks to four hits and a double steal. Pongasi, Shane Andrews, Kyle Steele and Brandon Allen all hit safely.

Reno Continental seized the momentum back with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third. Lahue drove in one run with an infield groundball and Tung drove in the other with a single.

Jordan Buggs made it 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth when he tripled in Zach Young and Isaiah Campbell, both of whom had reached on singles.

After Carson's brief barrage, Brown retired six of the next eight hitters he faced before Tung got the final out.

Pongasi and Allen led the way with two hits each.

In Carson's tourney opener on Sunday, Shane Andrews went 4-for-4 to spark Carson to a 10-5 win over Truckee. Brandon Davidson and Kyle Steele split the mound duties.