Senators split doubleheader with Fallon

FALLON " The Carson Senators failed to hold a three run lead in the first game, but came back to win the second game Saturday and salvage a doubleheader split with Fallon.

Fallon erupted for five runs in the fifth inning to win the opener, 6-5. Cassie Vondrak struck out eight in the loss. In the second game, seven Greenwave errors helped the Senators score six unearned runs in a 10-6 win.

Carson took two of three games in the series (the Senators won 5-2 Thursday at home) and are now 12-6 in Sierra League play. Fallon dropped to 6-12.

"Fallon always gives us a tough game, and today was no different," Carson coach Scott Vickrey said. "We played clean ball and played the ball we needed to on defense, but we made some baserunning mistakes that took us out of some innings."

In the opener, Carson led 4-2 when the roof caved in in the fifth inning. Fallon plated five runs, stringing together two walks, three singles and a double.

Controversy erupted when Sara Parsons hit a grounder between first and second that hit baserunner Jenna Christy on the foot, but umpires ruled that no infielder was in position to make a play, and under softball rules no out was called. Parsons drove in one run, then Jenny Rechel doubled home two more for a 5-4 Fallon lead. Rechel came home from third on a double steal for the final run.

In the second game, Carson scored three runs in the first inning, two in the second and three more in the fourth for an 8-3 lead. Natalie Morrow, pitching in relief of Daria Leid who in turn had relieved Vondrak, made it stand and earned the win.

Lauren Knozer hit a two-run home run and Leid added a solo blast, both in the fourth inning. Rechel smacked a bases-loaded triple in the sixth, scoring three runs and bringing Fallon to within two at 8-6, but the Senators responded in the seven with RBIs from Vondrak on a single and Leid on a double for the final runs.