North Valleys edges Carson 6-4

There was no quit in the Carson Senators on Saturday night.

Three times Carson rallied to tie the game, the last time coming in the sixth inning. When North Valleys scored twice in the top of the eighth, the Senators were unable to answer and dropped a 6-4 decision at Ron McNutt Field on the final day of the Carson Preseason tournament.

Carson will take a 1-2 record into Thursday's Sierra League opener at 3:45 p.m. against archrival Douglas at Ron McNutt Field.

"I'm proud of the way the kids battled," Carson coach Cody Farnworth said. "It's a loss, but we've come a long way from Thursday night. We came together as a team. They (North Valleys) are a pretty good team.

"I thought David (Charles) threw pretty well. They had a couple of punch and judy hits; a couple of bleeders that fell in. I thought Connor (Beattie) threw well and I thought Drew (Moreland) did well. I thought we swung the bats pretty well."

Carson managed four hits off starter Tyler Mulder and reliever Mike Romero.

Carson rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the first and then wiped out a 3-1 deficit with single runs in the fourth and fifth. It wiped out a 4-3 deficit with a single run in the sixth.

Danny Gall came on to pitch in the eighth inning, but had control problems and lasted just four batters, allowing two runs, one of which was earned.

Bryce Perkins reached on a slow roller that was bobbled by Nick Domitrovich. Mason Blake walked as did P.J. Van Emmerik to load the bases. Gall, who was throwing mostly off-speed pitches, hit Romero to force in a run to make it 5-4.

Moreland came on, and Zach White squeezed home a run to make it 6-4. Moreland fanned Molder to end the threat.

Romero, who worked the final two innings, struck out Brock Pradere looking to start the bottom of the eighth. Shea Bondi followed with a laser to short. White made a diving stop and a strong throw to retire Bondi. Romero got Domitrovich on a routine roller to short to end the game.

David Charles worked the mound for first five innings for Carson, allowing three runs on six hits. One of those runs came in the first, and it could have been a lot worse save for a nice play by catcher Cameron Mayville.

Romero opened the game with a single and moved to second on a wild pickoff throw by Charles. Romero moved to third when White's sacrifice bunt was misplayed by Austin Pacheco. Mayville picked Romero off at third, but Gage Clark singled home White. Tim Herman blooped a double to right, sending Clark to third, Charles fanned Perkins to end the inning.

Carson tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Chance Quilling doubled home David Feltner, who had reached on a fielder's choice.

Two singles, a walk, an error and a sacrifice fly accounted for two more runs, only one of which was earned, as North Valleys opened up a 3-1 lead.

A run-scoring single by Colby Blueberg cut the deficit to 3-2 after five.

"I felt I pitched pretty good," said Charles. "I've been working on some stuff in the bullpen. It was very frustrating. I had to call Cam (Mayville) up so I could calm myself. They were hitting right field all day."

In the sixth, Connor Beattie walked Blake with one out. Blake moved to second on a bunt and to third on a wild pitch. Van Emmerik walked to put runners on first and third. The Panthers ran the 'cutthroat' play, and instead of running the lead runner back to third, Carson tried to retire the back runner. They got the out, but not before Blake scored to make it 5-4.

"That's something we work on everyday in practice," Farnworth said. "They did a good job executing it, and we have to do a better job defending it."

Quilling took Charles off the hook for a loss when his infield out scored Domitrovich, who had reached on a walk.