Photos by Shannon Litz/Nevada Appeal
It took until the bottom of the sixth inning for the Carson bats to wake up Tuesday against Elko.
In the end, the Senators woke up just in time to leave with a 12-11 walk-off win at Ron McNutt Field over the 3A Indians in a non-league game.
Carson pounded out nine of its 12 hits and scored seven times over the last two innings.
Nick Domitrovich was the thorn in the Indians' side all day as he went 2-for-3 with two walks, three RBIs and four stolen bases. In the seventh, it was Domitrovich who advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored the game-winning run on another passed ball.
"I am not sure we really came (out ready to play)," said Carson coach Cody Farnworth about the Senators slow start offensively. "I think they thought we could go through the motions and pick up the win. But that's not the case. It was nice to see us battle and comeback (to win) without most of our regulars."
Carson played 14 players as it prepares for rival Douglas (6-8) at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at home. Carson is currently 9-5 in league.
"Anytime you go into a rival game you have to be prepared for a battle," Farnworth said, knowing the Tigers are fighting for their playoff lives.
Farnworth said Tuesday's game was a good game to get the team ready for the playoffs.
"Nonleague games give us an opportunity to get a lot of kids in and also help us show some areas that we need to work on," he said, continuing... "and there's somethings we need to work on."
One of those areas is allowing free baserunners. Carson pitchers gave up 10 free passes and hit four other batters, which allowed the Indians to almost sneak out of Carson with a win.
Elko came out aggressive pushing across a run on three hits in the opening inning. After two were out, Tyler Moody doubled to left. He would score when Chris Davis, a former Carson student, doubled to right.
Carson would tie the game off starter Davis in the bottom half. Domitrovich walked, stole second and scored when Rory Petersen reached on an error.
The Senators added three in the second on just one hit to take a 4-1 lead. Dion Copoulos reached on an error to open the inning. After a fly out he advanced to second when Brock Pradere was hit by pitch. Copoulos then scored on Domitrovich's single. The throw home allowed Pradere and Domitrovich to advance to second and third respectively. Petersen would then reach on an error that scored both Pradere and Domitrovich.
The Indians responded in the third to even the game off Carson starter Domitrovich. A hit batter and back-to-back singles by Moody and Davis plated a run. Two batters later, Damian Richey-benevides doubled home a pair to tie the game.
The game would stay that way until the Indians would take a 7-4 lead in the fifth off Carson's Charlie Banfield. The Indians scored three runs on two errors, a walk, a balk and two hit batsmen.
Carson got one back in the bottom half of the inning off of Phillip Benevides who entered to pitch. TJ Thomsen walked and advanced to second on a bunt single by Colby Blueberg. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Thomsen scored on ground out by Carter Nuckolls.
Elko would extend its lead with four runs in the sixth inning. Once again, the patient Indians took advantage of Carson's inability to throw strikes.
Back-to-back-to-back walks, an infield single, another walk, a wild pitch and a groundout accounted for the four Indian runs.
That's when the Carson bats woke up.
Pradere started with it a sharp single to center, after a pair of fielder's choices Petersen ended up on first and it looked like the Carson comeback was stalled. However, Austin Pacheco kept the inning alive with a single to center. Thomsen then singled scoring Petersen, who beat the throw to the plate. On the throw both Pacheco and Thomsen moved up a base. Drew Moreland, in his only plate appearance, then singled home Pacheco and Thomsen.
In the seventh, Carter Nuckolls started the rally with a lined double to center. He went to third on Zak Harjes single to left. Pradere then singled home Nuckolls to cut the lead to 11-9. The Indians went to the bullpen, but that didn't work as Domitrovich singled to plate Harjes and Pradere to tie the game.
Petersen than singled putting Domitrovich - the winning run - on second. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball.
"Once they started hitting the ball around the field like that, there's not much you can do," said Elko coach Shane Gilligan.
Carson finished with 12 hits - nine in the last two innings - with Domitrovich, Pacheco and Pradere collecting two apiece.