RENO - For a team that has only had a few outside practice days because of inclimate weather, Carson High looked pretty good in its season-opening game Thursday afternoon.
The Senators got solid pitching performance from sophomore Charlie Banfield and they outhit Damonte Ranch 8-5, but still dropped a 4-3 decision on the first day of the Mike Bearman Invitational.
Damonte didn't score an earned run all day, as Carson made three errors, and the Mustangs were able to capitalize on the miscues.
Carson returns to action today with an 11 a.m. game vs. Enochs at Reno High and a 4 p.m. game against Wooster at Wooster.
"There were a lot of positives," Carson coach Cody Farnworth said after Damonte had pushed a run across in the bottom of the seventh to snap a 3-all tie and win the game. "Charlie is a sophomore and he came out and threw well. Zak (Harjes) did a good job behind the dish. We're expecting him to win that spot so we can do other things with our defense.
"There are things we have to clean up. The left on base (nine) killed us. We had a couple of mistakes in the field that hurt us, but the kids played hard and competed until the end."
Banfield worked five innings, allowing four hits while striking out three hitters.
"It was a little rough the first couple of innings, but overall I thought I did a pretty good job," Banfield said. "I was a little nervous."
Damonte Ranch took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Alec Hernandez singled and went all the way to third on a wild pickoff throw. First baseman Adam Whitt had started to run in toward the plate and Banfield threw toward an empty base.
"We had a play called, but he (Banfield) wasn't supposed to throw it," Farnworth said.
Hernandez made it to third on the play and later scored. The second run scored on a double to the left-centerfield gap by Kyle Bailey.
Carson came back with a run in the third off Ben Calengart to make it 2-1, Brock Pradere singled and went to third on an errant pick-off attempt. He eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Damonte made it 3-1 in the fifth on a two-out error by shortstop Colby Blueberg, a single by Justin Bridgman and a wild pitch.
Carson threatened in the top of the sixth, loading the bases on an error by Hernandez, a bloop single by Whitt and a walk to Rory Petersen. Casey Wolfe popped up for the first out, and Harjes followed with a groundball to second base. Petersen was tagged out by Bridgman who then made the throw to first to complete the twin-killing to end the inning.
The Senators tied the game at 3 in the seventh when Dion Copoulos reached on an error. After Pradere and Blueberg were retired on balls to centerfield, Austin Pacheco doubled Copoulos to third, Whitt walked to load the bases, and Chance Quilling who was 0-for-3, followed with a bleeder up the middle to tie the game at 3.
"I hadn't hit the ball very well, and I knew we needed the two runs (to tie)," Quilling said. "I just tried to hit the ball hard."
In the bottom of the seventh, Dom Austria reached second on a throwing error by Petersen and moved to third on Bailey's bunt single. Max Heckendorn followed with a fly ball to center. Austria tagged up and sped home. Quilling made a strong, one-hop throw to the plate, and Austria barely slid under Harjes' tag.
"I thought I had him," Quilling said.
Whitt and Blueberg led Carson with two hits apiece.
VARSITY SOFTBALL
CARSON 12, MCQUEEN 0
SACRAMENTO - Christina Gallegos blanked McQueen and struck out four, and Christa McGahuey collected three hits and three RBIs to lead the Senators to an opening-round win in the first round of the Sacramento Tournament of Champions at the Sacramento Softball Complex.
Because of testing, McQueen only had eight players suited up for the game. The game was stopped after five innings because of the mercy rule.
"We hit the ball pretty well," Carson coach Scott Vickrey said. "We got some help from their errors, too. Christina threw the ball well. She did a good job of staying ahead of the hitters."
Carson's scoring came in the second (4 runs) and third (8 runs) innings.
In the second, McGahuey had a double, while Marissa Lucido and Morgan Kleine each singled. Carson also used two walks to help the rally.
In the third, McGahuey had a double and single (for two RBIs). Moriah Lane and Lou Ashbaugh each had a triple, while Kleine and Lauren Knorzer each doubled.
Carson returns to action today against Roseville and Casa Roble at 5 and 6:45 p.m.
JV BASEBALL
DAMONTE 9, CARSON 5
RENO - Carson High's JV baseball team dropped its season-opener to the Mustangs Thursday at Damonte Ranch.
Jace Zampirro threw the first two innings and allowed six runs. Chase Blueberg allowed three runs over the last four innings.
Rafe King went 2-for-3 and drove in a run, while Dominic Norton went 1-for-4.
Carson plays at Galena today.