PREP: Banfield's single beats Wooster

After a sub-par performance on the mound Tuesday afternoon against Wooster, Carson's Charlie Banfield wanted to redeem himself.

Mission accomplished.

Banfield, getting the start at third base, drove in Casey Wolfe with the game-winning run on a one-out single in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 3-all tie to give the Senators a 4-3 win over Wooster Thursday afternoon at Ron McNutt Field.

Carson, 2-0 in league, visits Spanish Springs at 11 a.m. on Saturday, weather permitting.

Banfield finished the day 2-for-4 with two RBI. He had a hand in both Carson rallies.

"I wasn't prepared for Tuesday's game," Banfield said. "The stats are still going to be there (from Tuesday). I feel good about today.

"With a runner on second and one out, I was just trying to put the ball in play, hit it to the right side and give Luke (Maher) a chance to drive Casey (Wolfe) in. Luke's been hot."

With one out in the eighth, Wolfe hit a slow roller to second, and Cassin Brown threw wildly past first, allowing Wolfe to reach second base. The play was scored as a hit and error. Banfield followed with a ball up the middle to score Wolfe.

Carson coach Cody Farnworth was pleased with how his team competed throughout the game, and he felt pitchers Jace Zampirro, Carter Nuckolls and Gehrig Tucker threw pretty well, and made big pitches at key times. Wooster left 13 on base. Tucker picked up the win, retiring all four batters he faced.

"Jace didn't have his best stuff, but he only gave up one run, and I figured that wasn't going to beat us," Farnworth said. "Carter came in and did a good job again. I wanted to give him a chance to finish it."

Nuckolls, who picked up the win Tuesday by getting two outs, entered the game with Wooster leading 1-0 in the top of the fifth. The Colts had runners at first and second, and Nuckolls after allowing a sacrifice bunt and hitting a batter, retired Alfonso Alvarez and Tenaya Brown to end the inning.

Carson's bats finally broke loose against Filberto Castro in the sixth. An infield single by Rory Petersen, a single by Wolfe, a single by Banfield and a single by Maher plus a double steal resulted in three runs and a 3-1 lead.

Wooster fought back to tie the game at 3, stringing together a two-out double by Nicholas Vellis, a run-scoring single by Dustin Alexander and a balk. Tucker came on to close out the inning.

"I just wanted to come in and throw strikes," Nuckolls said. "That balk killed me. Drew (Moreland) said I did. I think I did a pretty good job."

SOFTBALL

Carson edges Reno in 9

RENO - The Senators opened the 4A season with an 8-7 extra-inning win over the Huskies.

The Senators led 7-5 going into the bottom of the seventh, but Reno scored twice off Christa McGahuey to tie it at 7 and force extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth, Carson scored a go-ahead run in the ninth.

Lou Ashbaugh singled and moved over to third on two sacrifice bunts. Morgan Kleine came up and chopped one over the pitcher's head and beat it out to score Ashbaugh.

Reno led 2-0 early, but Carson tied it at 2 on a single by Klein in the second and an error in the third.

The teams were tied at 3 after five and Carson went ahead 5-3 when Kleine singled and scored on an error. Jennifer Purcell doubled home the second run. Reno fought back with two runs, tying the game at 5.

Each team scored two in the seventh, sending the game into extra frames.

Purcell and Kleine led Carson with three hits apiece, while Ashbaugh added two.

Carson returns to action Saturday at 10 a.m. by hosting a doubleheader against North Valleys.

Reed tops Douglas

MINDEN - Reed scored four times in the second en route to a 6-1 victory over the Tigers.

Douglas' only run came in the bottom of the seventh. Illiana Brown got credit for the RBI. Brown had three of Douglas' nine hits. Taylor McKinnon and Aaliyah Paxson each had two hits for Douglas.