Chase Blueberg
RENO — Carson High made its presence felt at Saturday’s Northern Nevada Junior All-Star baseball game.
The group of Gehrig Tucker, Chase Blueberg, Jace Zampirro, Dom Norton and Chazz Nystrom went a combined 4-for-9 with two RBIs in the South’s heartbreaking 7-6 loss to the North at Zunini Field.
The South never trailed in the game until the bottom of the seventh when the North scored three times to erase a 6-4 deficit.
“It was a lot of fun getting a chance to play with these guys,” said shortstop Tucker. “I think we all did fine. Chase and I swung it pretty well, and Dom and I did well in the field. Jace, Chase and Chazz pitched well.”
“It was fun,” Blueberg said. “I’m looking forward to playing in this again next year.”
Tucker and Blueberg each had run-scoring hits for the South squad.
Tucker’s sixth-inning single drove in Damonte’s Andy Calingaert who hit a one-out double to start the rally. Blueberg’s single to right in the top of the seventh snapped a 4-all tie and gave the South a 5-4 lead. Brock Raggio added to that lead with a double to make it 6-4. Blueberg was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on the play.
“I was hoping that single would hold up (as the game-winner),” Blueberg said. “I felt good at the plate.”
Alas, Blueberg’s hit didn’t stand up. Raggio, who drove in three runs on the day, was brought in to close out the game, and he unfortunately didn’t get it done. He failed to retire a single batter in the seventh.
Spanish Springs’ Lucas Jones and Reed’s Joey Dice started the inning with singles. With runners at first and third, Reno’s Jeremy Peterson walked to load the bases. Raggio walked McQueen’s Nathan Gadsby to force home Jones to make it 6-5. Dice raced home on a passed ball, tying the game at 6. Jeff McCusker, whose two-out error enabled the South to snap the 4-all tie, ended the game with a walk-off single.
The South took a 2-0 lead in the first when Raggio singled home Manogue’s Harrison Shawa and Galena’s Tim Lichty, who had reached on a single and error, respectively.
The North got a run back in the bottom of the inning against Galena’s Eric Anderson, as Dice singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch. Dice also had a hand in a game-tying rally in the third. He was hit by a Blueberg pitch and eventually scored on a single by Peterson.
Dice scored twice and reached base three times for the North stars.
The South took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Lichty reached on an infield single, moved to second on an infield single by Douglas’ Dillon Lopez, advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a wild pitch.
The North evened the game in the fifth against Zampirro on a single, two wild pitches and a double steal.
Tucker singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth, but he was matched by Reno’s Sullivan Cauley in the bottom of the inning.
That set the stage for the wild seventh inning.
NOTES: Carson’s T.J. Thomsen was ill and missed the game ... The games were sponsored by Sports Unlimited... Several college coaches were in the stands, including Western Nevada College coach D.J. Whittemore.