Blue Jays open summer season today

Once again, it will be a busy and impacted summer for the Carson High Blue Jays baseball squad.

Bryan Manoukian’s squad, which will consist of incoming seniors, juniors and sophomores, starts its season today at 5 p.m. with a road game against the Damonte Rebels. On Friday Carson hosts Truckee at 5 p.m. and then plays a home doubleheader on Saturday, a 2 p.m. game against Douglas and a 7:30 p.m. contest against Lassen.

All told, the Blue Jays will play approximately 33 games in 37 days, barring any last-minute changes. The schedule includes home doubleheaders against the Reno Knights on June 8 and a night doubleheader against the Damonte Rebels on June 30. There are several reasons for the impacted schedule. The first is to allow players some time off before school gets going

Third baseman Brandon Allen (.354, 15 RBI), shortstop Josiah Pongasi (.337, 18 RBI), outfielder Connor Leahy (.367, 7 RBI), catcher Joe Biri (.235, RBI), Ryan Pope (.375, 2 RBI), John Holton (.186, 8 RBI) and Joe Runge (.167, 4 RBI) all played varsity throughout the season.

Joe Nelson, a pitcher-outfielder, hit .308 with four RBI in a 10-game stint with the varsity, while Connor Pradere hit .158 in a seven-game stint. Jesse Lopez, Bryce Moyle, Cody Azevedo and Jace Keema all played in three varsity games or less this year. All 15 players listed on the current Blue Jays roster played at least one varsity game this season.

Manoukian lists nine pitchers on his roster, and that’s not many when you consider his team has less than 14 days off between May 29 and July 6 when the season ends.

One player who figures to get plenty of work is sophomore-to-be lefty Bryce Moyle, who was nothing short of sensational in his brief varsity experience in the spring. Moyle allowed just five hits in 7 2/3 innings of relief work. He posted a 1-0 record with a save. Holton was 1-1 in eight appearances. He allowed 33 hits and 11 earned runs in 25 innings. Nelson pitched 4 2.3 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. Runge gave up five runs in 2 2/3 innings of work and Allen went 0-3 in five appearances.