Carson's Joe Nelson hits a single during the Northern Nevada NIAA League game between Carson High and Galena High at Galena in Reno, Nevada.
RENO — Carson High started the day with aspirations of being tied for the top spot in the Northern Division I standings, and they finished the day by itself in third place.
The Senators lost both ends of their doubleheader against league-leading Galena, 5-4 in 8 innings and 7-2, Saturday afternoon.
The Grizzlies clinched a share of the title by improving to 18-2. Reno, after a doubleheader sweep is 16-4 followed by Carson at 14-6, Damonte and Manogue are tied for fourth at 12-8. Spanish Springs is sixth at 11-9. The top four teams host first-round playoff games.
“I’m not worried about it,” Carson pitcher-outfielder Bryce Moyle said. “We know we can beat any team in the league. We get a home game in the playoffs and that is a big deal.”
When you have an off day you are going to lose places in the standings,” Carson coach Bryan Manoukian said. “Tip your hat to Galena. Obviously they are the best team in our league, and their record proves it.”
In both games, Carson held the lead for half the game, but was unable to finish. Carson led 3-0 after four in the opener and led 1-0 for 3 1/2 innings of the second game.
In the opener, an RBI double by Kyle Krebs in the first and a two-run homer by Moyle in the fourth gave the Senators a 3-0 lead against Galena and right-hander Dawson Campos.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Grizzlies mounted their first serious threat against Carson’s Jared Barnard when Parker Kitilsen was hit by a pitch, went to second on a single by Austin Wickham and advanced to third on a deep fly to center by Andrew West. Niko Pezzanela grounded out to second to end the inning.
Galena cut the lead to 3-2 in the sixth when Jared Kiessling hit a leadoff double to left and Kitilsen walked. A single by Wickham loaded the bases. West drove in a run with an infield roller and Pezzanela made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly.
Carson got a runner to second in the seventh, but Campos retired Carter, John Holton and Moyle to end the threat.
The Grizzlies sent the game into extras tied at 3 on Tommy Lichty’s one-out single to left off reliever Joe Nelson, who had relieved Barnard at the start of the inning.
Terek Been gave CHS a 4-3 lead with a line-drive homer to the right of the 385-foot sign in right-centerfield, but the Senators were unable to close.
Wickham and West belted doubles, tying the game at 4. After a sacrifice bunt, Charles Douglas blooped a single just inside the right-field line,
It was a tough one to lose.
“That first game was one of the best high school games, along with the Spanish Springs game, that I’ve been a part of,” Manokian said. “Unfortunately both ended in losses. It was a clean game by both teams and a well-pitched game. They found the holes (at the end) and we didn’t. We hit a lot of hard outs.
“That’s the game of baseball. Hits are hit.”
The second game started just like the first one.
Krebs doubled home Connor Pradere, who had walked and stole second.
Meanwhile, Moyle sailed through the first three innings without giving up a hit. He was pounding the zone with regularity, chalking up four strikeouts.
Galena tied the game in the fourth on consecutive single by Travis Bohall, Tommy Lichty and Jared Kiessling.
Unfortunately for Moyle & Co. it was a sign of what was coming.
The Grizzlies sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth, striking for six runs and four hits off Moyle before Cole McDannald got the last out.
West swung a big bat that inning, ripping a homer and two-run double, and two runs also scored on Kiessling’s infield roller to second base.
“They barreled up a couple and got a few bleeders,” Moyle said.
“He was rushing the ball and throwing the ball where he didn’t want it,” Manoukian said. “I’m not worried about Bryce he’ll be fine.”