SPARKS - Ryan Henry pitched into the seventh inning and Adam Martin slammed the door shut with a game-ending strikeout as the Carson Cardinals posted a 5-4 victory against the Red Dogs in the Silver State Shootout baseball tournament (16-18 year olds) on Saturday afternoon.
The Red Dogs scored once in the seventh inning and had two runners on base when Martin came on to face the cleanup hitter. Martin needed only three pitches for his strikeout to earn the save and preserve the win for Henry.
By winning their third straight game, the Cardinals advanced into the semifinals of the 12-team tournament and a 10:45 a.m. game today at Charley Smith Field. If they win, the Cardinals will advance into the finals immediately afterward.
Carson scored three runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Sean Hornback delivered a run-scoring hit, Pete McGuiness drove in another run on a sacrifice fly and Nick Gitthens dashed home on the tail end of a double steal.
The Cardinals won twice on Friday, as they defeated the Reno Silver Sox 13-10 and South Tahoe 16-6.
Gitthens drove three runs home, Carl Winter had two hits and two RBIs and Andrew James singled two runs home to support the pitching of Steve Weyrick against the Silver Sox. Tim Priess was the winning pitcher against South Tahoe and helped his own cause at the plate as he hit 3-for-3 with a home run and six RBIs. Winter also hit 3-for-3 in the game.
