Note to Carson Capitols opponents: Pick your poison.
The Capitols are doing it all nowadays - pitching, hitting and turning in outstanding defense - and they proved it again Friday night by trouncing visiting Fairfield 17-0 at Ron McNutt Field. It was the seventh shutout in nine games for Nevada's team, including their third straight.
J.P. Howell fired a two-hitter for Carson. Compounding matters, the Capitols offense got out of the chute quickly. Dustin Hahn had a two-run homer in the fourth, finishing with three RBIs, and Galena product Billy Paganetti had a two-run shot in the third.
John Fender was 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Carson as well.
The win comes on the heels of a successful road swing that saw the Caps go 6-0. That included a sweep of El Dorado American Legion on Wednesday for their second and third shutouts of the road trip, winning 17-0 and 13-0.
The Capitols hit seven homers against El Dorado on Wednesday. Jon Fender hit three home runs on the day, two in the second game. Hahn, Pete White and Paganetti all homered in the opener. Dustin Pedroia collected five hits on the day.
Even more impressive, three pitchers combined to throw 14 shutout innings at El Dorado. Pat Reilly twirled a complete-game five-hitter in the opener, then Howell and Ken Heald combined on a three-hitter in the second game. Heald struck out eight during his four-inning stint to finish the game.
Notes ... Reilly of Bishop Manogue High School was recently named co-MVP on the Nevada 3A Coaches All-State team ... Pedroia and Howell were named to the Sacramento Bee's All-City Baseball Team on Thursday. Both were juniors this season - Pedroia was a middle infielder at Woodland High and Howell a pitcher at Jesuit. Pedroia was a repeat pick on the Bee's All-City list.
