Cardinals come back to salvage a split

After the first inning of its second game on Tuesday, it looked like the day would be completely lost for the Carson Cardinals.

But the Cardinals rebounded from spotting Martinez, Calif. eight unearned runs in the first inning to come back for an 11-8 win in the West Coast Classic at North Valleys High. The Cardinals salvaged the day after losing to the Seattle Bombers 12-4.

Against Martinez, Jason Alcasas came in to pitch 6 1/3 scoreless innings, scattering six hits.

Cameron Leck and Mike Handley each hit two-run home runs, with Handley's shot giving the Cardinals a 10-8. Aaron Henry added a solo shot.

In the first, Martinez took advantage of six walks, a bloop single and three errors led to the eight unearned runs. After two walks and a strikeout, the Cardinals booted a possible double play ball that could have ended the inning.

Leck hit his two-run shot in the bottom of the first. The Cardinals scored two more runs in the second on the strength of Murph Gardner's RBI double.

The Cardinals tied it in the third. Leck and Handley singled and then Logan Parsley and Alex Tanchek each belted two-run doubles to tie the score 8-8. In the fourth, Handley hit his two-run shot and Henry followed with his solo shot.

Shortstop Andrew James also made two key defensive plays. In the fourth, James intentionally dropped a line drive with a runner at first and turned it into a double play. In the sixth, James took a relay from right fielder Jeff Hurzel and delivered a perfect strike to Tony Teixeira to nail the runner at the plate. Henry, Leck and Handley all had two hits.

Against the Bombers, Leck's two-run single gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead in the third. But Seattle scored eight runs over the next two innings to take a 9-2 lead. In the fifth, Parsley, James and Leck all singled during a two-run rally that made it 9-4.

Aaron Henry had two hits, including a double, James and Leck each had two hits and Hurzel and Royal Good each added a hit for the Cardinals, who are 2-1 in the tournament.

The Cardinals conclude pool play today against San Mateo, Calif. at noon and Porterville (Calif.) College at 2:30 p.m. at North Valleys.

SUN DEVILS 20, RIDGECREST 12

Carson's Willie Bowman ignited a 12-run first inning rally with a three-run homer as the Sierra Sun Devils (29-12) beat Ridgecrest, Calif. Bowman was 3-for-5 with five RBI and Dayton's Matt Bowman doubled.

The Sun Devils will host Oroville, Calif. in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday at Wooster and will host the Joe DiMaggio state tournament next week. The Sun Devils will open at 11:30 a.m. this Wednesday at Wooster.