On paper, the Carson High School softball team is a big underdog coming into its Northern 4A Regional Tournament opener against McQueen today in Fallon.
After all, the McQueen Lancers (30-6) finished their regular season as undefeated champions of the High Desert League while the Senators (15-13) finished as the No. 4 seed from the Sierra League. Despite what the numbers say on paper about the 2:45 p.m. contest at Churchill County High School, Carson coach John Sullivan still found time for some humor at practice this week.
"I'm sure the line at the Nugget is McQueen by 4-and-a-half," Sullivan said, laughing.
Sullivan, who has announced that he is retiring as head coach of the program at the end of this season, went on to point out that postseason games are not played on paper.
"What I've told the girls, when you get to zone, the teams that are supposed to win don't always win," said Sullivan, who coached Carson to the 1994 Northern 3A zone tournament championship in Fallon. "I remember five years ago when we had (ace pitcher Nicole) Freeman, we won down in Vegas, we won the conference and we were supposed to win zone, but we didn't. Reed, the No. 4 seed, ended up winning zone and state that year. I guess that's why they play all these games."
In other first-round regional tournament games today, Wooster (30-6) plays Galena (15-20) and Reno (20-14) plays Churchill County (30-8) at 1 p.m. while Douglas (23-12) plays Reed (21-12) in the other 2:45 game.
Play continues until Saturday, with the championship round scheduled at 1 p.m. The top Three teams from both tournaments will advance to the NIAA/U.S. Bank 4A State Tournament next week in Las Vegas.
Even though the Senators ended their regular season last Friday with losses in both ends of a doubleheader at Reno, 8-3 and 6-3, Sullivan is confident they can bounce back.
"We had that Monday game where we got beat by Douglas and looked horrible, and then the next day we go and beat Wooster," Sullivan said. "You just never know."
Carson and Douglas are the only Northern 4A teams this season to beat Wooster, the three-time defending 4A state champion.
Offense has been a strength for the Senators, who are hitting .307 as a team. Nichole Monge leads the team with her .392 average. Senior third baseman Lindsey Perondi, a four-year varsity veteran, is hitting .368 with team highs in hits (28) and runs scored (24). Senior center fielder Bethany Henry is hitting .356 with four triples. First baseman/pitcher Lindsay Farnworth is hitting .342 and leads the team in home runs (5) and RBIs (23). Senior shortstop Heather Diamond is hitting .312 and junior catcher Ariadne Gonzalez .310.
Mandy Carvin is the No. 1 pitcher with her 9-7 record, including victories over Wooster, Douglas and Reno. The sophomore right-hander has compiled a 2.98 ERA in 103.1 innings, allowed 97 hits, struck out 90 batters and walked 30.
