Douglas baseball falls against Reno

All it took was a couple mistakes.

That's all it ever takes when good teams meet.

Reno High capitalized on two Douglas errors to score five runs in the third inning en route to a 7-2 win at Reno High Thursday afternoon in a matchup of the Sierra League leaders.

Reno's Chris Rickey held Douglas to three hits and struck out four to pick up the win.

"We didn't hit and we made a couple of errors that really cost us," Douglas head coach John Glover said. "You have to give them credit though, they are a good team.

"They took advantage of those mistakes which is why you can't do that against this club."

Reno's Jake Johnson and John Wallace led off the bottom of the third with singles, and Steve Mays flied out to short. Then things fell apart.

Ryan Simpson and Mike Lienert reached on errors to score Johnson and load the bases and Davis Banks sacrificed Wallace home.

Kyle Bertelson singled to score Simpson and Leinert and Proctor Hug singled to score Bertelson.

Aside from the third inning, Tiger pitchers Brandon Huff and Tyson Estes held the potent Reno offense to six hits.

Douglas had a chance to do some damage in the top of the fourth after Rickey loaded the bases on walks and a hit batsmen.

Kyle Luken scored on a passed ball, with the trailing runners advancing to second and third with one out.

Luke Rippee hit a blazing line drive right into Rickey's glove. Roman Davis, leading off on third, was caught off base and Reno ended the threat with a double play.

Rickey walked eight batters in the game.

Douglas' other run came in the first inning as Chad Walling scored when Chris Honer reached on a fielder's choice.

Rippee, Walling and Bryan Miller collected the Tigers' only hits on the afternoon and Davis was hit by a pitch twice and walked once.

Tyson Estes pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief, striking out three and allowing three hits.

Douglas next plays host to Reno Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m. at Tiger Field.