Carson 13s finish as state runners-up

The Carson 13-year-old Babe Ruth Baseball all-star team defeated arch rival Reno South 13-8 in the championship round to force a second game for the title on Thursday at Reno's Governor's Bowl.

Carson went on to lose the second game for the title to Reno South, 8-5, to finish as state runners-up. Carson was able to rebound to give Reno South all it could handle after losing to Reno South 19-1 earlier in teh tournament.

"This is one of the finest 13-year-old teams we've fielded in recent years," Carson coach John Simms said. "I've very proud of the way we battled against a talented Reno South team."

Tyler Simms went the distance against Reno South for the win in the first game, striking out five. Tyler Smith went 3-for-3, while Simms, Kyle Stone, Pat Riggs, Matt Parmenter and Mitch Hammond each had two hits. Eric Murphy and Matt Rutledge also added hits. Carson trailed 6-5 in the seventh inning when it scored seven runs to take a 12-6 lead. Parmenter singled to begin the rally and later had a two-run single during the inning.

"It was our great hitting and aggressive base running that did it for us," coach Simms said.

In the second game, Murphy and Smith who combined for six strikeouts. Rutledge went 3-for-4 while Simms, Stone and Cody Barr each had two hits. Riggs also added a hit. Carson battled back from a 5-1 deficit to tie the game 5-5 in the bottom before Reno South rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Carson had to overcome the adversities brought on by the Waterfall Fire. Many of the team's practices were canceled because of smoke or evacuations.

"Because we couldn't practice, we had to learn our signals at Round Table Pizza," Smith said.

Carson defeated Sparks, Elko, Reno West, and Reno South on its way to the championship game.