Sonora outslugs Crushers

INDIAN HILLS - One thing has become painfully obvious at the USABA 15-and-under World Series. The Carson Crushers don't have a lot of pitching.

The Crushers lost their fourth straight pool game, dropping a 20-4 decision to the hard-hitting Sonora Sasquatch Monday at James Lee Park.

In four games of the tournament's round robin phase, Carson was outscored 62-13.

The Crushers open the double-elimination portion of the tournament with a game against the East Side Thunder from Seattle Wednesday at 1 p.m. at James Lee Park.

"There's nothing to say, you saw it all," said Carson coach Roy Good. "We just ran out of pitching. In a tournament like this where the teams bring a lot of good hitters, if you don't have the pitching, you're going to get overwhelmed."

Part of the problem stems from injuries. Brooks Greenlee aggravated an elbow injury on Sunday, Paul Cagle had a sore elbow and Josh Caron has had a sore arm since the J.V. season ended at Carson High.

Good plans on starting Nick Smallman and Ryan Pier in the next two games. If Carson is still alive after that, it's anybody guess who will start for the Crushers.

The shortage was such that Sean Costella, who started and worked five innings on Sunday, got the start Monday against the Sasquatch.

Sonora took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run thanks to a hit batsman, an error and a sacrifice fly by Spencer Slobaugh.

Carson tied the game at 1 when Cagle singled, moved to second on a passed ball, took third on an infield out and scored on a throwing error.

Carson took a brief 2-1 lead in the third on a double by Tom O'Brien and a single by Costella.

The lead lasted only moments. Costella departed after the second inning and Sonora exploded for 11 third-inning runs thanks to seven hits, three errors and four walks. Sonora sent 17 runners to the plate. A three-run homer by Ryles Richards, a two-run single by John Canepa and a two-run single by Slobaugh were the big blows.

Carson cut the lead to 12-4 in the fourth on two walks, a single by Caron, a throwing error and Casey Good's infield out.

Sonora exploded for eight runs in the last of the fourth. Aaron Turner and Marshall Garcia each collected two-run doubles.

Richards easily shut down Carson in the fifth to end the game on the eight-run mercy rule.

Sonora starter Alex Stewart worked the first four innings, striking out five and walking two.

NORCAL KNIGHTS 6,

NEVADA WARRIORS 1

Jeff Young hit 3-for-4 with two doubles and Chris Webb was 3-for-4 as the Knights defeated the Las Vegas-based Warriors 6-1 to improve their tournament record to 4-0.

Nate Whalin also hit 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs to help the Knights.

The Knights are seeded No. 1 headed into the tournament's double elimination bracket and play Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the winner of the earlier Crushers-Thunder game. The Warriors play Sonora at 4.

KNIGHTS 10,

THUNDER 2

Brian Peat collected two hits, drove in three runs and pitched three scoreless innings to help the Knights earn their third straight pool play victory.

Young went 3-for-4, coming up just a homer short of the cycle, and Alex Jurado collected three singles. Webb went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, Max Coronado added two hits and Lorenzo Tiscareno hit a single and triple.