Blue Jays 1-hit in tourney opener

RENO - Simply put, Thursday's loss to the Greater Nevada Badgers was one of the most disappointing efforts put forth by the Carson Blue Jays this summer.

Carson's offense managed just one unearned run and one hit off Bryan Noble, a 3A pitcher, in an 8-1 loss on the first day of the Manogue Tournament.

Carson will play twice today - at 11:30 a.m. against the Oakland Rockhounds and at 2 p.m. against the Vipers, another California team.

"It is disappointing," Carson coach Cody Farnworth said. "During summer baseball we don't practice much. The kids have to do some of this on their own; be able to make adjustments on their own at the plate especially and on defense, too.

"I'm not trying to take anything away from Noble. He threw a good game and beat us."

The Blue Jays played into Noble's hand by swinging often at pitches too high to do anything with.

The Blue Jays' problems run deeper than pitch selection, however. It's easy to see that players would rather be doing something else. There is no hustle and fire that showed during the spring.

"There are some players that don't want to be here," said catcher Rory Petersen, who had Carson's only hit. "It hit me a little bit after the school season was over. I'm starting to like baseball again."

Petersen said it may start with just a few guys, but that it can spread. Petersen said he's going to try to take it upon himself to be more of a leader.

The Badgers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Mitch Pollock doubled off Carson starter Tyler Valley and eventually scored on Lane Newman's two-out single to left.

Carson tied the game in the top of the second when Dion Copoulos walked and eventually scored on two throwing errors by Noble.

The Badgers struck for four runs in the bottom of the second, scoring all four after Valley retired the first two hitters of the inning.

Aaron Nelson reached on a throwing error by Brock Pradere. Pollock walked and then Trevor Achenbauch singled home Nelson. Cedric Zumwalt followed with a double to score Pollock to make it 3-1. Noble's infield single made it 4-1 and then the Badgers pulled off a double steal for their final run of the inning.

"I thought Tyler did a good job," Farnworth said. "The hits that he gave up weren't that hard hit. I thought Cody (Schmidlin) threw well, too."

Carson had an opportunity to get back in the game in the top of the fourth after loading the bases with no outs on a walk, error and hit batsman.

What followed wasn't pretty, as Copoulos, Schmidlin and Drew Moreland all struck out.

Carson failed to get a runner past first base the rest of the game.