Rory Petersen and Brock Pradere are doing their best to extend their final season at Carson High as long as possible.
Petersen's two-run double to right tied the game in the fourth, and Pradere's run-scoring single scored Petersen from second base with what proved to be the game-winning run, as Carson rallied from a four-run deficit to beat Douglas 7-6 in a loser's bracket game in the Northern 4A regionals Wednesday afternoon at Ron McNutt Field.
The Senators now play Damonte Ranch, a 9-7 loser to Reno, today at 1 p.m. at Ron McNutt Field. Galena will play Bishop Manogue in the 4 p.m. game at Carson.
Petersen is 11 for his last 15 at the plate, while Pradere is 6 for his last 14. There are other guys who have come through, but it's been the two seniors who have been carrying the load.
"They (Petersen and Pradere) are swinging it well," Carson coach Cody Farnworth said of his two seniors. "They have been doing it the last four or five games. Rory is doing it the right way. He's going with the pitch and taking it the opposite field. He's hitting the ball where it's pitched.
"We survived to play another day. It's a rivalry game. Douglas is always going to come out and play hard."
The Tigers did exactly that, but for the second time in three games, made five errors. Carson, like a good team should, made them pay dearly for those mistakes, especially in the third and fourth when it scored two runs in each of those innings to wipe out a 6-2 lead.
Petersen singled to lead off the third and he went to third on a single to right by Pradere. Cale Kynett bobbled the ball in right, allowing Pradere to take second on the play. Nick Domitrovich and Luke Maher followed with run-scoring groundballs to make it 6-4.
In the fourth,. Drew Moreland hit an infield single up the middle, and reached second on the play when Chase White threw wildly to first. Casey Wolfe walked, bringing up TJ Thomsen. Farnworth put the bunt on, and Thomsen was unsuccessful twice. The speedy CHS outfielder dropped a two-strike bunt down and beat it out to load the bases.
"We have to execute," Farnworth said. "If we're going to move on, we need to execute and do the little things. I knew we had to move the runners up."
Gehrig Tucker forced Moreland at home, and then Petersen delivered his off-field double to right to tie the game at 6.
"The double that I hit, he had gone up and in on the 1-0 pitch," said Petersen, who said he couldn't remember ever going on a streak like his present one. "It's a team game. It's not just two guys doing it all."
Carson broke the tie in the next inning when Petersen doubled to right-centerfield and scored on Pradere's soft liner to right field.
Pradere said he reacted late to the slider, but was happy he was able to hit the ball safely. The talented senior said he wasn't nervous despite the fact it was an elimination game. He said he was more nervous for the Galena game.
Charlie Banfield took over for Zampirro in the seventh and retired three straight hitters to end the game. He'll start today against Damonte Ranch.
Speaking of nerves, Farnworth said starting picher Jace Zampirro may have been a little jittery.
He surrendered an early run when Leo Trebotich singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Kaleb Foster's infield single.
Carson took a 2-1 lead off Kyle Johnson, as Maher hammered a two-run double to left.
Douglas exploded for five in the third thanks to two Carson errors and a two-run single by Dusty Fisher to take a 6-2 lead.
"After the five runs he settled down," Farnworth said.
Zampirro and Banfield combined to retire eight of the last nine batters they faced.
Douglas coach Bruce Jacobsen was disappointed with the finish and the end of the season.
"It's been this way all year," Jacobsen said, referring to both defensive woes and the lack of consistent hitting. "Carson is a good team and I wish them the best of luck."
