Frustrating loss for Carson City Juniors

It wasn’t supposed to end this way for the Carson City Juniors All-Star team at the District I Little League Baseball Tournament.

Carson’s run in the tournament came to an end quicker than expected Wednesday when it lost to Truckee 7-6 at Governors Field. Carson went 0-2 in the tournament, losing both of its game by one run in frustrating fashion. Carson lost its opener to Reno American 6-5 Monday after leading 4-0.

Wednesday’s loss was especially painful as two defensive miscues led to Truckee’s winning rally in the top of the seventh inning. The rally came after Carson appeared to seize control of the game behind the heroics of Hayden Hudson who’s clutch defensive and offensive play had staked Carson to a 6-4 lead.

Truckee had closed to within 6-5 and had the bases loaded with no outs when Carson made the first of its two defensive miscues. Truckee hit a groundball that Carson failed to make a play on. It appeared Carson had a play at the plate, but no throw was made to home or first, allowing Truckee to tie the score 6-6.

Max Fontaine came onto pitch and gave Carson a clutch performance. He induced four straight popups, but one of them was dropped, giving Truckee a 7-6 lead before Fontaine escaped the jam.

This all came after Hudson gave Carson a lift with the score tied 4-4 in the sixth. Truckee had runners at second and third with one out when it lined out to Hudson in left field. Hudson then threw a perfect strike to home to nail the runner trying to score from third for an inning-ending double play. Hudson followed that with a 2-run single in the bottom of the sixth to give Carson a 6-4 lead.

Carson took a 1-0 lead in the second when Ian Patterson singled, stole second and scored on Blake Manzel’s single. Patterson and Manzel did it again to combine for a run when Patterson singled, stole second and scored on Manzel’s single to give Carson a 3-1 lead. But Carson missed a chance to pad its lead with the bases loaded and one out when it hit into an inning-ending double play.

Vernon Painter gave Carson a solid start on the mound as he took a 3-1 lead into the fifth. Truckee’s only run came when Painter walked a batter, who came around to score on three wild pitches.

Painter came out in the fifth after allowing an RBI single that pulled Truckee to within 3-2 and Truckee went on to take a 4-3 lead. Carson tied it 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth when Manzel singled and scored on an error.

Carson was led offensively by Patterson, who went 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, and Manzel, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Delsin Roberts and Blake Matties also each added a hit for Carson.