Senator baseball snags win on big stage
Carson downs Douglas at Greater Nevada Field
Noah Hutchison fires a pitch Tuesday night at Greater Nevada Field. Hutchison tossed 6.1 innings with five strikeouts to help the Senators’ get their first win over Douglas since 2021.
Photo by Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage.
By Carter Eckl
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RENO – The biggest venue in Northern Nevada for a baseball game didn’t intimidate Carson High early on Tuesday evening.
Greater Nevada Field was the host for the first meeting between the two rival programs.
The Senators scored four runs in the opening frame, which was enough to pick up a 4-2 win over the Tigers.
It’s Carson’s first win over Douglas since May 14, 2021.
The Tigers had won the prior eight meetings, leading into Tuesday.
“It’s not a league game. It doesn’t mean anything. We haven’t done anything, but it’s a good start,” said Carson head coach Bryan Manoukian. “Once league starts, it’s totally different. This had the feeling of a league game.”
(Chase Grundy smacks an RBI base hit against Douglas Tuesday night at Greater Nevada Field. / Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage)
FIRST INNING RALLY
When it’s free admission for all the fans in attendance, there’s no need to wait around.
Noah Hutchison struck out the first three Tiger hitters he faced to get the game started.
The Senator offense went and helped him out immediately.
Catcher Sebastian Montes singled in Ethan Cook, who reached with a leadoff walk, to give Carson a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Chase Grundy scored the Senators’ second run on an error after Hutchison put the ball in play.
RBI singles from Lucas LaFollette and Julian Pineda doubled the Carson lead to 4-0 at the end of one.
“It was an awesome opportunity. I have never played on a field like this before and it was cool we got to beat our rivals out here,” said Cook on playing at Greater Nevada Field.
Douglas countered with two runs in the second to cut the deficit in half, but Hutchison settled in and nearly finished with a complete game, tossing 6.1 innings of work.
“I didn’t expect him to go into the seventh tonight, but he was handling his business,” said Manoukian. “He did a good job locating both off speed pitches.”
After the second, Douglas only threatened again in the top of the seventh.
Hutchison retired nine Tiger hitters in a row from the third through the fifth innings. He ended his evening with five strikeouts and four hits allowed.
In the seventh, Hutchinson got the first Tiger hitter to pop out, but a single and a walk led to a bullpen move from the Senator head coach.
Austen Testi came on in relief and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, but he didn’t let the moment get to him.
The second hitter he faced popped out in foul ground on the third base side.
Testi wrapped up the save after forcing a weak ground ball, which Montes picked up a few feet in front of home plate and fired to first to end the game.
“He (Testi) did a really good job after his first at-bat. … That was huge for him,” said Manoukian.
Seven Senators were responsible for eight hits on offense in the win with Hutchison being the lone hitter to have a multi-hit performance.
Carson’s bats still have room to improve, but the opening frame was the type of execution Manoukian is looking for.
“In the first inning we really executed well. … In the second inning we totally got away from that and he (Titus Gocke) mowed us down,” said Manoukian.
Douglas’ starting pitcher, Gocke, threw all six innings on the hill for the Tigers with six strikeouts and the four earned runs in the opening frame.
UP NEXT: Carson (2-5) will host Bishop Manogue (3-3) Thursday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. Saturday, the Senators will travel to take on North Valleys (0-5) at 11 a.m.
(Carson High senior first baseman Ethan Cook celebrates after the final out against Douglas Tuesday evening at Greater Nevada Field. Chase Grundy, back left, joins in celebration. / Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage)
