Momentum only goes as far as the next day’s starting pitching. Or hitting.
After walking off 1-0 winners over Carson on Friday, Spanish Springs went to the state’s capital on Saturday and was blanked 8-0 by the Senators.
It was a missed opportunity for the Cougars (15-5, 10-2) who would have taken sole possession of first place in the DI North with a win. Instead, they remain tied with Galena, which fell to Reno on Saturday. Carson (14-7, 8-4) stayed in the five-team log jam for third place.
Jared Barnard erased the Cougs’ bats, throwing a complete game four hitter. He struck out four and did not walk a single batter. He held Spanish Springs to 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.
Colton Forman was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles in the defeat.
Jordan Santos started on the bump and only lasted 3.1 innings, due in part to issues behind him. The Cougars committed five errors in the loss. He was charged with five runs on eight hits but only one of the runs was earned.
The Senators scored three times in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from leadoff hitter Connor Pradere and a two-run single one batter later from Cody Azevedo. They scored at least one run in all of the following frames.
The two-game set with Carson was just the start of a back-loaded schedule for Spanish Springs. Up next is a crucial series against Galena, starting Tuesday on the road, followed with series against Damonte Ranch and Reno.
Houston lifts Reed over Douglas
Parker Houston poked a walk-off RBI single to give Reed a 5-4 win over Douglas on Saturday evening at Greater Nevada Field.
Houston’s knock helped Reed salvage a split with the Tigers (6-13, 3-9) after falling 12-8 in Minden on Thursday. The Raiders improved to 15-4, 8-4 to move into a five-way tie for third place along with Bishop Manogue, Damonte Ranch, Reno and Carson.
Houston’s walk off prevented a spoiling of Austin Beard’s strong outing on the hill. Beard went the distance, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits to pick up the win. He struck out three and walked four.
The Raiders trailed 4-1 after three innings before pushing two across in the bottom of the fourth and one more in the fifth to tie it.
Reed outhit Douglas 11-6, led by Houston’s 3-for-3 (3 1Bs, 2 RBIs) afternoon. Beard helped his own cause, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Matt Denn also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Reed goes to Damonte Ranch on Tuesday.
Sparks swept by Fernley
Sparks dropped both ends of Saturday’s home doubleheader with Fernley.
After getting swept by the Vaqueros (12-7, 11-3) in the three-game set, Sparks remains winless in DI-A North play at 3-14, 0-13.
The Railroaders will host Truckee (2-15, 2-11) on Tuesday.
Fernley 12, Sparks 5
Sparks only had one more hit (6) than it did errors (5) in the final game of the series on Saturday.
Fernley led 12-0 after four and a half innings. Sparks scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to cut the gap to nine and prevent the game from getting called after five innings.
Fernley 15, Sparks 4 (5 innings)
The Vaqueros plated nine in the top of the first and went on to roll in Saturday’s opener.
Sparks finished with three hits.
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