Baseball: Battista has career day in win over Damonte

Douglas senior Beau Battista did everything in his control to try to win the game on the mound Saturday morning, and then ended up giving himself everything he'd need at the plate to clinch it.

Battista fanned 11 batters while scattering seven hits and walking two - one intentionally - and drove in Douglas' only two runs in a 2-1 win to open a doubleheader against Damonte Ranch in Minden.

"Beau had one of his best games of the year today," Douglas coach John Glover said. "He stepped up when we needed him to and got that win for us. We didn't give him much offensive help and he turned around and held Damonte to one run.

"They're solid up and down their lineup, so we were really excited that he got the job done in the fashion that he did."

While the Mustangs came back to win the second game, 8-4, Battista's performance helped clinch a crucial Sierra League series for the Tigers (Douglas beat Damonte 8-3 in Reno on Friday).

"We're happy to get the series win, there's no doubt about it," Glover said. "Damonte is a great baseball team. For us to take the series is huge at this point in the season."

Damonte took an early lead in the first game when Bennett Bedford hit a solo shot to left field with two outs in the top of the second.

Douglas came back in the bottom half, though, as brothers Kyle and Ryan Ford drew a pair of walks to lead off the inning. A fielder's choice off the bat of Matt Thomas moved the runners to second and third and Battista later looped a one-out single into shallow center, scoring the Fords.

Despite a both sides threatening late in the game, that would prove to be the end of the scoring for the game.

Douglas was looking to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Ryan Ford hit a one-out single into right. Brett Parks, running for Ford, stole second and later moved to third on a two-out single from Scott Rudnick but Damonte induced a ground ball to second to end the threat.

Battista quickly retired the first two batters to start the seventh, but Tony Vandover reached on a single and advanced to second on an error on the throw.

That brought Damonte standout slugger Anthony Rosa to the plate, who Douglas elected to intentionally walk. Battista got the next batter to fly out to right to end the game.

Ryan Ford, Rudnick, Battista and Cody Begovich accounted for Douglas' four hits in the game.

Douglas held a 3-2 lead in the second game before the Mustangs gained control with a three-run fourth and pushed the lead from there.

Matt Thomas took the loss, despite striking out five and walking two in four innings of work and Ryan Ford struck out two and walked two in relief.

Kyle Ford went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and Shane Fencl went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead the Tigers at the plate. Kameron Van Winkle went 2-for-3 and Brett Anderson, Ryan Ford and Rudnick each collected one hit. Ryan Ford and Anderson each drove in a run as well.

Spencer Moss led the Mustangs, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, a home run and three RBIs.

On Friday, the Tigers escaped with an 8-3 win over the Mustangs after scoring six runs in the top of the seventh to take the lead.

Van Winkle pitched a complete game, striking out six and walking one.

Kyle Ford drove in a trio of runs, Ryan Ford and Cody Begovich each drove in two and Van Winkle had another RBI.

Douglas will take on league-leading Galena in a three-game series this week.

"We're looking forward to next weekend," Glover said. "It's a big weekend for us. We get a chance to play the best team in the league and see how we stack up. It's a huge series."