Reno rolling onward

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 | 9:46 a.m.

State Legion

At Lied Fied, Henderson

Saturday's Results

Bishop Gorman 14, Las Vegas 11

Centennial 11, Basic 10, 10 inn.

Sunday's Results

Reno 13, Palo Verde 1

Cimarron-Memorial 3, Silverado 2

Monday's Results

Las Vegas 12, Basic 11, 13 inn.

Centennial 9, Bishop Gorman 8

Tuesday's Results

Silverado 15, Palo Verde 9

Reno 6, Cimmaron-Memorial 3

Today's Games

Game 9: Las Vegas vs. Bishop Gorman, 5 p.m.

Game 10: Silverado vs. Cimmaron-Memorial, 8 p.m.

Thursday's Games

Game 11: Reno vs. Game 9 winner, 5 p.m.

Game 12: Centennial vs. Game 10 winner, 8 p.m.

Friday's Games

Game 13: Repeat Game 11 (if necessary), TBA

Game 14: Repeat Game 12 (if necessary), TBA

Saturday's Games

Game 15: Championship, 8 p.m.

It has been quite a year for Northern Nevada prep baseball.

Long overshadowed by the state's southern half, the north has taken great strides in 2002. First, Wooster captured the Class 4A high school state title in May, snapping a nine-year northern drought. Then Northern Nevada's top seniors-to-be bested their southern counterparts in the annual three-game Kelley Showcase this summer.

Tuesday night, Reno's lone American Legion representative continued the trend, staying unbeaten in this week's State Tournament with a 6-3 win over second-seeded Cimarron-Memorial at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

The Knights (47-20) need just one win to reach Saturday's championship game, and will have two chances to get it under the double-elimination format.

"In the past, when we've come down here, we've always run into a good pitcher that first game, and the loser's bracket is tough. This time, our kids are playing loose and having fun," Reno coach Pete Savage said. "We've got some momentum going, but the tournament is only halfway over."

Two members of the Sun's 2002 all-state first team led the charge for the Knights on Tuesday. Left-handed pitcher Jessie Weller (Reno High) tossed nine strong innings and second baseman C.J. Lang (Reed) reached in all four plate appearances, scoring three runs and driving home two more.

Weller (8-3), who will pitch for Nevada-Reno next year, finished with a six-hitter, facing the minimum 18 batters from the fourth through ninth innings after surrendering the Spartans' three runs in the third.

"I felt as the game went on I had better control of my fastball, both inside and outside," Weller said. "And my curveball and changeup kept them off-balance."

Cimarron (39-8) will face Silverado (35-18) tonight at 8 in an elimination game, with the winner moving on to face Reno on Thursday. The Skyhawks defeated Palo Verde 15-9 in Tuesday's early game, rallying from a 5-1 deficit to advance.

Casey Coon, Ryan Castellanos and Jered Ferdinand all had three hits for Silverado, while Josh Conley paced the Panthers (36-16) with three RBIs.